Microsoft System Center Enterprise Suite Unleashed

by Chris Amaris, Rand Morimoto, Alec Minty, Tyson Kopczynski

Overview

Microsoft System Center Enterprise Suite Unleashed is the first and only definitive real-world guide to the entire Microsoft System Center Enterprise Suite. It brings together tips, tricks, best practices, and lessons learned by top consultants who’ve deployed System Center in some of the world’s largest enterprises and most successful small businesses.

 

Drawing on years of early adopter and production experience, Rand Morimoto, Chris Amaris, and their team cover the entire System Center lifecycle and its components for system configuration, operations management, data protection, virtual machine management, help desk support, change management, asset control, capacity planning, and mobile device management. You’ll learn about individual components and how to integrate them to build automated, exceptionally efficient managed environments.

 

For smaller businesses, the book also presents Microsoft’s streamlined, lower-cost IT management offering, System Center Essentials 2010.

• Use System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to image, update, manage, and support servers and clients
• Proactively monitor your systems to identify and fix problems before they fail
• Use System Center Data Protection Manager 2010 to provide reliable, timely backup/recovery
• Implement and manage all aspects of virtualization, including virtual guest sessions on both Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware
• Make the most of System Center Service Manager 2010’s integrated tools for managing help desks, incidents, assets, and changes
• Use System Center Capacity Planner to properly size, procure, and deploy new systems
• Remotely track, secure, patch, update, and support mobile devices with System Center Mobile Device Manager
• Simplify small business IT management with System Center Essentials 2010’s wizards and auto-configuration components

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780131387980
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	04/09/2010
Series:	Unleashed
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	1056
File size:	26 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Chris Amaris, MCSE, CISSP/ISSAP, CHS III, is the chief technology officer and cofounder of Convergent Computing. He has more than 20 years experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies, leading companies in the technology selection, design, planning, and implementation of complex information technology projects. Chris has worked with Microsoft System Center products such as Operations Manager and Configuration Manager since their original releases in 2000 and 1994. He specializes in messaging, security, performance tuning, systems management, and migration. A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with an Information System Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP) concentration, Certified Homeland Security (CHS III), Windows 2003 MCSE, Novell CNE, Banyan CBE, and a Certified Project Manager, Chris is also an author and technical editor for a number of IT books, including Network Security for Government and Corporate Executives, Exchange 2010 Unleashed, and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed. Chris presents on messaging, systems management, security, and information technology topics worldwide.

 

Tyson Kopczynski, CISSP, GCIH, with more than ten years of experience in IT, has become a specialist in Active Directory, information assurance, Windows automation, PKI, and IT security practices. Tyson is also the founding author of the Windows PowerShell Unleashed series and has been a contributing author for such books as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 Unleashed and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Unleashed. He has also written many detailed technical papers and guides covering various technologies. As a consultant at Convergent Computing, Tyson works with and has provided feedback for next generation Microsoft technologies since their inception and has also played a key role in expanding the automation and security practices at Convergent Computing. Tyson also holds such certifications as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), the SANS Security Essentials Certification (GSEC), SANS Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), and the Application Platform, Active Directory, and Network Infrastructure (MCTS).

 

Alec Minty, MCSE, is a senior engineer for a large Internet company in the San Francisco Bay area. He has more than 10 years’ industry experience with extensive knowledge designing and implementing enterprise-class solutions for a diverse array of organizations. Alec has been an early adopter of database technologies, operations management, systems management, and security technologies. He specializes in designing, implementing, migrating, and supporting complex infrastructures for a variety of large utility, telecommunications, and engineering organizations. Alec’s experience spans the business and technology areas; he has in-depth experience in the deployment, migration, and integration of key business technologies such as SQL Server, Windows, Exchange Server, Active Directory, ISA, and Identity Management. Alec is coauthor of SQL Server 2005 Management and Administration and MOM 2005 Unleashed and is a contributing author on Exchange Server 2007 Unleashed and ISA 2004 Unleashed, all published by Sams Publishing.

 

Rand H. Morimoto, Ph.D., MVP, MCITP, CISSP, has been in the computer industry for more than 30 years and has authored, coauthored, or been a contributing writer for dozens of books on Windows, Security, Exchange Server, BizTalk, and Remote and Mobile Computing. Rand is the president of Convergent Computing, an IT-consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay area that has been one of the key early adopter program partners with Microsoft, implementing the latest Microsoft technologies including Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, System Center Service Manager 2010, Windows 7, Exchange Server 2010, and SharePoint 2010 in production environments more than 18 months before the initial product releases.

Table of Contents

Introduction     1

1 Introduction to the System Center Suite     5

What Is System Center?      5

Understanding System Center Configuration Manager     9

Understanding System Center Operations Manager     15

Understanding System Center Data Protection Manager     22

Understanding System Center Virtual Machine Manager      28

Understanding System Center Service Manager     33

Understanding System Center Capacity Planner     37

Understanding System Center Mobile Device Manager      40

Understanding System Center Essentials     43

Understanding System Center Licensing     46

Summary     47

Best Practices      48

2 System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 Design and Planning     51

Explaining How Configuration Manager Works     52

Understanding Content Distribution     57

Understanding Asset Management     61

Reporting from Configuration Manager     64

Configuration Manager Architecture Components     65

Securing Configuration Manager     79

Understanding Fault Tolerance and Disaster Recovery      84

Understanding Component Requirements     86

Configuration Manager Design Considerations     90

Planning for Native Mode     102

Understanding Client Schedules     104

Planning for Internet-Based Client Management     105

Putting It All Together     107

Summary     109

Best Practices     110

3 System Center Configuration Manager Implementation and Administration      113

Reviewing ConfigMgr 2007 R2 Architecture     113

Understanding the AD Site Topology     116

Creating a Public Key Infrastructure     118

Deploying Certificates     120

Preparing the Site Database Server     129

Extending the Active Directory Schema     133

Configuring Active Directory     134

Implementing Internet Information Services (IIS)      135

Implementing the Central Site     138

Deploying the Child Primary Sites.      148

Configuring the Hierarchy     148

Implementing Asset Management      158

Implementing Patch Management     158

Implementing OS Deployment      160

Implementing Regional Server Infrastructure     161

Discovering and Managing Clients     163

Summary      167

Best Practices      168

4 Using Configuration Manager to Distribute Software, Updates, and Operating Systems      173

Understanding the Infrastructure     173

Understanding How Clients Locate Content     174

Understanding How Internet Clients Locate Content     176

Understanding Computer Management      177

Configuring the Computer Client Agent .      178

Configuring the Advertised Programs Client Agent     180

Understanding Distribution Points     181

Defining Collections     182

Understanding Software Distribution     185

Publishing Software     191

Deploying Software Automatically     193

Monitoring Software Deployment     195

Understanding Update Distribution     196

Understanding Operating System Deployment     203

Preparing Required Packages     206

Managing Operating System Install Packages     207

Deploying Operating Systems     210

Summary     214

Best Practices     214

5 Configuration Manager Asset Management and Reporting     219

Understanding the Database     219

Understanding Inventory Collection     220

Using IDMIF and NOIDMIF Files     221

Configuring Client Agents for Inventory Collection      221

Customizing Hardware Inventory      223

Validating Inventory Data.      227

Viewing Inventory Data     228

Understanding Reporting. . .      228

Understanding Software Metering     234

Understanding Asset Intelligence      235

Importing Software License Data     243

Customizing the AI Catalog      245

Using System Center Online Services     246

Understanding Asset Intelligence Reporting     247

Understanding Desired Configuration     247

Monitoring the Baselines and Compliance.      252

Summary     253

Best Practices     253

6 Operations Manager Design and Planning     257

Explaining How OpsMgr Works     257

OpsMgr Architecture Components     262

Securing OpsMgr     278

Fault Tolerance and Disaster Recovery     283

Understanding OpsMgr Component Requirements     289

OpsMgr Design Considerations     295

Putting It All Together in a Design     302

Planning an Operations Manager Deployment     312

Summary     320

Best Practices     320

7 Operations Manager Implementation and Administration     323

Installing Operations Manager 2007 R2     324

Deploying OpsMgr Agents     343

Monitoring DMZ Servers with Certificates .      352

Configuring Operations Manager 2007 R2 .      358

Administering Operations Manager 2007 R2      368

Backing Up OpsMgr 2007 R2.      378

Summary      385

Best Practices      385

8 Using Operations Manager for Monitoring and Alerting     387

Using OpsMgr Consoles     388

Administering OpsMgr      392

Working with Management Packs     399

Exploring the Operations Manager Management Pack     408

Exploring the Windows Management Pack     415

Exploring the Active Directory Management Pack     423

Exploring the Exchange 2007 Management Pack      438

Exploring the SQL Server Management Pack     454

Exploring the Cross Platform Management Packs     461

Management Pack Templates.      468

Custom Management Packs     480

Distributed Application Monitoring     486

Exploring SNMP Device Monitoring     489

Summary     492

Best Practices     493

9 Using Operations Manager for Operations and Security Reporting     495

Reporting from OpsMgr     496

Generating and Scheduling Reports     498

OpsMgr 2007 R2 Maintenance Reports     513

Audit Collection Services Reporting     522

Service Level Tracking     529

Service Level Dashboards     534

Summary     541

Best Practices     541

10 Data Protection Manager 2010 Design, Planning, Implementation, and Administration      543

What Is System Center Data Protection Manager?      544

Data Protection Manager Background      548

Data Protection Manager Prerequisites .      552

Planning a Data Protection Manager Deployment     553

Deploying Data Protection Manager      559

Administrating Data Protection Manager     575

Summary     582

Best Practices     582

11 Using Data Protection Manager 2010 to Protect File Systems, Exchange, SQL, and SharePoint      583

Protecting File Servers     584

Protecting System State     586

Protecting Exchange Servers     588

Protecting SQL Servers     598

Protecting SharePoint Farms     605

Protecting Virtualized Environments     615

Integrating Data Protection Manager with Operations Manager     620

Summary     625

Best Practices     625

12 Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 Design, Planning, and Implementation      627

What Is Virtual Machine Manager?      627

Virtual Machine Manager Background     637

Virtual Machine Manager Prerequisites     640

Planning a Virtual Machine Manager Deployment      644

Deploying Virtual Machine Manager     649

Summary     661

Best Practices     662

13 Managing a Hyper-V Environment with Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2      665

Using the VMM Management Interface     666

Understanding Virtual Machine Conversions     671

Managing VMM User Roles     684

Deploying Virtual Machines     692

Migrating Virtual Machines     699

Summary     705

Best Practices     705

14 Service Manager 2010 Design, Planning, and Implementation      709

Explaining How Service Manager Works     710

Service Manager Design Parameters     714

Putting It All Together in a Service Manager Design     719

Planning a Service Manager Deployment     726

Deploying Service Manager     735

Deploying Service Manager Connectors     746

Backing Up Service Manager 2010     753

Summary     756

Best Practices     757

15 Using Service Manager 2010 for Incident Tracking and Help Desk Support       759

Incidents and Problems     759

Configuring Incident Settings     761

Service Manager Notifications     770

Creating New Incidents      775

Working with Incidents     783

Configuring Problem Settings     793

Working with Problems     796

Incident and Problem Reports     799

Summary     806

Best Practices     806

16 Using Service Manager 2010 Change-Control Management      809

Change Requests and Activities     810

Configuring Change Settings     811

Change Management Templates and Workflows     814

Initiating Change Requests     817

Working with and Approving Change Requests     822

Implementing Change Requests    828

Managing Configuration Items    835

Change, Activity, and Configuration Management Reports    838

Summary    843

Best Practices    844

17 Using System Center Capacity Planner for Predeployment Planning    845

What Is System Center Capacity Planner?     846

System Center Capacity Planner Features    847

System Center Capacity Planner Background     847

System Center Capacity Planner Prerequisites    848

Installing System Center Capacity Planner    849

Creating a Capacity Model    850

Summary    864

Best Practices    864

18 Using Mobile Device Manager to Manage Mobile Devices    865

Why Mobile Management?     865

Background of Mobile Device Manager    868

Planning and Designing the Implementation of MDM    870

Prerequisites for Mobile Device Manager 2008 SP1    875

Installing System Center Mobile Device Manager    876

Self-Service Tasks with Mobile Device Manager    886

Device Management Tasks with Mobile Device Manager    889

Policy-Based Tasks with Mobile Device Manager    898

Mobility Access Controls Using Mobile Device Manager    903

Adding Exchange and Configuration Manager to an MDM Rollout    904

Summary    909

Best Practices    910

19 Using System Center Essentials for Midsized Organizations    911

What Is System Center Essentials?     911

Background of the System Center Essentials Product     913

System Center Essentials 2010 Prerequisites     917

Installing System Center Essentials 2010 on a Single Server    920

Installing System Center Essentials 2010 on Separate Servers    929

Getting Familiar with the SCE 2010 Management Console    930

Performing Computer and Device Discovery    937

Checking the Monitored Status of a Server and Application    941

Using Remote Assist and Remote Desktop    947

Using Essentials for Patching and Updating Systems    951

Creating Packages to Push Out New Software    957

Inventorying Systems Using System Center Essentials    960

Authoring an Agent to Monitor a Custom Website    961

Using the Virtualization Management Features of Essentials    965

Generating Reports Out of Essentials     972

Installing Agents on Target Systems    973

Troubleshooting Common Problems in SCE    978

Regular (Every 2—3 Days) Tasks an Administrator Should Perform    981

Weekly Tasks an Administrator Should Perform    982

Monthly Tasks an Administrator Should Perform    983

Summary    984

Best Practices    984

 

Index     987