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Recent Posts
- Wanted! IT Administrators with Windows Server experience (Puget Sound Only) Microsoft User Research is conducting a study focusing on the next version of Windows Server between August 22 and August 28, 2008
- Google Lively and 1E
- Microsoft App-V 4.5 Hits Release Candidate
- Troubleshooting an ever growing Usrvol_sftfs.pkg file
- anthony.clendenen@gmail.com sent you a link to content of interest
- Sysinternals Tools Can Now Run From The Web
- Get FREE One Year Subscription of CA Anti-Virus - Tweaking with Vishal
- Mars Lander Phoenix Touches Down Successfully!
- Scientist Creates Cold Fusion For the First Time In Decades [Cold
- Using Maintenance Windows While Patching
New Tool for DCM
Categories: Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Downloads, Tools.
This tool coverts Security Content Automation Protocol files into DCM packs. It is in public beta and you can get it here.
Overview
The SCAP Conversion Tool for DCM can convert any SCAP stream files into DCM Configuration Packs for use with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007. This Beta release includes a user guide that provides detailed instructions for using this command-line tool, as well as detailed information about the mapping between the SCAP protocol and DCM.
Please note this is a Public Beta, the review period runs from April 3 to May 8, 2008. After using the tools and reading the documentation, please provide feedback by completing the Security Compliance Management Beta survey on Microsoft Connect. The survey provides opportunities for written feedback. Alternatively, you can turn on the Track Changes feature in the Beta documents to use the Comment feature to include your feedback. Please e-mail commented documents to SCMBeta@microsoft.com.
Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
© Anthony Clendenen
ConfigMgr SDK (final) Released
Categories: BDD, Coding, Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Docs, Downloads, Gadgets, MD, OSD, SCCM, SDK, SUP, Scripting, Tools, Vista.
Microsoft released the ConfigMgr SDK yesterday. You can get the download here.
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Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
© Anthony Clendenen
New ConfigMgr DCM Packs
Categories: Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Downloads, Microsoft, SCCM.
For SQL 2000, OpsMgr, and SharePoint.
ConfigMgr Toolkit Available for Download
Categories: Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Microsoft, Tools.
This toolkit includes many of the classics along with a few new hits.
Overview
The following list provides specific information about each tool in the toolkit.
Client Spy - A tool to help troubleshoot issues related to software distribution, inventory, and software metering on Configuration Manager 2007 clients.
Policy Spy - A policy viewer to help review and troubleshoot the policy system on Configuration Manager 2007 clients.
Trace32 - A log viewer that provides a way to easily view and monitor log files created and updated by Configuration Manager 2007 clients and servers.
Security Configuration Wizard Template for Configuration Manager 2007 - An attack-surface reduction tool for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system with Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 2 (SP1 and SP2) that determines the minimum functionality required for a server’s role or roles, and disables functionality that is not required.
DCM Model Verification - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for the validation and testing of configuration items and baselines authored externally from the Configuration Manager console.
DCM Digest Conversion - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators to convert existing SMS 2003 Desired Configuration Management Solution templates to Desired Configuration Management 2007 configuration items.
DCM Substitution Variables - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for authoring desired configuration management configuration items that use chained setting and object discovery.
Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
© 2007 Anthony Clendenen
ConfigMgr DCM Templates Released
Categories: Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Downloads, Microsoft.
Below are three DCM Configuration packs you can download and import for monitoring your ConfigMgr server, Citrix Presentation server, and servers for vulnerabilities including the OS, IE, Office, SQL, and IIS.
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack
Overview
Software installation errors and misconfigurations compromise security and stability, resulting in escalated support costs. System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack can help prevent errors, increasing your organizational uptime and helping you build a more secure infrastructure. This configuration pack provides vulnerability assessment reporting for common software misconfigurations using the desired configuration management component in Configuration Manager 2007. The Configuration Manager 2007 Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack monitors the configuration of Microsoft Windows operating systems, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, SQL Server, and Internet Information Services (IIS). To use this Configuration Pack, import and assign the three configuration baselines (Vulnerability Assessment: IIS Baseline, Vulnerability Assessment: SQL Server Baseline, Vulnerability Assessment: Windows Baseline) to a collection containing the computers you want to monitor. To understand in detail what each configuration item will be evaluating, review the properties of the configuration item.
Scenarios:• Scan for potential security issues that may exist because of misconfigurations.
• Example checks:o Are unnecessary services installed and running?
o Do shared folders have appropriate permissions?
o Is Windows Firewall enabled?
o Are strong passwords enforced?
o Are unsecured guest accounts enabled?Download details: Configuration Manager 2007 Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Configuration Pack
Overview
Software installation errors and misconfigurations compromise security and stability, resulting in escalated support costs. The System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Configuration Pack can help prevent errors, increasing your organizational uptime and helping you build a more secure and reliable Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure. This Configuration Pack contains Configuration Items intended to manage your Configuration Manager 2007 site system roles using the desired configuration management component in Configuration Manager 2007. This configuration pack monitors the following site system roles: management points, distribution points, and software update points. The Configuration Pack can also monitor Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) components on software update points or upstream WSUS servers. To manage your site system roles with this Configuration Pack, import and assign the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Server Roles configuration baseline to a collection which contains your Configuration Manager 2007 site systems. While there is one configuration baseline for all site systems, it evaluates compliance only for roles configured on the site system. For example, if a computer has only the distribution point role, it will not be evaluated for management point configurations. To understand in detail what each configuration item will be evaluating, review the properties of that configuration item in the context of the Configuration Manager 2007 Server Role being addressed.
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 site roles covered:
• Management points
• Distribution points
• Software update points
Citrix Presentation Server Configuration Pack for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager
(SCCM) 2007
The attached file contains the Citrix Presentation Server Configuration Pack for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 and the related Administrator’s Guide.
- Presentation Server 4.5 for Windows Server 2003
- Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 for Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition
- Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 for Microsoft Windows 2003
- Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 x64 Edition
Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
© 2007 Anthony Clendenen
ConfigMgr Desired Configuration Management Objects versus Settings
Categories: Config Manager, ConfigMgr, Desired Configuration Management, Docs, How-To, Microsoft, Rants.
In ConfigMgr these names sound very clear, objects, settings, right….Let’s look at the description of these two.
"Use the Objects tab of the Configuration Manager 2007 configuration item properties dialog box to view, add, edit, and delete objects that you want to include in this configuration item. Examples of configuration item objects are files, folders, and registry keys."
"Use the Settings tab of the Configuration Manager 2007 configuration item properties dialog box to view, add, edit, and delete settings and their validation criteria that you want to include in this configuration item. Examples of configuration item settings are those obtained from Active Directory Domain Services, the registry, and scripts."
Can you spot the difference? In Settings there is a little extra text, "and their validation criteria " and "those obtained from Active Directory Domain Services, the registry, and scripts"
All and all this isn’t that confusing, but when you actually go to create a Configuration Item, it might begin to get confusing. Here is an example I was documenting. I want to monitor the Automatic Updates settings, specifically I want to make sure that my clients do not change the setting to download updates each night. Which is located in this registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update\AUOptions"
In DCM you have to first create the Configuration Item (CI) then create a Configuration Baseline to include any number of CI’s, and finally assign those baselines to clients for monitoring and reporting, and eventually automated fixing.
If you right-click on the CI node and select New -> Operating System CI it will open a window where you can enter the desired name, description, and add or remove any categories you like. Then you click Next, it then wants to know what OS this is going to apply to, either by description or by specifying the build number and service pack number see the corresponding image on the right.
When you click Next you are presented with the Objects window where you can create a new object such as a registry key like above, or an assembly or a file/folder. If you choose registry key you are presented with this window.
Now if you fill in the Key field with the above key it is all good, you can use that Values along with the operator to change it to 4, or 3, so on, what ever your setting is for AU’s. 4 will have them download updates each night and reboot after they are done. You click OK, it returns you back to the Objects window, you click next and you move along to Settings. And this is where I got confused. If you click the New button and select Registry in the Settings window you get this dialog.
Now these two boxes are not identical, there is a distinct likeness however. And now that I know much more about DCM, CI’s, objects, and settings I understand these options much better. But this is my complaint, when going though setting up this CI I am presented with that task sequence like window, with tabs (?) on the left, and the summary page, progress, yada yada yada…but if I enter that key in the the first window it does not check the value, only the existence of the object, if I enter it into the second one and enter the value into the validation tab as seen below…look familiar? See above! Well I can see where this can be 
confusing…I got some insight from Jeff Gilbert on the ConfigMgr doc team and in sitting back for a few more minutes without trying to use the Help, ConfigMgr technical docs, and some PowerPoint slides I was able to make it clear in my mind. But I still hate the task sequence process and believe that if I was able to just right-click the CI node, select New, Operating System Configuration Item and then Object or Setting like this…
So hopefully this will help you when you go to work with DCM, remember objects are things that you check for their existence and settings are just that, you check the settings of an item (not necessarily an object). At least that is how I understand it today, and if tomorrow is like today, that could very well change. But my dislike for the Task Sequence model will not likely change any time soon, I don’t care how many clicks it supposedly saves me.
Regards,
Anthony
Anthony Clendenen | Solutions Engineer | 1E
© 2007 Anthony Clendenen
