WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY

Submittal Cover Sheet

Date: 12/13/10
Student Name: Martin G. Bobb
Student ID Number:
Student Degree Program: BS IT Network Design & Management Emphasis
Student Email:
Four Digit Assessment/Project Code: CAPU
Mentor Name: Mark Obremski, Les Vance
For Revisions Only Indicate Previous Grader:

Submissions received with an altered, incomplete or

missing cover sheet will be returned for resubmission.
Submit to:
Western Governors University
Attn.: Assessment Delivery Department

Capstone Project Cover Sheet

Capstone Project Title: MS System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Installation & Configuration

Student Name: Martin G. Bobb

Degree Program: BS Information Technology Network Design and Management Emphasis

Mentor Name: Mark Obremski

Signature Block
Students Signature

Mentors Signature

Table of Contents

Capstone Report Summary (Introduction) ................................................................................................... 4

Goals and Objectives................................................................................................................................... 12
Project Timeline .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Project Development .................................................................................................................................. 24
References .................................................................................................................................................. 29
Appendix 1: Competency Matrix ................................................................................................................ 30
Appendix 2: Test Network Information and Guide to Adding Roles to Server 2003 Member Servers ...... 32
Appendix 3: Hardware and Software Requirements for SCCM Site and Client Installation Methods ....... 36
Appendix 4: Systematic Instructions to Setup a SCCM Master Site ........................................................... 47
Appendix 5: Distribution Point Setup and Creating Software Packages ..................................................... 57
Appendix 6: Running SCCM Reports Program Package Distribution ....................................................... 71

Page 4

Capstone Report Summary (Introduction)

My Capstone project proposal examined Microsofts network management software System Center
Configuration Manager 2007 (SCCM). This software package assists Information Technology (IT)
personnel in performing many of the day-to-day tasks that are a part of deploying and maintaining
servers, MS Windows workstations, and personal data devices within a Microsoft Server Active Directory
(AD) environment. An attempt to cover the complete capabilities and proper configuration of this
software would literally have required hundreds of written pages and would have been well beyond the
scope of this particular project. Therefore, I changed the scope of my project and covered some select
areas of interest in more detail. This final scope of my project set about to accomplish the following two
goals:

Outline the installation and configuration of SCCM in a representative Microsoft Server 2003
Standard version AD environment.
Outline the steps that are necessary in order to configure SCCM to deploy software
packages to Active Directory computer security groups and then access SCCM reports that
indicate whether the assigned program packages have installed correctly.

I have worked for the

School District (

as an IT support professional for 22

years. Of this, I have supported networks for 18 of those years in some capacity or another. Since the
early 1990s, my company chose to use Novell network software for the majority of their networking
needs. In 2002, Novells Zenworks for Servers and Desktops software was purchased and then setup to
manage many elements of the existing network infrastructure. Zenworks provided us with the ability to
automate many server and client tasks such as update installation, desktop imaging, software
deployment, and automated hardware data collection for inventory purposes. In addition, Zenworks
contained valuable remote workstation management tools that allowed helpdesk service technicians to
assist end users with configuration and other software issues. With an ITSM of 14 people managing
nearly 9000 computers and 22,000 + users in over 50 different locations, tools like Zenworks were not a
luxury but an absolute necessity.
In the spring of 2010, the decision was made to adopt an Active Directory environment and
utilize Microsoft Server 2008 as the core operating system. Naturally, a tool possessing the comparable
functionality of Zenworks in the Novell network environment was desired for use in the new network.
Microsofts SCCM 2007, with its ability to provide a complete management package for servers and

Page 5
workstations, automate hardware and software inventory needs, and provide remote desktop
management tools, became a natural choice for the new AD environment in the
In my present capacity as a desktop support professional, I now utilize SCCM daily to help me to
perform my duties. It has become very important to understand SCCM and all of its capabilities. To this
end, I decided to study SCCM much more thoroughly. Books on SCCM have taught me a great deal, but
it has been my experience that books can only provide a base understanding of any subject matter in
the IT field. There is absolutely no substitution for hands on learning. Since my present duties with
the

do not permit administrative access to AD and SCCM on the network, I decided to setup a

similar system at home. I had access to Microsoft Server 2003 software and several pcs which I recently
utilized in completing my MCSE certification. Using these items, I decided to configure a pristine Server
2003 AD environment where I would install and configure SCCM 2007. In this way, I would have a test
environment, completely isolated from any production network components, providing a system where
I could poke and prod as much as I needed in order to understand the many functions and configuration
issues of SCCM. I used this opportunity to perform each step in the SCCM installation process, learning a
great deal along the way and fulfilled the objectives that were necessary to satisfy the first goal of my
capstone project. Once the SCCM management point was up and running correctly, I could now utilize
the operational SCCM environment to complete the remaining goals of my project.
As a means of completing the second goal of my project, I mapped out each configuration task
that is necessary to allow SCCM to function as a Software Package Distribution Point. Administrators
want the ability to manage which workstations in the SCCM managed site receive which software
packages. One of the standard ways in which this is accomplished is to query AD security groups for
workstation membership. If a workstation is a member of AD security group A, SCCM makes sure that it
receives the proper software package that is dependent on membership in group A. In order for SCCM
to update collection membership with information on workstation AD security group membership, a

Page 6
number of tasks first need to take place. I performed each of these tasks and included them as part of
this report.
IT administrators need feedback to find out whether or not software installed on the intended
workstations. If a small network is involved, you could just ask the users if the software is present or
take the time to check the workstations yourself. When the size of the network increases beyond a few
servers and workstations, automatic reporting features are necessary. SCCM has the capability to
generate reports that quickly show which workstations received a particular software package and
which did not. In order to satisfy the final goal of this project, I performed the tasks that were required
to configure SCCM to function as a reporting point and then outlined these steps in this report. With
SCCM correctly configured as a reporting point, I was able to take steps towards satisfying the final goal
of this project. I concluded this report by outlining the tasks that a SCCM administrator must take in
order to generate a web-based report that shows if a particular software package has been delivered to
intended workstations or not.
As I stated above, the first part of my project would show the steps that are required in order to
get SCCM up and running. Before a SCCM 2007 installation could take place, a Microsoft Server 2003
Active Directory (AD) forest and domain structure had to be configured and operational. In addition to
one or more domain controllers, two member servers had to be setup and configured. The member
servers were necessary in order to house the SCCM management software and its associated SQL
database. Websites and books are plentiful that outline how to setup and configure a new Server 2003
AD forest and domain. As an MCSE certified professional, I have consulted many of these sources over
the past years as I prepared for each exam. Microsofts technet website (technet.microsoft.com) has
always been an excellent source of information and is often the first place that I consult for answers to
anything Microsoft. This site is a storehouse of information on AD server installation and
configuration, and is one of the best sources to consult for SCCM specific issues.

Page 7
There are many how to books which cover the spectrum from merely providing a quick
overview of SCCM installation and features, to those that provide very in-depth coverage of all issues
pertaining the softwares installation and use. One source that fits into the first category is a paper I
located on the web, authored by University of Minnesota student Joe Artz. This 12-page project titled
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 SP1 Guide provided a quick reference for issues
pertaining to SCCM client configuration and SCCM management console installation. A section was
included that provided a quick overview of some of the necessary steps to follow when creating
collections, packages, and programs. One area of this paper that I found especially helpful was a table
listing the names and specific uses of 17 of the most important log files that relate to the SCCM
workstation client software, its proper installation, and configuration (Artz, 2008). The information here
could provide SCCM administrators of all skill levels a good starting point for when the need arose to
diagnose SCCM client-related software issues.
For very in-depth coverage of SCCM capabilities, configuration information, and
troubleshooting, System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 Unleashed (Meyler, Holt, &
Ramsey, 2008) provided answers to most any question I had. I considered this book the SCCM Rosetta
Stone, as it covered everything from server hardware requirements and software prerequisites, to
providing a systematic guide to writing WQL queries. WQL queries are one tool that, if used as
intended, could significantly extend the capabilities of SCCM and make tasks like populating SCCM
collections much easier. This source, written by some of the actual software engineers responsible for
SCCM and its predecessor products, provided more than enough detail on most every aspect of
installing and using SCCM.
Software tools like SCCM not only make IT management easier, but can also help IT
professionals manage more and do so more effectively. For many businesses, the most important tool
an employee can have is a properly configured workstation tailored to his or her individual talents and

Page 8
responsibilities. Software requirements may differ widely between departments and employees within
each department. Having a myriad of different workstations to support can put extra stress on IT
personnel tasked with workstation deployment and software installation and upgrades. For those
responsible for software acquisition, keeping track of licenses and purchasing upgrades can be a
nightmare, even for a smaller business. For these reasons, efficient software distribution and possessing
the means to maintain an accurate software inventory are growing in importance.
At one time, software distribution was good enough if it did just slightly better than you
could do if you went from machine to machine manually. Now you bet your
business success on the ability to get software to the right systems at the right time
(Meyer, et al., 2008).
The ability to keep accurate records of software purchases and an accurate means of
distributing this software go hand-in-hand. Often times, a business may purchase a volume license or
too many seats, only to find that they could operate legally, and just as well, with fewer licenses. In one
example from 1997, Lockwood Green Engineering of Spartanberg, SC. purchased and installed
Microsofts System Management Server (SMS), SCCMs progenitor, to manage software distribution and
inventory at their 30 sites. In one year, thanks to SMS, they were able to realize a savings of between 30
and 40 % on software purchases. For a mid-size company like this, that can mean a large savings indeed
(Romeo, 2002).
SCCM 2007 has improved on SMS in many ways since then. With the ability to gather accurate
software use statistics and reliably control distribution of software to only where needed, SCCM can
easily pay for itself in a short time. Software distribution packages can be assembled which allow
automated installation of software products where needed. Additional packages can be created that
will remove software when tracking statistics show that it is no longer needed. In this way, SCCM can
help to redistribute licenses instead of requiring a business to purchase more.

Page 9
Information technology (IT) is defined as the use of electronics for storing, retrieving, and
sending information (Information Technology, 2008). From this definition, it seems that many of the
everyday practices that todays businesses engage in relate to IT in some way. Correspondence often
takes place through emails or blogs. Intranet and internet technologies provide the means to share data
within a company and with others nearly anywhere around the world. The world of business today has
a tremendous need for dependable data storage and a means to access and interact with this data easily
and effectively. All of this technology comes with a price, but one that is well worth it. A portion of this
cost comes in the form of hardware and software purchases, while additional funds go to pay skilled IT
professionals to install, configure, and maintain this technology. Without IT professionals who
understand how to put all of the pieces together, the best hardware and software that money can buy is
practically worthless. In fact, IT Service Management (ITSM) is so important to the success of a business
that Crumbaker, Mosley, & Urban call it the conduit between the business and the technology that
helps to run the business (Crumbaker, Mosley, & Urban, 2007).
It is the job of qualified IT personnel to attend to the technological needs of business
professionally and in ways that are cost effective. Special care must be taken during the execution of
any IT project, large or small, to minimize its negative impact on the end users. Some tasks such as
deploying new workstations are very visible, while others, such as performing data backups, happen
quietly behind the scenes. One thing is certain, activities performed by the ITSM team have the
potential to affect a business in positive ways and pay dividends for years to come. Services provided by
a qualified ITSM team are very important to the overall success of any business. It been said that:
A companys IT service management team may not be responsible for key business activities
within a firm, but when these activities are processed on servers and workstations that it is
responsible for, the team becomes a very important part of the whole puzzle (Crumbaker, et al.,
2007).

Page 10
A good car mechanic must have at his disposal the necessary tools in order to do his job and so
it is with those who work in the IT profession. To an IT professional who is part of a successful ITSM
team in an AD network environment, software tools like SCCM 2007 not only make tasks easier, but also
help to insure the teams success in the many tasks that it must perform. I have worked in IT for many
years now and have seen first-hand the positive impact a good ITSM team can have on a company. I am
also keenly aware of the advantages obtained by using integrated tools like Microsofts SCCM 2007 to
perform server and workstation management tasks in an AD environment. Further, it is my firm
conviction that success in ones chosen profession, whether a person is a car mechanic or an IT
professional, is directly proportional to their ability to use the tools of their trade. Therefore, I have
concluded that if I am to be the best AD network and workstation manager I can be in my present job, I
first need to understand the capabilities of SCCM 2007. Once this happens, I must be able to implement
management tasks properly and use them to my best advantage. Learning to install and properly use
SCCM will pay dividends in my present job and will provide me with advanced network management
skills that should be of value to me in any future job in IT network management for which I might apply.
In 2006, when I decided to go back to school and get my degree in IT, it was an easy decision
for me to choose to concentrate my education and skills in the area of network management and
design. Over the years I have spent in this industry, I have run miles of network cabling, providing the
basic connectivity needed in large wired networks. I have also installed and configured a wide variety of
network equipment, from hubs and switches, to routers and servers. In addition, I have installed and
configured software which assisted in monitoring the health of network components, providing
proactive service by identifying problems and solving them before they had a chance to cause costly
outages. I have faced many deadlines and have been able to meet them by using the proper tools. Over
the past 20 years with the

I have seen the ITSM team grow from 2 to 14 technicians, while the

number of workstations has increased from approximately 100 to over 9000. Our ITSM team now must

Page 11
manage over 9000 workstations and 22,000 users, located in 50 separate locations. In my present
position with

I am responsible for deploying workstations and the associated software at 6

different sites and directly support over 700 workstations and nearly 1900 users. Tools like SCCM, which
provide remote management capabilities, help to push out OS updates and help with new workstation
deployment, are an absolute necessity to me. In addition, SCCM has helped me with software
deployment, delivering software when and where needed, and in maintaining accurate software and
hardware inventory. Knowing how to configure SCCM to perform these and other management tasks
has already helped me in my present job and should continue to pay dividends for me in the future. Not
only will I be able to perform my duties more efficiently, I should be able to broaden my knowledge and
increase my skill-set in network management as well.
22 years of experience working in the IT industry have taught me many valuable lessons. One
thing I have learned is that in order to understand anything thoroughly in the IT industry, you must study
a wide variety of sources on the subject and then provide yourself with plenty of opportunities for
hands-on experience. The best way to understand a software package as capable as SCCM is to install
and configure it in an isolated environment. In such an environment, its capabilities can be explored and
the techniques for its proper use can be perfected. In this setting, I had many opportunities to
experiment with configuration settings pertaining to software deployment and reporting, and did not
run the risk of causing damage to an operational SCCM managed network. I have had a Microsoft
Windows Server 2003 environment up and running since late August 2010. Not long after this, I began
the installation and configuration of SCCM 2007 management software on servers and workstations in
my isolated network. With an operational managed AD network in place, I configured SCCM for
software deployment and reporting. Many times during the whole process, I encountered problems and
setbacks, but each incident provided me with new learning opportunities. Each IT project of significance
has so many different factors to consider that it is difficult to get things right the first time through. My

Page 12
20+ years working in the IT industry have presented me with many such opportunities to learn and
grow. Although I cannot expect to prepare others for every possible problem that might surface during
an installation of SCCM in an AD network environment, my experiences can still be of value to others
that are involved with the installation and configuration of SCCM 2007 R2 software. I will be quite
pleased if I can help someone else avoid even one situation that could cause grief.

Goals and Objectives

Every successful IT project begins with an organization phase, where goals and objectives are
identified. Time spent early on identifying an IT projects goals and objectives, is always time well spent.
Each carefully chosen project objective is an important task that needs completion, in the proper way,
and at the proper time. When taken together, these objectives create a roadmap that, when followed
correctly, can help assure that all of the project goals are met. I approached this project in this way and
first spent time on defining the goals of my project. Once the goals were finalized, I worked to define
objectives that would help me to meet each goal. This section outlines the goals and objectives for this
capstone project.

The goals of this Capstone Project were as follows:

1. To create an operational Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager
(SCCM) 2007 managed site installed in a Microsoft Server 2003 Standard Edition
Active Directory (AD) domain.

Page 13
2. To configure this SCCM site to operate as a reporting point that was capable of
creating html-based reports.
3. To configure this SCCM site as a software distribution point that was capable of
delivering software to assigned workstations.
4. To configure one new program package and setup SCCM to deploy the program
associated with the new program package to select workstations.
5. To run the necessary report in SCCM that indicates whether the new program
package deployed correctly.
6. To provide detailed documentation that outlines all of the significant steps or
tasks necessary for the first five goals of this project to be met with satisfaction.

Project Objectives:
This projects objectives are presented as sets of tasks that were required in order to meet each project
goal. This first list includes objectives that required completion in order for the first project goal to be
met:

A Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard version Active Directory (AD) network,
complete with two operational domain controllers, was successfully setup and
configured. This single forest, single domain, was named OAK716.LOCAL.

Two member servers within in the established AD domain were setup and configured
with the necessary software and updates.

Microsoft SQL 2008 Server software was installed on one of the member servers in
domain OAK716.LOCAL. This server, named DB1.OAK716.LOCAL, was setup as the
location of the SQL database used by the SCCM master site named OAK.

Page 14

Microsoft SCCM 2007 R2 software was installed on the second AD member server. This
server was setup as the master server in the managed site OAK and configured in mixed
mode. This server was named SCCM.OAK716.LOCAL.

The following objectives required completion in order to reach the second project goal:

Server SCCM.OAK716.LOCAL was configured as a web server. This was accomplished by

installing Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) version 6 software. This was
required in order to support the SCCM reporting point role.

Proper rights to SCCM administrator and user groups were assigned within the SCCM
software using the ConfigMgr MMC snap-in. This objective was necessary in order for
the users to be able to access reports generated by the SCCM management site server.

SCCM.OAK716.LOCAL server was configured to operate in the role of reporting point.

Completion of following objectives was required in order to meet the third project goal:

Server SCCM.OAK716.LOCAL was configured to operate in the role of distribution point.

A new SCCM workstation collection called Applications was created in site OAK .

Two test workstations were configured, connected to the network, and joined to the
domain OAK716.LOCAL. These workstations were named WS1-XP.OAK716.LOCAL and
WS1-7.OAK716.LOCAL respectively.

Many objectives required completion in order to meet the fourth goal of this project. I have
organized the objectives for this goal as six separate groups. After listing the particular objective in each
group, I have listed additional information on how each objective was reached. As a way of
demonstrating how SCCM is setup to distribute most simple programs, I chose to show the steps that
are involved in creating a program package that will distribute a Microsoft program called Photostory 3

Page 15
to the two test workstations WS1-XP.OAK716.LOCAL and WS1-7.OAK716.LOCAL . This particular
program allows a user to make slide shows, complete with titles, sound, and credits and can be
downloaded free of charge. The six objectives, along with specific information pertaining to each, show
below:

A new program package was created in the SCCM site called Microsoft Photostory 3.
This package was created by using the Add New Program Package
wizard in the ConfigMgr console.

A new program object was created in the SCCM site OAK called Photostory 3 and then
associated to the newly created program package called Microsoft Photostory 3.
This program object was created using the Add New Program wizard and then
accessed by a right-click on the program package Microsoft Photostory 3 and
selecting New. This program object represents the actual installer package for
the program Photostory 3 and contains specific information like installer files
location and any command-line switches that may be necessary to install the
program.

A new SCCM workstation collection was created in the SCCM site OAK and is called
SW_Photostory3_WS.
A base SCCM workstation collection called Applications was created earlier
as part of the third goal of this project. The new collection for this task was
created in the Applications collection in site OAK using the Add New Collection
wizard within the ConfigMgr console. SW_Photostory3_WS is an arbitrary name
I chose for the new collection and can be most anything the administrator
chooses to use. This naming convention made it easy for me to distinguish

Page 16
between collections used for software distribution and other types of SCCM
workstation collections.

A new AD security group was created in the OAK716.LOCAL domain and workstations
WS1-XP.OAK716.LOCAL and WS1-7.OAK716.LOCAL were assigned membership to this
group.
Using the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) MMC snap-in, I created
an AD security group called SW_Photostory3_WS. I then added my test
workstations WS1-XP.OAK716.LOCAL and WS1-7.OAK716.LOCAL as members of
this group since each was going to receive the Photostory 3 software.

A query, written in the WMI query language (WQL), was created that checks AD to find
which workstations were members of the SW_Photostory3_WS AD security group.
This query is the link between the SCCM management site OAK and the AD
domain OAK716.LOCAL. I setup a schedule so this query would run every 10
minutes. Every 10 minutes, SCCM checks AD for the names of security groups
and also checks the membership of these groups. If a workstation is a member
of the AD security group SW_Photostory3_WS, then the membership of the
SCCM workstation collection SW_Photostory3_WS is automatically updated
with the workstation name.

An advertisement was created for the new program package Microsoft Photostory 3 in
the SCCM site OAK, using the ConfigMgr console and then assigned to the workstation
collection SW_Photostory3_WS in the SCCM site OAK.
This advertisement was created by opening the ConfigMgr management
console and navigating to Site Database (OAK SCCM) > Computer
Management > software Distribution > Packages > Advertisements, right-click,

Page 17
and choosing New. The New Advertisement wizard was launched and a new
advertisement was assigned to all workstations that had membership in the
SW_Photostory3_WS collection.

The following objective was completed in order to achieve the fifth goal of this project:

I ran the SCCM report All Advertisements for a Specific Package.

This report is accessed using the ConfigMgr console by first navigating to Site
Database (OAK SCCM) > Computer Management > Reporting > Reports. Once
here I located and right-clicked on the report titled All Advertisements for a
Specific Package and chose Run. I then clicked on the Values button and then
chose the Package ID that corresponds to the program package Microsoft
Photostory 3. At this point, a html report was generated, showing that the
Photostory 3 program had successfully deployed to my two test workstations
WS1-XP.OAK716.LOCAL and WS1-7.OAK716.LOCAL.

Reaching the final goal of this project was an involved process. To satisfy this goal, I created a
number of documents, some serving as support documents for my research project, while others were
detailed systematic instructions on how to achieve each of the first five goals of this capstone project.
Appendix 2 contains a drawing that represents the layout of the various servers, workstations,
and other hardware utilized during this project. Visual representation of technical data can often aid in
understanding concepts and, in this instance, assist the reader to see where all of the particular
elements are in relation to each other. This section also contains information on hardware that I used
for components in my test network. In addition, I have included a guide for adding roles to Microsoft
Server 2003 R2 member servers. This section was included as a means of showing how the various roles

Page 18
were setup on servers DC1 and DC2. These servers contained a number of roles such as DHCP, DNS, and
RRAS that were required to support my network Infrastructure.
Appendix 3 lists system hardware and software requirements for the various components
related to installing SCCM. The data presented here provides a quick reference for important
information on requirements for installing Microsoft Server 2003 R2 software, SQL server 2008, SCCM
2007 software for a master site, and finally workstation requirements necessary to support the SCCM
client. As an addendum, I include a list of the three ways that the SCCM client software can be
distributed to workstations, along with the tasks necessary for each method.
Appendix 4 contains systematic instructions for performing the tasks necessary to install the
SCCM software on a member server in a Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Active Directory
domain. The tasks shown here are those that have to be completed to configure a SCCM master site
that is setup in mixed mode. Additional instructions are included in this section for setting up the SCCM
site as a reporting point.
Appendix 5 contains detailed instructions on how to setup a SCCM master site as a distribution
point. In addition, instructions are included here to create a program package for the program
Photostory v3. Finally, this section closes by showing a list of the steps necessary to distribute the
Photostory v3 software to the managed workstations WS1-XP and WS1-7. The instructions included in
this appendix can be duplicated in order to install most simple software packages that a workstation
manager might want to distribute to any, or all managed workstations in a SCCM site.
Appendix 6 finishes this report by providing a list on steps necessary to run SCCM reports,
specifically the report that shows whether or not a particular software package has properly installed on
the intended workstations.
Although the objectives outlined in this section show how to achieve each goal in detail, I
wanted to provide this information in a slightly different format, one that is easier to read and to

Page 19
understand. Some sections may include screen-shots from the various software tools used to manage
Active Directory and SCCM as a means to help clarify certain steps. It is my hope to provide instruction
sequences that are easy to follow and therefore more useful to those who might want to setup a SCCM
master site with all the trimmings.

Page 20

Project Timeline
Task Name

Duration

Start Date

Completion Date

Research & study SCCM sources

55 Days

8/16/10

11/1/10

Initial project planning

3 Days

9/3/10

9/6/10

Research SCCM requirements

3 Days

9/14/10

9/16/10

MS Server 2003 Installation

3 Days

9/8/10

9/10/10

Install MS Server updates

2 Days

9/15/10

9/16/10

Install SQL 2008 Server (pers. Ed.)

1 Day

9/13/10

9/13/10

Remove SQL 2008 Server (pers. ed.)

1 Day

9/14/10

9/14/10

Install SQL Server 2008 (180 d. eval)

3 Days

9/29/10

10/01/10 Milestone

Initial SCCM install and configuration

2 Days

10/06/10

10/08/10

Install & configure IIS on DC2 server

2 Days

10/05/10

10/06/10 Milestone

Workstation Setup & configuration

2 Days

10/06/10

10/07/10

Setup SCCM distribution point

4 Days

10/22/10

10/26/10

Software deployments via SCCM

5 Days

10/26/10

11/01/10 Milestone

Setup SCCM reporting point

2 Days

10/26/10

10/28/10 Milestone

Gather data from SCCM

4 Days

11/01/10

11/05/10

Work on proposal report

20 Days

10/19/10

11/13/10 Milestone

I began setting up my test network in early August. I knew that the first thing I wanted to cover
in my project was to show the steps that were necessary in order to install SCCM and integrate it into
Active Directory. There is no substitute for doing things yourself as a means of learning and absorbing
new information. I have found that this is especially true with anything technical in nature. My plan

Page 21
was to first install and configure four servers with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard version
software, two serving as domain controllers and the others as member servers. I have had a couple of
opportunities over the past 18 months to install Server 2003 software and each time, I have discovered
things I did not learn the previous time. By performing a completely new installation, I would get
another opportunity to configure a DHCP server, as well as DNS, WINS, RRAS, and Internet Information
Server (IIS). These services, with the exception of IIS, would be configured on DC1 and DC2. One
member server would serve as the SCCM master site server and would also run IIS while the other
would hold the SCCM database and run Windows SQL server software. The first project milestone
would be completed when all four servers had been configured as outlined.
The installation of the Server 2003 software on all four servers was completed without incident.
In addition, I was able to configure the additional server roles, that of DHCP server, DNS server, WINS
server, and RRAS server with minimal problems. I decided to wait and install IIS after the SCCM software
was installed and working correctly. This left only the installation of the Microsoft SQL server software. I
had never setup a SQL server before so I asked a colleague who works as a database manager for advice.
He suggested that I could download and install Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Personal Edition software. He
told me that the software was exactly like the Full version of SQL Server 2008, the only differences were
that the personal edition limited the database size to 10 GB and was free. I took his advice and
downloaded and installed the personal edition of the software.
The SQL Server 2008 Personal Edition software installed easily and without any problems. I then
began the installation of the SCCM software. The installer for SCCM has a prerequisite check feature
that you can run to see if your AD network will support the software. The initial time this was run, the
checker flagged three problems. The first item indicated the necessity to update the Microsoft Windows
Installer to version 4.5 on the member server SCCM. The second item indicated that I should install BITS
(Background Intelligent Transfer Service) software on server SCCM as well. The last item indicated a

Page 22
communications problem between server SCCM and the database server DB1. I downloaded and
installed the software indicated for the first two fixes and then began to diagnose the communications
problem between SCCM and DB1. I ran various tests and could not detect any obvious issues that may
be contributing to the problem. I removed the SQL server software and reinstalled two times and still
the installer checker indicated communications problems. After the third time installing SQL Server
2008 Personal Edition, I decided to search the web and consult a couple of my SCCM reference books.
Finally, after a fair amount of searching, I located a place in a book under system requirements that said
Personal Editions of the SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2005 were not supported (Meyler, et al., 2008).
I confirmed this on Microsofts Technet website and promptly uninstalled the software. I downloaded a
180 day trial version of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition, installed it on server DB1, and then
ran the checker from SCCM. Now, everything was ready to go. A simple thing like skimming over the
requirements instead of studying them had caused me to waste several hours. This experience provided
me a good lesson: always check for exact requirements before attempting to install any software.
The second milestone of my project was reached after successfully installing SCCM software and
then configuring the Microsoft IIS version 6 Server Role on server SCCM. With my experience involving
SQL Server 2008 Personal Edition and SCCM still fresh in my mind, I began to carefully install and
configure the SCCM software on the server SCCM. When I was satisfied that the initial configuration of
SCCM was done correctly, I added the IIS software to the server SCCM and also set the parameters for
the web server setup. After making a few changes with server access rights, the SCCM master site OAK
was up and running and the web server role was ready to use. Milestone number two had been
reached successfully.
The third project milestone would be reached after the first program was successfully
distributed to test workstations in the domain OAK716.LOCAL. At this time, I setup and configured my
two test workstations WS1-XP and WS1-7. This was the first time I had attempted to setup a Microsoft

Page 23
Windows 7 workstation, so I took a little extra time in order to learn what I could from this new
experience. I manually installed the Configuration manager client software on both workstations. The
project timeline showed that it took several days to reach the third milestone once that the second one
had been passed. I found myself with little time to work on my project during this time period because
of other commitments outside of schooling. I did not get discouraged too much as I tried to get at least
45 minutes to an hour to work on my project each day. This provided some continuity during this time
and soon I was able to devote more time each day. I dealt with application distribution most every day
while at work so I already had a fair amount of interest in this ability of SCCM. It was interesting to
perform all of the configuration tasks so that applications would seamlessly distribute to the proper
workstations.
The fourth milestone of this project coincided closely with the time frame for the previous
milestone. I configured the SCCM Master Site server as a reporting point so that I could monitor the
steps as the application was delivered to the workstations. The time frame listed in the Project Timeline
shows 2 days to complete this milestone but actual time spent between the two days was closer to 30
minutes total. I have used the reporting feature quite often where I work to gauge how application
distribution is proceeding, as well as running reports for the purpose of hardware inventory. SCCM has
over 120 reports that are ready to run immediately after the server has been setup as a reporting point
(Crumbaker, et al., 2007).
The fifth, and final milestone, has been the toughest to reach out of all the milestones. I
was very good at underestimating the time needed to complete this particular part of the project. In the
course of compiling data and finalizing what subjects would be covered by this project, I adjusted the
scope no less than 3 times. Once I had finalized everything and locked in my project scope, I could begin
the Capstone Project Proposal phase. This did not start until nearly 10/26/10, a week later than initially
planned. Setting aside enough time to compose a proper proposal, and then later, a final report, proved

Page 24
to be the most difficult part of the whole project. For one reason, or another, I found that time was
scarce and very hard to come by. If I had to estimate the time necessary to complete both the proposal
and final report writing phases again, I would probably make an estimate and then added half again as
much time to my initial estimate in order to arrive at a more accurate final estimate.
In all, I was able to accomplish what I set out to do in my Capstone Project proposal, just not in
the time frame that I had intended. I learned that devoting time regularly and on a schedule if possible,
helped to provide better continuity and was one of the most important elements in the projects
eventual success. I cannot even begin to gauge the personal importance of the new information I
gathered during this project, from its inception, through the setup phase, and into the report writing
phase. Each part of this project not only introduced me to new concepts and information, but taught
me many lessons that will be of great value in both the professional and personal areas of my life.

Project Development
Since the beginning of 2010, I had been thinking that a project involving my employer in some
way would provide ample opportunities for subject matter for a Capstone project. By June, I started
thinking seriously, about what specific projects sounded appealing and could be accomplished in the
time allotted. My company (

was involved in changing over from Novell Netware to a Microsoft

Server 2008 Active Directory network and SCCM was being setup as well to manage workstations and
servers in the new infrastructure. I saw many possibilities for a subject that could serve as a basis for my
capstone project. I made known my willingness, and desire, to assist during the transition and presented
several possible scenarios where I could labor to complete a project that would benefit both my
company and me. I patiently waited for an answer. After several inquiries to different people within the

Page 25
company, and nearly a month of waiting, I was told to seek a subject elsewhere. I would now have to
play catch-up and have to think of a new idea for my project, and do so quickly.
At the beginning of June, I began to read considerably on the use of SCCM and how to do such
tasks as operating system deployment and distributing software to workstations. I was intrigued by
what I had seen so far and so I purchased the book System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

2007 Unleashed in the Kindle version, and started to read more about what SCCM could do. Through
the combination of studying and the hands-on use of SCCM at work each day, I realized that I could
use SCCM in some way for my project. I decided that I would setup my own Active Directory network at
home and then setup and configure a SCCM master site. A project of this nature would provide me with
additional opportunities that I would never have had if my original idea for a Capstone Project with my
employer had worked out. In this revised project, I would have the chance to do a complete installation
of the SCCM software, something that would have been lacking if my project had been with my
employer. I could now define what I wanted to do with my project, setting the scope to be what I
wanted and defining a time table that would fit my requirements.
During the study phase of my project, I consulted many different sources. One thing that
became evident early on was that there was no concise guide that outlined the precise tasks that
needed to take place in order to install SCCM on a member server in AD and have this server perform all
the functions of the master site server. At this time, I decided that this would be of value to others who
might have to setup SCCM in their environment, and do so in a short time. Before beginning my study
of the system requirements for an SCCM master site, I had no Idea that a Microsoft SQL server was
required in order to store SCCM database files. This was a simple thing, but an important one to know
about, especially if you had to have an accurate estimate of startup costs to for a SCCM master site.
After a bit more reading, it was evident that other factors had to be considered also before I could
begin any SCCM installation process. It was during this time that I discovered SCCM could be configured

Page 26
to run in either of two modes: native and mixed. The requirements for native mode were quite different
from that of mixed mode. Native mode was much more secure and required a Microsoft Enterprise
Certificate Authority (CA) to be present on the network before SCCM could be installed. I knew from my
training for the MCSE certification that a Microsoft Enterprise Certificate Server could only be installed
on a server running the enterprise version of the Server 2003 software, or I would have to install Server
2008 instead. Due to the enhanced security that native mode would provide, I thought it would be good
to setup SCCM to operate in this mode. Since I only had access to Microsoft Server 2003 Standard
Edition, I would have to setup SCCM in mixed mode. I had learned that a mixed mode master site could
always be upgraded to native mode later so configuring my SCCM site for mixed mode would still work
well.
After SCCM was up and running in mixed mode, I was able to proceed onto the next phase of my
project. I was interested in how SCCM functioned as a software distribution point and had decided early
on that this would be one aspect I wanted to cover in detail. My original project scope included
configuring SCCM as an out-of-band management point. In this capacity, an SCCM master site could
manage workstations wherever they may be, so long as they had internet access. At the

we have

many laptop workstations used by employees that rarely get connected to the LAN. This feature, if
setup on the company SCCM master site server would be of great value in keeping these workstations
updated and accessible for remote management tasks. I soon learned that a SCCM master site needed
to be running in native mode to support this feature so I adjusted my project scope and started to think
about a different feature to explore.
In my employment with the

I had been making good use of the reporting features that

are a part of the SCCM software. I had been the beneficiary and had seen what type of data could be
included in the SCCM reports. This feature seemed to be worthy of further study so I decided to include
this as the final item to cover in my project. From my earlier study, I knew that in order to configure

Page 27
SCCM to operate as a reporting point, a web server had to be easily accessible. I did not have a web
server configured at this time, but knew that this was something I could do. Meeting this requirement
would mean that I would have to configure one of my servers as a web server and use Microsoft
Internet Information Server (IIS) as the means to do it. This was something I had done only one time
previously but was something worth experiencing again. Including the tasks necessary to setup SCCM as
a reporting point would fit in well with the other areas I planned to cover and would be the last project
scope change. My Capstone Project would end up covering a lot of ground, but it would provide me
with many opportunities to learn new things, especially about the myriad of features SCCM had. It has
always been my hope that I could produce, as a part of this project, documents that contained
information of value to others who might be considering a purchase of SCCM and needed additional
information to make a proper estimate of what hardware they would need to get the software
operational. I also wished to provide a set of systematic instructions that showed exactly the tasks to
perform, and in what order, to insure a successful installation of SCCM would happen.
SCCM uses the ConfigMgr console as a means to configure its many options and modes. This is
structured in such a way that many different configuration tasks for SCCM are completed by following
systematic lists of tasks that are very similar to each other. In other words, configuring SCCM to operate
as a distribution point is similar in many ways as setting SCCM to operate as a reporting point, or even to
configure a new workstation collection in SCCM. The ConfigMg console itself is based off a modified
Microsoft Management Console (MMC), a standard interface that is familiar to those who have ever
worked with Windows Server NT and later, or with workstations running Windows 2000 and later
operating systems. By providing a systematic list of the tasks necessary to configure SCCM as a software
distribution point, or even a reporting point, I can provide a set of tasks that will help others to configure
SCCM to operate in still different site modes. This is precisely the reason I chose to outline how to setup
SCCM to operate as a distribution point and reporting point. The documents located in Appendix 3 of

Page 28
this report can be very helpful others, if utilized as representative lists for configuring SCCM to perform
different management tasks.
My Capstone project was a success in many ways. From a personal standpoint, I learned a
tremendous amount about how to setup and configure Microsofts SCCM software. My studies and
hands-on work pertaining to SCCM introduced me to capabilities of the software I would not have easily
experienced otherwise. By performing a complete installation of the SCCM software, beginning with the
installation and configuration of an operational AD network first, I gained a deeper understanding of
what it takes to properly setup and manage a complex network. With unrestricted access to a network
that was setup strictly to function as a test environment, I could perform experiments without fear of
interrupting critical network services or interfere with someone trying to do their job. I have a much
better idea of what to do and also what not to do, when configuring SCCM to perform different
functions. Because of these reasons and many others, this project was a resounding personal success.
There were many times during the installation and setup of SCCM that I spent extra time in
order to perform a particular task or sequence of tasks. Often this was a result of insufficient
information about necessary criteria that was missed for some reason or another. I had access to some
great books that provided all the information I should have needed to solve a particular configuration
issue. This was indeed the case, but often the necessary information was difficult to locate. More often
than not, when I would encounter one of these situations, I would end up spending considerable time in
search of the missing tidbits of information, consulting two, three, or more different sources before the
required information was located. I remember thinking that it would be very good to have all of the
basics in one location that was easy to search and easy to understand. I believe that the documents that
I created which are a part of Appendix 2 and 3 of this Capstone project report do just that. The
information presented within these documents is easily understood, when followed, and contains
everything that is necessary to get a SCCM master site in mixed mode up and functioning in the shortest

Page 29
time possible. Other documents presented here will also provide the first-time SCCM manager with the
necessary information to configure their site as a software distribution point that is capable of displaying
detailed reports on successful software distribution and many other important elements. The additional
information will help any ITSM team manage workstation and server equipment more effectively and
with less effort. If the information within this report is beneficial to even one person in some way,
helping them to successfully setup SCCM to assist with workstation or server management, then this
project will have been a success.

References
Artz, J. (2008). System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 SP1 Guide. Retrieved October 28,
2010 from http://www1.umn.edu/umnad/current/SCCMi.pdf
Crumbaker, R., Mosby, C., & Urban, C. (2007). Mastering System Center Configuration Manager
[Books24x7 version]. Retrieved October 16, 2010 from

http://common.books24x7.com/book/id_31981/book.asp.
Information Technology. (2008) In New Oxford American Dictionary [Kindle Version]. New
York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Meyler, K., Holt, B., & Ramsey, G. (2008). System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
2007 Unleashed. [Kindle Version]. Retrieved 2010 from http://www.amazon.com.
Romeo, J. (2002). Keeping Tabs on Software Yields Efficiency and Savings. ENR: Engineering
News-Record, 249(24), 29. Retrieved September 14, 2010 from Academic Search
Complete database.

Page 30

Appendix 1: Competency Matrix

Domain/Subdomain

Competency

Explanation

Leadership and
Professionalism

Self-management skills, especially

as they pertain to time and stress
management.

Importance of adhering to a
predefined timetable, despite other
projects and stress-inducing
situations. Good management skills
often require the ability to take on
and solve other problems and reassign priorities as situations dictate.

Language and
Communication

Written communications skills.

I have used language and writing

skills to effectively put my ideas
down in written form as presented in
this Capstone project proposal
document.

Upper Division Collegiate

Level Reasoning and
Problem Solving

Utilize research strategies to

locate information in books and
on the internet.

I have utilized upper-level reasoning

skills by searching many different
information sources and accurately
determining what information was
pertinent to my research project.

Quantitative Literacy

Ability to understand information

that is presented in different
ways.

In conducting research for this

project, I showed the ability to
interpret information that was
presented in a variety of formats
including tables, graphs, and
drawings.

Quantitative Literacy

Utilize standard problem solving

skills

I encountered many issues during

setup and configuration of network
hardware and software and was able
to find answers and solutions
through inductive and deductive
reasoning.

Page 31

Domain/Subdomain

Competency

Explanation

CIS IT Management

CIS IT Project Management

skills

I worked to create my IT capstone

project that is outlined in this
proposal. I used MS-Project 2007 to
create a Gantt-chart consisting of the
tasks and milestones that are a part
of this research project.

Information Technology
Management

Install and configure a network

operating system

In my project, I installed and

configured MS Server 2003 OS,
creating a domain and configuring
the necessary hardware and software
to operate as intended.

Information Technology
Management

Use of Network management

software

I installed and configured MS SCCM

software, a software package thats
primary use is for management of
network PC resources. In addition, I
used MS administrative tools to
manage an AD domain.

Technical Writing

Use writing skills to plan,

research, organize, and format a
professional paper on a technical
subject

In this capstone proposal, I exhibited

writing skills by providing a paper
that follows an outlined structure
and is written in APA format.

Project Management

Project planning skills

In my project, I provided a plan for

implementation.

Project Management

Project execution and control

I was in charge of the control and

execution of this project, deciding on,
and implementing changes to scope
and project timetable.

Page 32

Appendix 2: Test Network Information and Guide to Adding Roles to

Server 2003 Member Servers
Test Network Diagram

Page 33

Test Network Computer Hardware Detail:

Computer

DC1

DC2

SCCM

DB1

WS1-XP

WS1-7

Laptop
Workstation

Table 1

Model

CPU

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
GX60

Celeron 2.4
GHz 128 KB L2
Cache 400 MHz
Bus

Dell
Inspiron
1545

Intel
T6600
Core 2 Duo
Centrino
2.2 GHz
2 MB L2 Cache
800 MHz FSB

Memory
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
512 MB X
2 (1024
MB)
333 MHZ
DDR
DIMM
2048 MB
X2
(4096 MB)
800MHz
DDR2

Hard Disk

CD-ROM

NIC 1

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

Samsung
SC148A
48 X
CD-ROM

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

Samsung
SC148A
48 X
CD-ROM

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

Samsung
SC148A
48 X
CD-ROM

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

Samsung
SC148A
48 X
CD-ROM

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

Samsung
SC148A
48 X
CD-ROM

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WDXL80SD2
40 GB ATA

SONY
DVD +/R
52 X read
ATA

Intel
PRO/1000
10/100/1000
Ethernet
Adapter

Western
Digital
WD-ML250
500 GB
SATA

Sony &
NEC
DVD+/RW
8 X Write
52 X read
SATA

Marvell Yukon
88E8040 PCI-E
Fast Ethernet

NIC 2

3COM
3C905BTX
10/100
PCI
Ethernet
adapter

Intel 5100
WiFi
Link
AGN
Wireless

Page 34

Adding Additional Server Roles to Microsoft Server 2003 Member Servers

The process of adding additional roles to a Microsoft Server 2003 Member server starts out the same
way in each instance. In order to add any additional Server Role like Domain Controller, Applications
Server, or RRAs server, you begin by running the Manage Your Server Wizard found in the
Administrator Tools Program group of the server you wish to modify. The screenshot below shows the
first screen that displays when this wizard is run:

From this screen, you choose Add or remove a role

Page 35
Click on Next on the following screen. At this point, the following screen appears:

You simply highlight the particular role you want to add to this member server and then click Next. If
additional information is required, the wizard will ask you to enter the necessary information,
otherwise, after the wizard is complete and the new role has been added, you may manage the
particular role by selecting the role you want to manage from the Manage Your Server Wizard initial
screen. See example below:

Page 36

Appendix 3: Hardware and Software Requirements for SCCM Site and

Client Installation Methods

System Hardware & Software Requirements for SCCM 2007 R2:

Server Components:
Microsoft Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Requirements:
Domain Controller and Member Server supporting Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition:
Server 2003 R2
Standard Edition

CPU Clock Speed

Free Hard Disk

space available

RAM

Video

Minimum

133 MHz

128 MB

1.5 GB

VGA (640 X 480)

Recommended

550 MHZ or higher

256 MB or higher

SVGA (800 X 600)

Table 2
*Free hard disk space that is needed depends on such factors as the size of the
domain (number of objects in AD), server roles supported by particular domain
controller / member server.

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 37

Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 Server Requirements:

AD member server running Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 standard edition server software with Database
Engine, replication feature, and full-text search options selected (standard installation configuration):

SQL Server 2008

R2 Standard
Edition

CPU Clock Speed

RAM

(Pentium III or
greater)

Free Hard Disk

space available

Video

Minimum

1 GHz

1 GB

3.6 GB

VGA (640 X 480)

Recommended

2.0 GHz or faster

4 GB or more

4.3 GB *

SVGA (800 X 600)

Table 3
*Free hard disk space that is needed depends on many factors, but the
intended size of the database to be hosted is the greatest factor to take into
account when planning for hard disk size.

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 38

Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 Server Requirements (continued):

Minimum software requirements for Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 standard edition server with Database
Engine, replication feature, and full-text search options selected (standard installation configuration:
SQL Server 2008
R2 Standard
Edition

Supported or required software

Framework

.Net Framework 3.5 SP1 or newer is required

Additional
Microsoft
Components

Microsoft Windows Installer 4.5 or later is required

Windows Server 2003 SP2 Datacenter

Windows Server 2003 SP2 Enterprise
Windows Server 2003 SP2 Standard
Windows Server 2003 SP2 64-bit x64 Datacenter
Operating
Systems that are
supported
(Server 2003)*

Windows Server 2003 SP2 64-bit x64 Enterprise

Windows Server 2003 SP2 64-bit x64 Standard
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 Enterprise
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 Standard
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 64-bit x64 Datacenter
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 64-bit x64 Enterprise
Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 64-bit x64 Standard

Table 4
*Microsoft SQL server 2008 R2 Standard edition software will run on a wide variety of Microsoft
software platforms from Windows XP SP2 to Windows server 2008, and Windows 7 operation systems.
Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 39

Microsoft SCCM 2007 R2 Primary Site Server Requirements:

Hardware requirements for AD member server running Microsoft SCCM 2007 R2 software and
configured as the Primary Site Server:
CPU Clock Speed
SCCM 2007 R2
with SP2

RAM

(Pentium III or
greater)

Free Hard Disk

space available

Video

Minimum

733 MHz

256 MB

5 GB

VGA (640 X 480)

Recommended

2.0 GHz or faster

1 GB or more

15 GB *

SVGA (800 X 600)

Table 5
* At least 15 GB of free hard disk storage space is recommended if a
network administrator is planning to use SCCM OS deployment feature. 15
GB is considered to be the standard minimum recommended size to have. If
SCCM server is utilized as the location for program installer files as well,
more hard disk space will be required.

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 40

Microsoft SCCM 2007 R2 Primary Site Server Requirements (continued):

Operating systems supported by Microsoft SCCM 2007 R2 software configured as the Primary Site
Server:
SCCM 2007 R2 Master Site
Server Configuration

OS Versions supported
SQL Server 2005 Standard or Enterprise Edition (SP2 or SP3 on x86 or x64
platforms)

SQL Server OS used for

database storage

SQL Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise Edition (with or without SP1 on

x86 or x64 platforms)

SQL Server 2008 R2 (No service packs required and installed on x86 or x64
platforms)

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, or Datacenter

Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, Enterprise x64 Edition, or
Datacenter x64 Edition (SP1 or SP2)

Base operating systems

Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, or

Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter (SP1 or SP2)
64-bit editions of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, or
Datacenter (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter

Table 6

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 41

Client Workstation Requirements:

SCCM workstation client minimum hardware requirements:
CPU Clock Speed
SCCM Workstation
Client

RAM

(Pentium/Celeron
family or newer)

Free Hard Disk

space available

Minimum

733 MHz

128 MB

350 MB

Recommended

2.0 GHz or faster

384 MB or more

5 GB or more *

Network

10 MB ethernet
100MB or faster
ethernet

Table 7
*The temporary program download folder on the client workstation is
preconfigured at the time of client installation to automatically increase if
needed to 5 GB if there is 5 GB or more of free space available.

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 42

Client Workstation Requirements (continued):

SCCM workstation client supported operating systems:
SCCM 2007 R2 Workstation Client Supported Microsoft Windows Operating System Versions

Windows XP Professional (SP2 or SP3)

Windows XP Professional for 64-bit Systems (SP2 )
Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate (no service pack, with SP1, or with SP2)
Windows Server 2003 Web Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate 64-Bit
Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Storage Server 2003 Express Edition, Workgroup Edition, Standard Edition, or Enterprise
Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition or Enterprise x64 Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition (SP1 or SP2)
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition
The 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2008 (SP1 or SP2)
The 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter Edition (SP1 or SP2)

Table 8

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 43

Installing SCCM Client Software on a Workstation

There are three basic ways to approach SCCM client installation on workstations that are going to be
managed by SCCM. These installation methods are:
1. Setup a Client distribution package.
This method is similar in many ways to the process that is utilized in setting up a new program
package for distribution. The steps to follow are:
A. Using the New Program Package wizard, setup a Program Called Client Install or
something similar.
B. Select the new program package that was created in the previous step, right-click and
choose New Program. Assign the new program a name such as SCCM Client. When
asked which collection to assign the program to, choose a collection that contains all
workstations that have been detected within the domain. A collection called All
Workstations is created by default when SCCM is installed.
C. Create an advertisement and assign it to the program that was created in step B.
D. The client will install automatically to all of the workstations that populate the collection
that was chosen in step B.
2. Use a Group Policy Object (GPO).
This method is similar to creating a client distribution package in some ways. The main
difference is that client installation is controlled by the Server OS rather than the SCCM
software. The tasks to complete for this method are:

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 44
A. Using the Group Policy Management mmc snap-in, create a new GPO called
SCCM Client Install or something similar. It is best that the User section of this
GPO is turned off.
B. Under the Software section in the Computer section of the new GPO, setup the
client installer (CCMSETUP.exe) program with the proper command-line
switches to install.
C. Save your GPO.
D. Assign the newly created GPO to the Active Directory OU where the
workstations reside.
E. The SCCM workstation client will install on the workstations that are members
of the assigned OU next time the workstation is restarted, or after waiting for
the GPO refresh cycle.
3. Manual Client Installation.
Most networks that are managed by SCCM may contain a large number of workstations so this is
not the usual client installation method to use. It is still a good thing to know that the client can
be installed manually since the odds are that a few workstations will not properly receive the
SCCM client using one of the first two methods. It may be best to manually install the client on
these workstations using the method outlined here. The steps to follow are:
A. Copy the installer files to a share located in the managed domain that is
accessible to all users & computers. This share is usually set as read-only.
B. From the workstation, access the share and run the CCMSETUP.EXE program,
using the proper command line switches. These switches can be listed by typing
CCMSETUP /? At a command prompt.
C. Wait for 3 to 6 minutes for the client to install on the workstation.
Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 45
D. When installation is complete, restart the workstation.
E. Installation should now be complete. There should be a Configuration Manager
control panel present on the workstation if the installation completed
successfully.

Typical CCMSETUP Command-line Switches

Usage: CCMSetup.exe [CCMSetup properties] [client.msi properties]
CCMSetup properties:
/?
Displays CCMSetup command line help.
/source:<path>
Specifies the source location from which to download installation files.
This can be a local or UNC path. This property can be specified multiple times.
/mp:<computer>
Specifies the source management point for downloading installation files using HTTP.
This property can be specified multiple times.
/retry:<minutes>
Specifies the retry interval if CCMSetup fails. The default value is 10 minutes.
/BITSPriority:<priority>
Specifies the download priority when client installation files are downloaded over
a HTTP connection. Possible settings are: FOREGROUND, HIGH, NORMAL and LOW.
/downloadtimeout:<minutes>
Specifies the length of time in minutes that CCMSetup will attempt to download client
installation files before it gives up. The default value is 1440 minutes (1 day).
/noservice
Specifies that CCMSetup should not register as a service and should run with the
rights of the currently logged on user.
/service
Specifies that CCMSetup should register as a service and run using the local
computer account.
/logon
Specifies that client installation should stop if an existing client is found
on the computer.
/native
Specifies that the client should be installed in native mode.
/native:<optional setting>
Specifies that the client should be installed in native mode with one of the
following settings: CRL, FALLBACK and CRLANDFALLBACK.
/forcereboot
Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 46
Specifies that CCMSetup should force the client computer to reboot if this is
necessary to complete installation. By default, CCMSetup will exit and run again
after the computer reboots.
/uninstall
Specifies that the Configuration Manager client should be uninstalled.
Properties for client.msi must be specified after all CCMSetup properties have been specified.
The format of client.msi properties must be PROPERTY=VALUE with no spaces. If VALUE
contains spaces then use quotes.
Example:
CCMSetup.exe /<CCMSetup properties> MSIPROPERTY1=VALUE1 MSIPROPERTY2="VALUE 2"

List obtained by typing ccmsetup /? At a command prompt while in the installation directory.

Data retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com

Page 47

Appendix 4: Systematic Instructions to Setup a SCCM Master Site

Installation Instructions for SCCM on a Member Server in a
Microsoft Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Domain:

1. Decide whether your management solution will require SCCM 2007 R2 Standard Edition or
SCCM 2007 R2 Enterprise Edition. You should purchase the Enterprise Edition if you plan on
implementing proactive management functionality in the Desired Configuration Management
(DCM) role, otherwise SCCM 2007 R2 Standard Edition will work.
2. Decide on the SCCM Site Management hierarchy that you will implement. SCCM can have
servers setup in a parent /child setup as a means to distribute server management workload.
For questions on this, consult Microsoft Technet website at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/systemcenter/
3. Extend the Active Directory (AD) Schema:
Although not a necessity, extending the schema is considered best practice. If the
schema is extended, client software is more easily installed and the SCCM master Site
Server is easier to locate on the network. The easiest way to extend the AD schema is to
use the program ExADsch.exe that comes with the SCCM installer.
A. Obtain the file ExtADsch.exe in one of two ways:
a. Use the copy that is extracted into the SCCM installation directory.
b. Download a copy from the Microsoft Web site.
B. Copy the ExtADsch.exe file to a domain controller (DC) that is located in the domain that
will be managed by the SCCM site.
C. Log in to the domain controller where the file is located as a user who is a member of
the Schema Administrator group.
D. Open a command prompt window on the DC where the file is located and change to the
directory where the file is located.
E. Type ExtADsch and press enter.
F. Locate the log file ExtADsch.log in the root of the C drive on the DC and open the file.
Check to see that the schema was extended correctly. If so, close the command prompt
window and go to step 2.

Page 48
4. Install a compatible version of Microsoft SQL Server software on a domain member server.
(For supported Microsoft SQL Server versions see table 6 in Appendix 3.)
5. Install any necessary updates on the AD member server that will be the SCCM Master Site
Server. The latest edition of BITS (Basic Intelligence Transfer Service) should be installed if the
SCCM Master Site Server will be operating as a distribution point. For other requirements, see
table 4.
6. On a domain controller in the managed AD domain, login as a member of the Domain
Administrators group and run the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) MMC. Once
opened, open the System OU. Right-click on the System Management OU inside and assign to
your SCCM Master Server Full Control for this OU. See screenshot below:

7. Run the SCCM installer program on the AD Member server that will become the SCCM Master
Site Server. Choose to run the checker program.
8.

Note any items that may be flagged by the installer checker program. If any items are required,
close the SCCM installer program and make any necessary corrections.

9.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 until no problems are found.

10. You must assign a 3 letter unique SCCM site code. For example, my SCCM test site designation
was set to OAK.

Page 49

11. During the installation process, choose either Native or Mixed mode security. Which security
mode you choose will depend on what level of security you would like to have for your site and
whether or not you plan on managing Internet clients.
Choose Native mode if you:
A. Plan on managing Internet Based Clients.
B. Need a higher level of security between clients and management servers, or between
management servers.
Choose Mixed mode if you:
A. Do not have a PKI security infrastructure in place.
B. Must support older SMS Clients.
12. Let SCCM installation process continue. When complete, a restart of the SCCM server will be
required.
13. Once the SCCM Master site server has restarted, login with an account that has management
level rights on the SCCM server and database. From the programs menu, open the ConfigMgr
console program:

Running ConfigMgr Console

Page 50
14. Set the Discovery methods to be used with SCCM. To do this, navigate the ConfigMgr console
menu as shown below:

15. By default, only the Heartbeat Discovery method is enabled. I recommend first turning on
Network Discovery. Each method is configured by a right-click on the discovery method and
choosing Properties. The Network discovery method has many different parameters you can
specify that will help your SCCM Master Site Server to locate workstations and servers on your
network. See the screenshot below:

Page 51
16. One of the most important items to configure is the polling schedule. The time between polling
events can be crucial in many ways. Too long and it will take more time than necessary to
deploy software to workstations or update SCCM Workstation Collections. If the schedule is set
to occur at too short of an interval, the network will be flooded with discovery traffic, reducing
communications speeds and increasing the number of dropped packets. Choose a time interval
between 8 and 20 minutes for each discovery method, with the exception of the Network
discovery method. This one can be configured for every 4 to 8 hours. See the screenshot
below:

Setting Discovery Method Polling Schedule

Page 52
17. Note: Any discovery method can be forced to run immediately, without having to wait for the
time specified in the individual method Polling Schedule. See screenshot below:

Running Discovery Method Manually

Page 53
18. Let your new SCCM Master Site run for a while and collect information on your network. There
are several Workstation collections that are configured initially and some should automatically
begin to populate after the various discovery methods have had a chance to run. After a while,
navigate to Computer Management > Collections. You will see something like the screen shown
below. Open up the All Desktops and Servers Collection. You should begin to see a list of the
servers and workstations on your network. See the screenshot below for an example:

19. Thats it! You have successfully installed SCCM 2007 R2 and have setup your master site with
the initial configuration information.

Configuring the SCCM Master Site Server as a Reporting Point

The process to add a site server role is the same for any role you are going to add. As with everything
that you manage in SCCM, you start out by running the ConfigMgr Console. Once the initial console
screen is opened, follow the instructions on the next page.

Page 54

1. From the initial ConfigMgr screen, navigate to Site Database > Site Management > SITE NAME
Site Settings > Site Systems, where SITE NAME is the name of the SCCM site you are managing.

2. Right-click on the name of your Site Master Server and choose New Roles from the popup menu.

Page 55
3. The New Site Role Wizard begins. Add the FQDN of the server you are working on, if necessary,
and click Next.

4. A screen comes up, listing the Site Server Roles that have not been configured on this server yet.
Select Reporting Point and click Next.

Page 56
5. Type in the name of the report folder that you want to use or choose the default name that
displays in the field.

6. Click on Next to display a summary page, then Finish to complete the setup of the SCCM Master
Site Server as a Reporting Point.
Note: The name specified here will be a folder that is created in the Default Website
folder on the IIS server module on your SCCM Master Site Server. The reports will
be accessible through the Reports section accessed through the ConfigMgr Console, or
by typing http://SERVER_FQDN/Report_Folder where SERVER_FQDN is the Fully
qualified domain name of your SCCM master server and the Report_Folder is the
name of the report folder that you specified.

Page 57

Appendix 5: Distribution Point Setup and Creating Software Packages

Setting up the SCCM Master Site Server as a Distribution Point
1. From the initial ConfigMgr screen, navigate to Site Database > Site Management > SITE NAME
Site Settings > Site Systems, where SITE NAME is the name of the SCCM site you are managing.

2. Right-click on the name of your Site Master Server and choose New Roles from the popup menu.

Page 58
3. The New Site Role Wizard begins. Add the FQDN of the server you are working on, if necessary,
and click Next.

4. A screen comes up, listing the Site Server Roles that have not been configured on this server yet.
Select Distribution Point and click Next.

Page 59
5. Enable the site as a Standard Distribution Point and click on Next.

6. Click Next on the following screens until you arrive at the Summary screen. Click Next again and
then Finish. The Site Master Server is now setup as a Distribution Point.

Set Up a New Program Package for Distribution on the SCCM Master Site Server
1. While logged in as a SCCM Manager and Domain Administrator, setup a folder on your SCCM
Master Site Server called Installers or something else that will indicate to you and others that
this folder contains installer programs.

Page 60
2. Create a sub-folder within the Installers folder and copy the Installer files for the program you
want to distribute into this folder.
3. Open up the ConfigMgr Console on the SCCM Master Site Server and navigate to Site Database
> Computer Management > Packages.
4. Right-click on Packages and Choose New Package.

Page 61
5. The New Package Wizard will open. Fill in the proper information in the listed fields and then
click on Next. For this example, I will be using Photostory 3.

Page 62
6. Click on the box next to This package contains source files. Browse to the folder location where
the installer files were copied and click on OK.

7. Click on Next.

Page 63
8. At the next screen, select Access the distribution folder through common ConfigMgr package
share and click on Next.

9. Click on Finish, then Next on the following screen. The new program package has now been
created.

Creating a New Program and associating it to the New Program Package.

1. Once a new program package is created, a new program must be setup and associated to it. As
with other items in SCCM, there is a wizard to assist with this process as well.

Page 64
2. Open up the ConfigMgr Console and select the new program package that was just created.
Click on the + to expand the tree. Right-click on Program and choose New > Program.

3. The New Program wizard launches. Type in the proper information, including the command
line that is necessary to launch the installer for the program and click on Next.

Page 65
4. Supply the proper information, as required on the next few screens. If you are using an msi file
to install the program, click on Import on the screen that asks for the installer code and browse
to the location of the installer files. Otherwise click Next to continue.

5. Complete the New Program Wizard. Go to the Action Menu and select Refresh.
6. If this is the first program that has been created, then select Computer management >
Collections. Right-Click on Collections and select New. This opens the New Collection Wizard.
Set up a new Collection names Applications. If you already have an Applications collection,
make a new collection under this collection by right-clicking on the collection Applications and
selecting New. Create a new collection called SW_NEW-PROGRAM_WS were NEW-PROGRAM
is the name of the new program. For this example, I am using SW_Photostory3_WS for the
name of the new collection.

Page 66
7. On a domain controller in the domain, login as a member of the Domain Administrators group
and run the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) MMC. If you do not have an
Applications OU, create one at this point. If you do, create a new group by the same name as
the new collection that was created in step 6. Again, for this example, I used the new name of
SW_Photostory3_WS.

8. Add the workstations that will receive the new software to the new group.
9. Return to the SCCM Master Site Server and to the ConfigMgr Console. Navigate to Computer
Management > Software Distribution > Packages > NEW-PROGRAM where NEW-PROGRAM is
the name of the program package created in step 3. I have used Photostory 3 for this
demonstration.
10. Right-click on the name of the program and select Distribute > Software to open the Distribute
New Software Wizard.

Page 67
11. Click on Next to begin the wizard. On the following screen, select the proper Distribution Point
and then click on Next.

12. On the following screen, Click on Advertise this program to an existing collection and then
browse to find the new collection that was created in step 6. In this demonstration I used
SW_Photostory_WS. Once this is selected, click on Next.

Page 68
13. Click Next again. On the following screen, select Advertise the program to members of the
collection and its subcollections. Click Next.

14. Select the default values for advertising the program as listed below and then click on Next.

Page 69
15. On the following screen, select Yes, assign the program if you want to make the program
mandatory. If you select Assign the program, the program will advertise to the workstations
that are members of the AD group SW_NEW-PROGRAM_WS (SW_Photostory3_WS). Click on
Finish. Close the wizard after completion.

Creating Query for Collection Membership

1. To create the query, right click on the sub-collection recently created and choose Properties.
Click on the Membership Rules tab to get started. The screen will look like that below. Click on
the yellow cylinder icon to create the new query. At this point, select the schedule for the new
query. I chose 10 minutes or something close to that time period.

Page 70

2. At this point, we need to decide how to determine membership in the collection that is
associated with the new collection that was created, which is associated to the new program
and program package that were created earlier. The way this is accomplished is through the
queries written in WQL query language. WQL is a language based on SQL, but used to query the
Windows Management Interface (WMI) namespace. The language, and commands used here
are beyond the scope of this project. What the WQL query does is to query AD for group
membership and then automatically add the members of the particular group to the collection
of the same name. For this example the WQL query looks at the AD group SW_Photostory3_WS
and adds the names of the workstations that are members of this group to the sub-collection of
the Applications collection called SW_Photostory3_WS. The actual query looks like the
language that is shown below.

3. Once the query is created, the program should distribute to the workstations that are a member
of the AD security group SW_New-PROGRAM_WS (SW_photostory3_WS). Remember, the
distribution will take place sometime after the time period that is shown in the schedule.
NOTE: The actual time will be longer than the time selected in this schedule. This is due to the
time periods specified in the schedules of the different discovery methods for SCCM, in this case
the Active Directory Security Group Discovery and the Active Directory System Discovery.

Page 71

Appendix 6: Running SCCM Reports Program Package Distribution

1. Open the ConfigMgr console and navigate to Site Database > Computer Management >
Reporting > Reports. This report will show results of program package distribution.

2. Right click on the report called All advertisements for a specific package and choose Run.

Page 72
3. You will see a screen similar to the one below. Click on the Values Button.

4.

Choose the program package you are interested in seeing results for.

Page 73
5. Click on the Display button to see the report for the program package distribution.

6. By clicking on the arrow, you will see the current program distribution results for the program
package that you chose. This screen shows the results for the Photostory 3 program.