Thin Client management in ConfigMgr 2012

Manage Devices Through a ‘Single Pane of Glass’

In the past years I've installed Symantec Altiris Deployment Solution and Wyse Device Manager a few times for HP and Wyse Thin Client (TC) management. With these products BIOS settings can be changed, the Write filter can be activated/de-activated, and Windows Embedded and additional software packages can be deployed. Even Patch management is available for Windows Embedded. Microsoft has a TC management solution itself, it's called: Windows Embedded Device Manager.

Windows Embedded Device Manager (WEDM) enables enterprises to deploy, assess and update Windows Embedded devices, providing a single management solution (Single Pane of Glass) that offers enhanced insight and control over IT infrastructure and systems by extending the capabilities of  System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007. More information about WEDM 2011 can be found HERE.

But now ConfigMgr 2012 is available (!), and we want management in that, do we? Therefore WEDM 2012 support is needed. WEDM 2012 will be available in the first quarter (Q1) of 2013 to support System Center 2012 Configuration Manager customers. This release will be in the same quarter as the System Center 2012 SP1 release, Nice!
 
With ConfigMgr 2012 SP1, the capabilities of ConfigMgr will be extended to manage Windows Embedded thin clients, Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, digital signage, kiosks, and Thin PC's. This functionality means additional devices can be managed by ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 without requiring any additional software. Isn't that great!?

Expect to manage al physical, virtual and mobile devices in one single Microsoft management solution: ConfigMgr 2012. This with Windows Intune integration (cloud-based device management) and WEDM 2012. ConfigMgr will be more advanced with every release.

Update 24-9-2012: Steve Beaumont mentioned to me that WEDM 2012 has been cancelled and the features will be rolled into ConfigMgr as part of SP1. Unfortunately there's nothing to be found on the web that confirms me of this integration. In this blogpost I will keep you up-to-date of this functionality.

Update 26-9-2012: Yesterday Steve Beaumont mentioned on his blog that WEDM 2012 is no more, and functionality will be in ConfigMgr 2012 SP1. That way above message is right: additional devices can be managed by ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 without requiring any additional software. With ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 no Symantec Altiris Deployment Solution and/or Wyse Device Manager is needed anymore. Just use ConfigMgr for ALL fat/thin/virtual systems!

Blog Steve Beaumont about "Windows Embedded Devices and Configuration Manager 2012 SP1" can be found HERE.