Updates and New Features in ConfigMgr 2012 R2

Last week I was at Windows Management User Group (WMUG) NL day with Wally Mead. Wally Mead has been with Microsoft for more than 21 years, and working with Systems Management Server since SMS 1.0 was in development. The following Updates and New Features for ConfigMr 2012 R2 were mentioned: 

What’s new in ConfigMgr 2012 R2

• Cumulative Updates will be released quarterly
• R2 will be RTM end of year, Beta release coming soon (!)
• There is no change in SQL Collation during installation
• Reassign Site feature possible for multiple sites scenarios
• Multiple network access accounts per site are supported for untrusted forests
• There will be better detailed messages so no need to look at logfiles every time :)
• New report: Distribution Point usage (clients accessed, requests process, bytes send)
• With Pull Distibution Points you can save bandwidth during synchronizing
• Upgrade to R2 is possible only from ConfigMgr SP1 with Windows ADK 8.1
• Windows 2012 R2 and 8.1 support, VHD management, MDT integration
• Native integration of some MDT actions by default, without MDT integration needed: MDT validate action, MDT gather action, Set PowerShell execution policy actions
• Maintenance windows specific to updates and ADR filter query preview
• Two new software updates templates for patch Tuesday and definition updates
• Enrollment UI for MAC computers, no command line needed anymore

Deploying and Managing Windows 8.1 with ConfigMgr 2012 R2

• Resultant client settings in console when having multiple policies  (RSOP)
• Uninstall ADK 8.0 and install ADK 8.1 when using ConfigMgr SP1
• For R2 a minimum of Windows Server 2008 R2 OS is needed
• No support for Windows XP in Windows ADK 8.0 & 8.1 anymore
• Support for Windows PE 3.1 boot images above of Windows ADK 8.1
• VHD upload to Virtual Machine Manager, no VHD deployment possible
• Surface Pro May 2013 driver pack, OSD guide for MDT and CM available
• PXE support for Surface Pro OSD available by USB dongle only (!) 

Unified Device Management: ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Integrated with Windows Intune  

• Windows Intune, less than 7000 devices and 4000 users supported
• Choice between Company-owned or Personal-owned to decide management; Personal devices, inventory of deployed apps only; Corporate devices, inventory of all apps possible (exception for Apple)
• Unified Modern Device Management is the new name for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 integrated with Intune
• Windows Intune can be used standalone or integrated in ConfigMgr 2012 R2 to support more devices & users
• There will be a native company portal app for Windows, iOS and Android in ConfigMgr 2012 R2 with Intune integration
• Registering and Enrolling devices with Workplace Join and Windows Intune through the cloud
• VPN profle management, Wi-Fi support and Certificate management
• New site role, certificate registration point

ConfigMgr 2012 R2 will provide a lot of new functionality above of existing ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 features. R2 will be RTM end of year, Beta release coming soon (probably this week already).

System Center 2012 R2 announced today!

Today at TechEd 2013 North America many announcements where done.  Microsoft introduced upcoming releases of it's key enterprise IT solutions for hybrid cloud: Windows Server 2012 R2, System Center 2012 R2 and SQL Server 2014. Available in preview later this month! Let's have a overview at ConfigMgr R2 first.

ConfigMgr can be integrated with Windows Intune to support cloud management of mobile devices. This enables IT to deliver a rich set of configuration policies as well as deploy applications to various devices and platforms, regardless of whether they’re corporate-connected or cloud-based. Note: The Mobile Device Management capabilities of ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview require the integration of the next release of Windows Intune, which is not available for preview!

Benefits of ConfigMgr 2012 R2 are: 

• ConfigMgr enables organizations to deploy and manage Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Administrators can also configure and deploy WiFi profiles, VPN configurations and certificates.
• ConfigMgr supports maintenance windows exclusively for updates, and provides UI improvements for filtering and automation update deployment rule management.
• ConfigMgr optimizes content distribution, providing clearer summary messages, and offering new distribution point usage data reports to help with infrastructure planning and troubleshooting.
• ConfigMgr helps make virtual hard drive (VHD) management easier by enabling the creation, modification and offline servicing of VHDs and the uploading of VHDs to System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager.

 
For more information have a look at: System Center 2012 R2
Source: System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager