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).