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Navigating the 70-403 Exam: A Foundation in Endpoint Management

The Microsoft 70-403 Exam, officially titled "System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Configuring," was a key certification for IT professionals specializing in endpoint management. Although this exam and the product version are retired, understanding its content provides a strong historical and conceptual foundation for modern systems management. This exam was designed to validate a candidate's skills in configuring and managing a Configuration Manager 2007 environment to deploy software, manage updates, inventory hardware and software, and deploy operating systems. Passing this exam demonstrated proficiency in a tool that was the industry standard for managing large enterprise networks.

The target audience for the 70-403 Exam consisted of systems administrators, infrastructure engineers, and IT professionals responsible for the day-to-day management of desktops and servers in a medium to large enterprise. The ideal candidate had hands-on experience with Windows Server, Active Directory, and networking fundamentals, as SCCM 2007 is deeply integrated with these technologies. The exam tested practical knowledge of how to design, deploy, and maintain an SCCM 2007 infrastructure to achieve common business objectives for endpoint management.

Preparation for the 70-403 Exam required a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. The exam objectives published by Microsoft provided a clear outline of the topics covered, which included deploying the SCCM server, configuring the site, managing clients, distributing software, managing updates, and reporting. Successful candidates typically relied on official Microsoft courseware, product documentation, and extensive hands-on experience in a lab environment. The ability to troubleshoot common configuration and deployment issues was a critical skill for exam success.

While the 70-403 Exam itself is no longer offered, the principles it tested are foundational to the current versions of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager. Understanding the concepts of site hierarchies, client management, package and application models, and task sequences from this era provides valuable context for anyone working with its modern successors. This knowledge illustrates the evolution of systems management and the enduring challenges of securing and managing enterprise endpoints.

Understanding the Role of SCCM 2007 in Systems Management

To understand the material covered in the 70-403 Exam, one must first grasp the role of System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 in the enterprise. SCCM 2007 is a comprehensive management solution for computer systems. Its primary goal is to provide administrators with the tools to manage a large number of Windows-based computers efficiently and securely. It helps organizations to maintain system consistency, deploy software, enforce security policies, and reduce the manual effort required for IT administration.

SCCM 2007 provides a suite of integrated tools to address several key areas of systems management. One of its core functions is asset management. This includes collecting detailed hardware and software inventory from all managed clients, which gives administrators a clear picture of the assets they are responsible for. It also includes tools for software metering to track application usage and for managing software licenses. The 70-403 Exam placed significant emphasis on these asset intelligence capabilities.

Another primary function is software distribution. SCCM 2007 allows administrators to create packages for applications and then deploy them to collections of users or computers. This enables the automated, unattended installation of software across thousands of machines, which is a massive improvement over manual installation. This capability extends to managing software updates (patching), allowing administrators to deploy Microsoft and third-party security updates to keep systems secure and compliant.

Finally, SCCM 2007 is a powerful tool for operating system deployment (OSD). It can be used to perform "bare-metal" installations of Windows on new computers or to upgrade existing computers to a new operating system version. It provides a framework for creating standardized operating system images and for automating the entire deployment process. The 70-403 Exam was designed to test a candidate's ability to configure and use all these core features to effectively manage the lifecycle of enterprise endpoints.

Core Architecture: SCCM 2007 Sites and Hierarchies

A fundamental concept for the 70-403 Exam is the architecture of an SCCM 2007 environment, which is built around the concept of sites. An SCCM site is a logical grouping of servers and clients that are managed as a single entity. The core of any SCCM installation is the site server, which is the Windows Server that runs the main Configuration Manager services. The site is defined by the clients that are assigned to it and the site system roles that support it.

SCCM 2007 uses a hierarchical model to connect multiple sites together for centralized administration. At the top of a multi-site hierarchy is a central site. The central site is used for administration and reporting for the entire hierarchy. It collects all the inventory data from the child sites below it, but it does not directly manage any clients itself.

Below the central site are one or more primary sites. A primary site is where clients are directly assigned and managed. It stores the client data in its own SQL Server database and processes all the data from its assigned clients. A primary site can exist as a standalone site for a smaller organization, or it can be a child site that reports to a central site in a larger hierarchy.

At the bottom of the hierarchy are optional secondary sites. A secondary site is always a child of a primary site and is typically used to manage clients in a remote location with a slow network link. It helps to control the flow of network traffic by compressing and forwarding data up to its parent primary site. For the 70-403 Exam, you must be able to differentiate between central, primary, and secondary sites and understand how they fit together to form a scalable management hierarchy.

Key SCCM 2007 Site System Roles

The functionality of an SCCM 2007 site is provided by a set of site system roles. A site system role is a specific function that is installed on a Windows Server to support the SCCM site. A single server can host multiple roles, or the roles can be distributed across several servers for better performance and scalability. A deep understanding of the key roles is a major requirement for the 70-403 Exam.

The most fundamental role is the Site Server itself. This role is automatically assigned to the server where you install SCCM. The Site Database Server role is also critical; this is the SQL Server that hosts the site's database. This role can be on the same server as the site server (co-located) or on a separate, dedicated SQL Server.

Two of the most important roles for client management are the Management Point (MP) and the Distribution Point (DP). The Management Point is the primary point of communication for clients. Clients connect to the MP to get policies, report their inventory, and send status messages. The Distribution Point is a server that stores the content for software packages and updates. When a client needs to install a piece of software, it will download the necessary source files from a DP.

Other important roles include the Software Update Point (SUP), which integrates with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to manage software updates, and the Reporting Point, which integrates with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) to provide web-based reports. For the 70-403 Exam, you will need to be able to identify each of these roles, describe their function, and understand the prerequisites for installing them.

The SCCM 2007 Client: Installation and Communication

The ultimate purpose of the SCCM infrastructure is to manage the SCCM client. The client is the software agent that is installed on every managed device, including desktops, laptops, and servers. A thorough understanding of the client's function is crucial for the 70-403 Exam. The client is responsible for carrying out the instructions it receives from the site server. It is the component that actually performs the inventory scans, installs the software, and applies the security updates.

The client periodically communicates with a Management Point in its assigned site. This communication is the lifeline of the management process. The client connects to the MP to download its policies. These policies define what the client is supposed to do, such as which software to install or when to run an inventory scan. The client also uses its connection to the MP to upload its inventory data and status messages back to the site server.

There are several methods for installing the SCCM client. One of the most common methods is client push installation. This is a feature where the site server can automatically "push" the client agent out to newly discovered computers. Other methods include using a software update point to install the client, using a group policy, or performing a manual installation. The 70-403 Exam will test your knowledge of these different client installation methods and the prerequisites for each.

Once the client is installed, it is assigned to a specific SCCM site. The client will then locate its site's Management Point and begin the cycle of downloading policies and uploading data. Understanding this client lifecycle, from installation and site assignment to ongoing policy communication, is a fundamental part of the knowledge required for effective SCCM administration.

Understanding Boundaries and Boundary Groups

A critical concept for client management in SCCM 2007, and a key topic for the 70-403 Exam, is the use of boundaries. A boundary is a network location that you define in the SCCM console. It is used to identify a group of clients that are in the same physical or logical network segment. SCCM 2007 supports three types of boundaries: IP subnet, Active Directory site name, and IP address range.

The primary purpose of boundaries is to help clients find the SCCM resources that are closest to them on the network. This is known as content location. When a client needs to download a software package, it will look at its current network location, check which boundary it falls into, and then find a Distribution Point that is associated with that boundary. This ensures that a client in a remote office downloads content from a local server instead of pulling it over a slow WAN link.

Boundaries are also used for site assignment. When a new SCCM client is installed, it can use its network location to automatically discover and assign itself to the correct SCCM site. You configure this by associating your boundaries with your SCCM sites in the console. This automates the process of client site assignment, which is especially useful in large, multi-site environments.

In later versions of SCCM, boundaries are organized into boundary groups, but in SCCM 2007, you directly associate the boundaries with the site servers and distribution points. For the 70-403 Exam, you must understand the different types of boundaries, their primary purposes for site assignment and content location, and how to configure them in the SCCM console. This knowledge is essential for designing an efficient content distribution strategy.

Introduction to Collections for Resource Grouping

Once clients are installed and discovered, you need a way to organize them for management tasks. In SCCM 2007, the primary tool for this is the collection. A collection is a logical grouping of resources, which can be users or computers. A deep understanding of collections is a non-negotiable requirement for the 70-403 Exam. Almost every management task in SCCM, from deploying software to applying settings, is targeted at a collection.

Collections can be created in two ways: with direct membership or with query-based membership. A direct membership collection is a static group where you manually add specific resources. This is useful for creating small, specific groups for testing or for one-off tasks. However, for large-scale management, direct membership collections are not efficient to maintain.

The more powerful and common type is the query-based collection. A query-based collection is a dynamic group whose membership is continuously updated based on a query that you define. The query uses the WMI Query Language (WQL) to select resources based on their inventory data. For example, you could create a collection of all computers with less than 4 GB of RAM, or all computers that are running Windows XP, or all laptops in the marketing department.

These query-based collections are the foundation of automated and targeted management. When a new computer is discovered that matches the query, it is automatically added to the collection. When a computer's properties change and it no longer matches the query, it is automatically removed. For the 70-403 Exam, you must understand the difference between direct and query-based collections and be familiar with the basic principles of creating query rules to group resources effectively.

Building the Infrastructure: Key Tasks for the 70-403 Exam

The 70-403 Exam places a strong emphasis on the practical skills required to deploy and manage the core SCCM 2007 infrastructure. This goes beyond understanding the architectural concepts and delves into the specific tasks of installing the site server, configuring the site systems, and enabling client management. A successful SCCM administrator must have a solid foundation in these deployment and configuration activities, as a poorly configured infrastructure will lead to problems in all other areas of systems management.

The journey begins with preparing the server environment. This involves ensuring all prerequisites are met, which includes extending the Active Directory schema and configuring the necessary server roles and features. The installation of a primary site is a major milestone, and the 70-403 Exam will test your knowledge of the steps and decisions involved in this process. Once the site is installed, the next step is to configure it to discover the resources in your environment, such as users, groups, and computers.

After discovery, the focus shifts to deploying the client. You must configure the client installation methods and the client agent settings to ensure that the clients are installed correctly and behave as expected. Security is also a paramount concern. You will need to know how to configure security rights and permissions within the SCCM console to control who can perform which administrative tasks.

Finally, a key part of managing the infrastructure is ensuring its long-term health and reliability. This includes setting up regular maintenance tasks and having a robust backup and recovery plan in place. A deep, practical knowledge of these infrastructure deployment and management tasks is a core competency that the 70-403 Exam is designed to validate.

Prerequisites for Installing an SCCM 2007 Site Server

Before you can begin the installation of an SCCM 2007 primary site, a number of important prerequisites must be met. The 70-403 Exam requires a thorough understanding of these prerequisites, as a failure to meet them will result in a failed installation. The first and most critical prerequisite is to prepare Active Directory. SCCM 2007 is deeply integrated with Active Directory and uses it to store important site information.

The most important Active Directory preparation step is to extend the schema. The SCCM installation files include a tool that adds new classes and attributes to the Active Directory schema. These are used by SCCM to publish information about the site, such as the location of the Management Points. This allows clients to automatically find their site and management servers. You must also create a special container in Active Directory called "System Management" and grant the site server's computer account full control permissions to this container.

The server that will become the site server also has several software prerequisites. It must be running a supported version of Windows Server. It also requires several server roles and features to be installed, including Internet Information Services (IIS) and the .NET Framework. If the site database will be on a separate server, you must have a supported version of Microsoft SQL Server installed and configured.

Finally, you need to configure the necessary user and computer accounts with the correct permissions. The account you use to run the SCCM setup must have local administrator rights on the site server and the database server, as well as schema admin rights in Active Directory if you are extending the schema. The 70-403 Exam will test your ability to identify all these critical prerequisites for a successful SCCM installation.

Performing a Primary Site Installation

The installation of an SCCM 2007 primary site is a key task that is covered in detail on the 70-403 Exam. The installation is performed by running the setup.exe program from the installation media. This launches a wizard that guides you through the process. The wizard will perform a prerequisite check to ensure that all the necessary components are in place before it allows you to proceed.

During the installation wizard, you will need to make several important decisions. You will need to choose the installation folder and enter the site code, which is a unique three-character code that identifies the site. You will also provide a descriptive site name. A critical choice is the site mode. You can install the site in mixed mode or native mode. Mixed mode uses standard HTTP communication, while native mode uses HTTPS for more secure communication but requires a public key infrastructure (PKI) to be in place.

You will also need to configure the connection to the SQL Server database. You will specify the name of the SQL Server and the name of the database that will be created for the site. The wizard will also prompt you to configure the initial Management Point and Distribution Point for the site, which are typically installed on the site server itself by default.

After you have completed all the steps in the wizard, the installation process will begin. It can take a significant amount of time to complete. You can monitor the progress of the installation by reviewing the setup log files. For the 70-403 Exam, you should be very familiar with the different options and choices presented in the installation wizard and understand the difference between mixed mode and native mode.

Configuring Discovery Methods to Find Resources

Once your SCCM 2007 site is installed, one of the first configuration tasks is to set up discovery. Discovery is the process that SCCM uses to find resources in your environment that can be managed. The 70-403 Exam will test your knowledge of the different discovery methods and how to configure them. By default, only a basic heartbeat discovery is enabled. To build a comprehensive inventory of your environment, you will need to enable and configure other methods.

The most common discovery methods are based on Active Directory. Active Directory System Discovery is used to find computer resources. You configure it to search specific organizational units (OUs) in your Active Directory domain. It will create a discovery data record (DDR) for each computer it finds. Similarly, Active Directory User Discovery and Active Directory Group Discovery are used to find user and group objects.

Another important method is Network Discovery. This method can be used to find resources that may not be in Active Directory, such as devices in a workgroup or devices from other network operating systems. Network Discovery works by crawling the network using protocols like SNMP and by querying DHCP servers and routers. It is a powerful but potentially network-intensive method.

For each discovery method, you can configure a schedule to determine how often it runs. It is important to configure these schedules appropriately to balance the need for up-to-date information with the impact on network and server performance. For the 70-403 Exam, you must be able to identify the different discovery methods, describe what they are used for, and understand the basic principles of how to configure them.

Deploying and Configuring Site System Roles

The functionality of an SCCM 2007 site is provided by its site system roles. A core task for an administrator, and a key topic for the 70-403 Exam, is the deployment and configuration of these roles. While the basic Management Point and Distribution Point are typically installed on the site server during the initial setup, you will often need to add additional roles or deploy roles to other servers to scale out your environment.

To add a new site system role, you use the Configuration Manager console. You first need to add the target Windows Server as a site system server for your site. Once the server is designated as a site system, you can then add the specific roles to it. For each role, there is a configuration wizard that walks you through the settings for that role.

For example, to deploy a new Distribution Point to a server in a remote office, you would add that server as a site system and then add the Distribution Point role to it. During the configuration, you would specify the drive where the content will be stored and other settings. Similarly, to set up software updates, you would need to install the Software Update Point role on a server that has Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) installed.

It is important to understand the dependencies and prerequisites for each role. For example, the Software Update Point role requires WSUS, and the Reporting Point role requires SQL Server Reporting Services. The 70-403 Exam will expect you to know the purpose of the key site system roles and the basic process for deploying and configuring them to add functionality to your SCCM site.

Setting Up Client Installation Methods

After you have discovered the resources in your environment, the next step is to deploy the SCCM 2007 client to them. A deep understanding of the different client installation methods is a major objective of the 70-403 Exam. SCCM provides several methods to accommodate different scenarios. The most common and powerful method for deploying to existing computers is Client Push Installation.

To use Client Push, you must first enable it in the site properties. You also need to configure a Client Push Installation Account, which is a user account that has local administrator rights on all the target client computers. When you enable client push for the site, SCCM can automatically attempt to install the client on any newly discovered computers. You can also initiate a push installation manually by right-clicking a collection or a specific computer in the console.

Another popular method is Software Update Point based installation. This method uses the existing Windows Update infrastructure. You can publish the SCCM client to your Software Update Point (which runs on WSUS). Client computers that are configured to get updates from that WSUS server will see the SCCM client as an available update and can install it. This is a great way to deploy the client to machines that are already being managed for patching.

Other methods include using Group Policy to assign the client installation MSI package, or performing a manual installation by running the ccmsetup.exe program on the client computer. For the 70-403 Exam, you must be able to identify these different methods, understand their prerequisites, and know when it is appropriate to use each one.

Managing Client Agent Settings

Once the SCCM 2007 client is installed, its behavior is controlled by the client agent settings. The 70-403 Exam requires you to know how to configure these settings to manage the clients effectively. The client agent settings are configured in the Configuration Manager console and are applied to collections of clients. This allows you to have different settings for different groups of computers, such as different settings for servers versus workstations.

There are several different categories of client agent settings. The Computer Client Agent settings control the core behavior of the client. Here, you can configure the policy polling interval, which determines how often the client checks in with the Management Point for new policies. You can also configure the schedule for hardware and software inventory collection.

Other important agent settings include the Software Distribution Client Agent, which controls how clients interact with advertisements and download content, and the Software Updates Client Agent, which controls the scanning and installation of software updates. The Desired Configuration Management Client Agent controls how clients evaluate configuration baselines.

It is a best practice to create custom client agent settings for different collections rather than modifying the default settings. This provides more granular control and makes it easier to test changes on a small group of computers before deploying them to the entire organization. For the 70-403 Exam, you should be familiar with the key client agent settings and understand how they are used to control the behavior of the managed clients.

Managing Assets with SCCM 2007 for the 70-403 Exam

One of the primary functions of System Center Configuration Manager 2007, and a major domain of the 70-403 Exam, is asset management. Before you can effectively manage your endpoints, you must first know what you have. SCCM 2007 provides a powerful suite of tools for discovering and inventorying the hardware and software in your environment. This information is crucial for software license compliance, planning hardware refreshes, and identifying security vulnerabilities.

The foundation of asset management is hardware and software inventory. SCCM 2007 can collect a vast amount of information about the hardware components of a computer, such as the processor, memory, and disk drives. It can also collect detailed information about the software that is installed, including application names, versions, and installation dates. This data is collected by the client agent and stored in the site database.

Building on this inventory data, SCCM 2007 provides a feature called Asset Intelligence. Asset Intelligence helps to clean up and categorize the raw software inventory data, making it much more useful for software license management. It can identify different software suites, categorize applications by function, and provide information about license requirements. Another key feature is software metering, which allows you to track the usage of specific applications to determine if you are over-licensed or under-licensed.

Finally, all this collected data would be of little use without a way to view and analyze it. SCCM 2007 has a robust reporting engine that is integrated with SQL Server Reporting Services. The 70-403 Exam will test your knowledge of all these asset management components, from configuring inventory collection to running reports to analyze the data.

Configuring and Collecting Hardware Inventory

Hardware inventory is a fundamental feature of SCCM 2007 and a key topic for the 70-403 Exam. This feature allows you to collect detailed information about the hardware configuration of your managed clients. The hardware inventory process is controlled by the client agent settings. By default, the hardware inventory agent is enabled, and it runs on a schedule that you can configure (the default is every seven days).

The hardware inventory agent works by querying Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) on the client computer. WMI is a standard Windows component that provides a repository of information about the computer's hardware, software, and settings. The SCCM client collects information from various WMI classes, such as Win32_Processor for CPU information and Win32_LogicalDisk for hard drive information.

You can customize the amount of information that is collected. The client agent settings allow you to select which WMI classes the client should report. It is a best practice to only collect the information that you actually need, as collecting too much data can increase the load on the clients, the network, and the site server. You can also extend the hardware inventory to collect information from custom WMI classes or even from the registry or specific files.

Once the data is collected, the client sends it to the Management Point, which then processes it into the site database. You can then view the hardware inventory for a specific computer using a tool called the Resource Explorer in the SCCM console. The 70-403 Exam will expect you to know how to enable and configure the hardware inventory client agent and how to view the collected data.

Collecting and Managing Software Inventory

In addition to hardware, collecting a detailed inventory of the software installed on your clients is another critical function tested on the 70-403 Exam. The software inventory feature in SCCM 2007 allows you to scan the file systems of your client computers to collect information about specific files. This is different from the information about installed applications that is collected as part of the hardware inventory process (from sources like the Add/Remove Programs list).

The software inventory agent is also configured through the client agent settings. You define rules that tell the agent which files to look for. You can configure it to scan for files based on their name (e.g., all files named *.exe), their location, or other properties. For each file that it finds that matches your rules, it can collect information from the file's header, such as the product name, version, and manufacturer.

This file-based scanning can be very resource-intensive, so it is crucial to configure it carefully. You should only scan for the specific files that you need to inventory. A common use case for software inventory is to find all the instances of a particular executable file across your entire environment, perhaps to identify unauthorized software or to prepare for an upgrade.

Like hardware inventory, the collected software inventory data is sent back to the site database. You can then use this data in queries, collections, and reports. For example, you could create a collection of all computers that have a specific, outdated version of an application so that you can target them for an upgrade. For the 70-403 Exam, you should understand the purpose of software inventory and the basics of how to configure the rules for file collection.

Using Asset Intelligence for Software License Management

While the basic hardware and software inventory features provide a lot of raw data, making sense of that data for software license management can be a challenge. To help with this, SCCM 2007 includes a feature set called Asset Intelligence, a key topic for the 70-403 Exam. Asset Intelligence takes the raw software titles collected by inventory and normalizes and categorizes them to provide a much clearer picture of your software assets.

To use Asset Intelligence, you must first enable it. This involves enabling some additional hardware inventory classes and installing the Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point site system role. This role connects to a Microsoft cloud service to download the latest Asset Intelligence catalog. This catalog contains a massive database of software titles and categorization information.

Once the catalog is downloaded, the Asset Intelligence feature will process your inventory data and compare it against the catalog. It can take the many different variations of a software title that it finds in your inventory and normalize them into a single, standard name. It will also categorize the software (e.g., as an operating system, a web browser, or a database application) and provide information about its license requirements.

Asset Intelligence provides a set of specialized reports that are designed for software asset management. These reports can help you to track the installation and usage of specific software products, identify unused software that could be uninstalled to save on license costs, and prepare for software license compliance audits. The 70-403 Exam will test your understanding of the purpose of Asset Intelligence and the steps required to enable and use it.

Configuring and Monitoring Software Metering

Another powerful tool for asset management in SCCM 2007 is software metering. This feature, which is a required topic for the 70-403 Exam, allows you to monitor the usage of specific applications on your client computers. This information can be very valuable for software license optimization. For example, if you have purchased 500 licenses for an expensive application, software metering can tell you if all 500 of those licenses are actually being used.

To use software metering, you must first enable the software metering client agent in the client agent settings. Then, you need to create software metering rules. A software metering rule defines which application executable file you want to monitor. For example, you could create a rule to monitor winword.exe to track the usage of Microsoft Word.

Once the rule is created and the clients receive the policy, the software metering agent on the client will start to monitor for the execution of that file. It will record information such as when the program was started, who the user was, how long the program was actively used, and when it was closed. This usage data is then sent back to the site database.

You can then use the built-in software metering reports to analyze this usage data. The reports can show you how many distinct users have run an application over a certain period, which can be compared to the number of licenses you own. If you find that an application is not being used, you can reclaim the license and uninstall the software. The 70-403 Exam will expect you to know how to create software metering rules and how to use the data to make licensing decisions.

Introduction to SCCM 2007 Reporting

All the asset data collected by SCCM 2007 would be of little value without a robust way to view and analyze it. The 70-403 Exam requires a solid understanding of the reporting capabilities of the platform. SCCM 2007 reporting is built on top of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). To enable reporting, you must install the Reporting Point site system role on a server that is running SSRS.

Once the Reporting Point is installed and configured, it will deploy a large set of pre-built reports to the SSRS website. These reports cover all the different feature areas of SCCM, including asset management, software distribution, and software updates. They are organized into categories, making it easy to find the report you need. You can access these reports directly through a web browser by going to the SSRS reports URL.

These reports are highly customizable. Most reports have parameters that you can use to filter the data. For example, a software distribution report might allow you to filter the results for a specific package, a specific collection, or a specific time frame. This allows you to drill down into the data to find the exact information you are looking for.

In addition to the standard reports, you can also create your own custom reports using the tools provided by SQL Server Reporting Services, such as Report Builder. While the 70-403 Exam does not require you to be an expert in custom report authoring, you should understand that the capability exists. The key takeaway is to know that SSRS is the underlying technology and that the Reporting Point is the role that enables web-based reporting.

Mastering Software Distribution for the 70-403 Exam

One of the most powerful and frequently used features of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 is software distribution. This capability is at the heart of endpoint management and is a heavily weighted topic on the 70-403 Exam. Software distribution allows an administrator to deploy applications and scripts to a large number of computers in an automated and controlled manner. This eliminates the need for manual installations, saving a tremendous amount of time and effort and ensuring consistency across the enterprise.

The software distribution process in SCCM 2007 follows a well-defined workflow. It begins with creating a package, which contains the source files for the application and the instructions for how to install it. This package is then copied to distribution points, which are the servers that store the content. Finally, an advertisement is created to "offer" the software to a collection of clients. The clients then see the advertisement and can download and run the installation from their local distribution point.

A deep understanding of each component in this workflow is essential for the 70-403 Exam. You must know how to create packages and programs, how to manage the content on your distribution points, and how to create advertisements with the correct settings for different deployment scenarios. You also need to know how to monitor the progress of a deployment and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Beyond traditional software, SCCM 2007 also introduced capabilities for deploying virtual applications and for enforcing configuration standards through Desired Configuration Management (DCM). A comprehensive grasp of these software management and configuration features is a core competency for any administrator and a key requirement for success on the 70-403 Exam.

The Software Distribution Workflow in SCCM 2007

The 70-403 Exam will test your understanding of the end-to-end workflow for software distribution. The process begins with the administrator creating a software distribution package. This package is essentially a container for the application's source files. The administrator points the package to a network share where the installation files are located.

Next, within the package, the administrator creates one or more programs. A program defines the command line that needs to be run to install the software. For example, for an MSI-based installation, the command line might be msiexec /i install.msi /qn. The program also contains other important settings, such as whether the program can run when a user is not logged on, and what the estimated disk space and run time are.

Once the package and program are created, the package content must be distributed to the distribution points (DPs). The administrator selects the package and chooses which DPs should receive a copy of the content. SCCM then copies the source files to these servers. This pre-staging of the content is crucial for ensuring that clients in remote locations can download the software from a local server.

The final step is to create an advertisement. The advertisement links a specific program to a specific collection of clients. It also defines the schedule for the deployment. For example, you can create a mandatory assignment that forces the installation at a specific time. When the clients in the target collection receive this policy, they will execute the program according to the schedule. A solid understanding of this flow is critical for the 70-403 Exam.

Creating Packages and Programs

A deep dive into the creation of packages and programs is a fundamental part of preparing for the 70-403 Exam. As mentioned, a package is the container for the software source files. When you create a package in the Configuration Manager console, you are prompted for basic information like the package name and manufacturer. The most important piece of information is the source directory, which is the UNC path to where the installation files are stored.

After the package is created, you must create at least one program within it. A single package can have multiple programs. For example, you could have one program to install an application and another program to uninstall it. When you create a program, you define the command line that will be executed on the client. This is the most critical setting. For silent, unattended installations, you must use the correct command-line switches for the installer type (e.g., MSI, setup.exe).

The program properties offer a wealth of other configuration options. In the "Environment" tab, you can specify whether the program needs administrative rights to run and whether it can run with or without a user logged on. In the "Requirements" tab, you can set prerequisites, such as the required operating system or the amount of free disk space. These settings ensure that the program only runs on clients that can support it.

Understanding all these program properties is a key requirement for the 70-403 Exam. You will be tested on your ability to choose the correct settings for different deployment scenarios. For example, you should know that to deploy a script that runs in the background, you would set the program to run "Whether or not a user is logged on" and to run with administrative rights.

Managing and Configuring Distribution Points

Distribution points (DPs) are a critical component of the software distribution infrastructure, and their management is a key topic for the 70-403 Exam. A distribution point is a site system role that stores the content for packages, software updates, and operating system images. When a client needs to install a piece of software, it contacts its management point to get a list of available DPs and then downloads the content from a DP on that list.

You can have multiple distribution points in your SCCM site. It is a best practice to place DPs in locations that are close to your clients on the network. For example, you should have at least one DP in each of your remote offices. This ensures that clients in those offices can download content from a local server over the fast LAN, rather than pulling it across a slow WAN link from the main office.

There are two main types of distribution points in SCCM 2007: standard DPs and branch DPs. A standard DP is a role that is installed on a Windows Server. A branch DP is a feature that can be enabled on a Windows workstation client. A branch DP can be used in a very small branch office that does not have a local server. The branch DP client will download the content from a standard DP and then share it with other clients in the same subnet using peer-to-peer technology.

For the 70-403 Exam, you must understand the role of the distribution point in the content delivery process. You should know how to add content to a DP, how to monitor the content distribution status, and the difference between a standard DP and a branch DP. A well-designed DP infrastructure is essential for successful and efficient software distribution.

Creating and Deploying Advertisements

The mechanism that initiates a software deployment in SCCM 2007 is the advertisement. A deep understanding of advertisements is a non-negotiable requirement for the 70-403 Exam. An advertisement is the object that links a program (the "what") to a collection (the "who") and defines the schedule (the "when"). It is the advertisement that makes a program available to the clients in a collection.

When you create an advertisement, you first select the program that you want to deploy and the collection that you want to target. You then have to make a critical decision about the assignment of the advertisement. You can make the program "available," which means that it will appear in the client's "Run Advertised Programs" control panel applet, and the user can choose to install it at their convenience. This is good for optional software.

Alternatively, you can make the program "mandatory." A mandatory advertisement has an assignment schedule. You can set a specific date and time when the program will be forced to run on the clients. This is used for required software, such as security updates or line-of-business applications. You can also set a deadline, which means the program is available for the user to install voluntarily until the deadline, at which point it becomes mandatory.

The advertisement also contains settings for how the client should behave, such as whether to download the content from the distribution point and run it locally, or to run the program directly from the distribution point. For the 70-403 Exam, you will need to know how to create an advertisement and how to configure the assignment schedule and other properties for both optional and mandatory deployments.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting Software Distribution

Deploying software is only half the battle; a key part of the administrator's job, and a topic for the 70-403 Exam, is monitoring the success of the deployment and troubleshooting any failures. SCCM 2007 provides several tools for tracking the status of your software advertisements. The primary tool is the built-in reporting.

There are numerous reports dedicated to software distribution. These reports can show you the status of an advertisement for an entire collection. You can see how many clients have successfully run the program, how many are waiting to run it, and how many have failed. You can then drill down into the failure messages to get more information about why the installation did not succeed on certain clients.

In addition to the reports, you can also view the status of an advertisement directly in the Configuration Manager console. You can right-click an advertisement and view its status to get a quick summary of its progress. For more detailed, real-time troubleshooting, you can use the log files on both the client and the server. The log files provide a step-by-step record of the entire software distribution process.

On the client side, logs like execmgr.log (for program execution) and CAS.log (for content access) are invaluable for diagnosing problems. The 70-403 Exam will expect you to be familiar with the key log files and to know which reporting tools to use to monitor the status of your software deployments. This ability to troubleshoot is a critical skill for any successful SCCM administrator.

Introduction to Desired Configuration Management (DCM)

Beyond deploying software, SCCM 2007 also provides a powerful feature for enforcing and monitoring the configuration of your clients. This feature is called Desired Configuration Management (DCM), and it is a key topic for the 70-403 Exam. DCM allows you to define a desired state, or "baseline," for the configuration of your computers and then to monitor your clients to see if they are compliant with this baseline.

A configuration baseline is a collection of one or more configuration items. A configuration item is a specific setting that you want to check, such as a registry key value, a file version, or a WMI setting. For example, you could create a configuration item to check that a specific security setting is enabled in the Windows Firewall. You can then group multiple related configuration items into a baseline.

Once you have created a configuration baseline, you assign it to a collection of clients. The clients will then periodically evaluate the settings defined in the baseline and report their compliance status back to the site server. The clients will report whether they are compliant, non-compliant, or if there was an error during the evaluation.

You can then use the DCM reports to view the compliance status of your entire environment. This is an incredibly powerful tool for security and compliance auditing. It allows you to proactively identify systems that have drifted from your corporate standard configuration. For the 70-403 Exam, you should understand the purpose of DCM, the concept of configuration items and baselines, and how it is used to monitor for configuration drift.

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