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Administering System Center Configuration Manager (20703-1A)

Attend via Microsoft Official Courses On-Demand (MOC On-Demand)

Administering System Center Configuration Manager (20703-1A)

Duration: Approximately 35 hours of coursework to be completed within 90 days

US Price: $895

Delivery Option: Attend via MOC On-Demand

Registration: Click here to register for Microsoft Official Courses on-demand training.

Description

This is a Microsoft Official Course (MOC) and includes Microsoft courseware and hands-on labs. This course describes how to use Configuration Manager and its associated site systems to efficiently manage network resources. In this course, you will learn day-to-day management tasks, including how to manage applications, client health, hardware and software inventory, operating system deployment, and software updates by using Configuration Manager. You also will learn how to optimize System Center Endpoint Protection, manage compliance, and create management queries and reports.

This course is for experienced information technology (IT) professionals, typically described as Enterprise Desktop Administrators (EDAs). These EDAs deploy, manage, and maintain PCs, devices, and applications across medium, large, and enterprise organizations. A significant portion of this audience uses, or intends to use, the latest release of Configuration Manager to manage and deploy PCs, devices, and applications.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

  • Networking fundamentals, including common networking protocols, topologies, hardware, media, routing, switching, and addressing
  • Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) principles and fundamentals of AD DS management
  • Installation, configuration, and troubleshooting for Windows-based personal computers.
  • Basic concepts of public key infrastructure (PKI) security
  • Basic understanding of scripting and Windows PowerShell syntax
  • Basic understanding of Windows Server roles and services
  • Basic understanding of the configuration options for iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile device platforms

About MOC On-Demand

Microsoft Official Courses On-Demand (MOC On-Demand) uses a combination of streaming video, text, lab exercises and assessment checks throughout the course. You have 6 months to activate your MOC course. Once activated, MOC On-Demand courses are available for 90 days and recommend the following system requirements:

  • Browser: Current version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Firefox
  • Internet: Broadband Internet connection of over 4Mbps
  • Screen Resolution: 1280 x 1024 or higher

Course Overview

Module 1: Managing Computers and Mobile Devices in the Enterprise

This module describes the features of Configuration Manager that you can use to perform complex management tasks.

Lessons

  • Overview of systems management by using enterprise management solutions
  • Overview of the Configuration Manager architecture
  • Overview of the Configuration Manager administrative tools
  • Tools for monitoring and troubleshooting a Configuration Manager site
Labs
  • Searching in the Configuration Manager console
  • Using Windows PowerShell with Configuration Manager
  • Using Configuration Manager Service Manager to manage components
  • Monitoring site and component status
  • Reviewing log files by using the Configuration Manager Trace tool
  • Explain how to use Configuration Manager to address the challenges of managing systems and users in today’s enterprise.
  • Describe the Configuration Manager architecture.
  • Describe the management tools that you use to perform administrative functions for Configuration Manager.
  • Describe the tools that you use to monitor and troubleshoot a Configuration Manager site

Module 2: Analyzing Data Using Queries and Reports

The Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager database stores a large amount of data about the resources in your environment. You might not always want to perform all management tasks on all resources simultaneously. Therefore, to help you locate devices or user objects in your environment that meet specific criteria, you can create queries. You then can use these queries to create collections or to find additional information about specific resources. This module describes queries and methods of creating and running them. In addition to queries, you can run reports to view various types of information related to your Configuration Manager environment. To run Configuration Manager reports, you must install and configure a reporting services point, which this module details.

Lessons

  • Introduction to queries
  • Configuring Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
Labs
  • Creating data queries
  • Creating subselect queries
  • Creating status message queries
  • Configuring a reporting services point
  • Creating a report by using Report Builder
  • Create and configure data and status message queries.
  • Configure and manage SSRS and the reporting services point

Module 3: Preparing the Management Infrastructure to Support PCs and Mobile Devices

This module explains how to prepare the management infrastructure, including configuring boundaries, boundary groups, and resource discovery. Additionally, it describes how Configuration Manager interacts with the Microsoft Exchange Server environment to discover and manage mobile devices.

Lessons

  • Configuring site boundaries and boundary groups
  • Configuring resource discovery
  • Configuring the Exchange Server Connector for mobile device management
  • Configuring user and device collections
Labs
  • Configuring boundaries, boundary groups, and fallback relationships
  • Configuring Active Directory discovery methods
  • Creating a device collection
  • Creating a user collection
  • Configuring a maintenance window
  • Configure boundaries and boundary groups.
  • Configure resource discovery.
  • Configure the Exchange Server connector mobile device management.
  • Organize resources using device and user collections.

Module 4: Deploying and Managing Clients

This module explains the supported operating systems and devices, the software requirements, and the different methods for installing the Configuration Manager client. This module also describes some of the default and custom client settings that you can configure. After installing the client software, you can configure the client settings to perform routine management tasks.

Lessons

  • Overview of the Configuration Manager client
  • Deploying the Configuration Manager client
  • Configuring and monitoring client status
  • Managing client settings in Configuration Manager
Labs
  • Preparing the site for client installation
  • Deploying the Configuration Manager client software by using client push installation
  • Configuring and monitoring client health status
  • Configuring client settings
  • Describe the requirements and considerations for installing the Configuration Manager client software.
  • Deploy the Configuration Manager client software.
  • Configure and monitor client status.
  • Manage Configuration Manager client settings.

Module 5: Managing Inventory for PCs and Applications

This module provides an overview of inventory collection, and explains how you can manage the information collected. You also will learn about the process of collecting hardware and software inventory, initiating inventory cycles, and initiating and securing inventory collection. This module also covers the use of software metering to monitor program usage, and the configuration and management of Asset Intelligence.

Lessons

  • Overview of inventory collection
  • Configuring hardware and software inventory
  • Managing inventory collection
  • Configuring software metering
  • Configuring and managing Asset Intelligence
Labs
  • Configuring and managing hardware inventory
  • Configuring software metering
  • Preparing the site for Asset Intelligence
  • Configuring Asset Intelligence
  • Monitoring license agreements by using Asset Intelligence
  • Viewing Asset Intelligence reports
  • Describe inventory collection.
  • Configure and collect hardware and software inventory.
  • Manage inventory collection.
  • Configure software metering.
  • Configure Asset Intelligence.

Module 6: Distributing and Managing Content Used for Deployments

Configuration Manager clients obtain content, such as packages, applications, software updates, and even operating system images, from distribution points. Configuration Manager relies on the distribution point infrastructure to provide content management functionality. In this module, you will review the content management features, configure distribution points, and learn how to distribute and monitor content. You also will perform content validation and content prestaging.

Lessons

  • Preparing the infrastructure for content management
  • Distributing and managing content on distribution points
Labs
  • Installing a new distribution point
  • Managing content distribution
  • Prepare the infrastructure for content management.
  • Distribute and manage content on distribution points.

Module 7: Deploying and Managing Applications

In this module, you will learn about the methods for creating, deploying, and managing applications with Configuration Manager. You also will learn to use the Software Center and the Application Catalog to install available applications. You will learn about managing deployments on unconventional applications. In addition, you will learn to install Windows 10 apps and virtualized applications.

Lessons

  • Overview of application management
  • Creating applications
  • Deploying applications
  • Managing applications
  • Deploying virtual applications by using System Center Configuration Manager (Optional)
  • Deploying and managing Windows Store apps
Labs
  • Installing and configuring the Application Catalog roles
  • Creating applications with requirements
  • Deploying applications
  • Managing application supersedence
  • Uninstalling the Excel Viewer application
  • Configuring support for App-V
  • Deploying virtual applications
  • Configuring support for sideloading Windows Store apps
  • Configuring a Windows Store app
  • Deploying Windows 10 apps to users
  • Describe the application management features of Configuration Manager.
  • Create applications.
  • Deploy applications.
  • Manage applications.
  • Configure and deploy virtual applications.
  • Configure and deploy Windows Store apps.

Module 8: Maintaining Software Updates for Managed PCs

This module explains how to use the software updates feature in Configuration Manager to implement an end-to-end management process for the complex task of identifying, deploying, and monitoring software updates to your Configuration Manager clients.

Lessons

  • The software updates process
  • Preparing a Configuration Manager site for software updates
  • Managing software updates
  • Configuring automatic deployment rules
  • Monitoring and troubleshooting software updates
Labs
  • Configuring and synchronizing the software update point
  • Determining software update compliance
  • Deploying software updates to clients
  • Configuring automatic deployment rules
  • Describe how the software updates feature integrates with Configuration Manager.
  • Prepare the Configuration Manager site for software updates.
  • Manage the evaluation and deployment of software updates.
  • Configure automatic deployment rules.
  • Monitor and troubleshoot software updates.

Module 9: Implementing Endpoint Protection for Managed PCs

Configuration Manager provides a number of security-related features that you can use to help protect client computers from malware threats, and to configure specific Windows Firewall settings for clients. Based on System Center Endpoint Protection (Endpoint Protection) functionality, Endpoint Protection in Configuration Manager supports the deployment, management, and monitoring of antimalware policies and Windows Firewall settings on client computers. This module explains how to use configure Endpoint Protection Configuration Manager to implement Endpoint Protection and deploy and monitor Endpoint Protection policies.

Lessons

  • Overview of Endpoint Protection in Configuration Manager
  • Configuring, deploying, and monitoring Endpoint Protection policies
Labs
  • Configuring the System Center Endpoint Protection point and client settings
  • Configuring and deploying Endpoint Protection policies
  • Monitoring Endpoint Protection
  • Configure Endpoint Protection to detect and remediate malware and security vulnerabilities.
  • Configure, deploy, and manage Endpoint Protection policies.

Module 10: Managing Compliance and Secure Data Access

Many enterprise organizations require systems, such as servers, laptops, desktop computers, and mobile devices, to meet specific configuration and compliance requirements. Compliance settings in Configuration Manager can play a key role in identifying existing configurations, discovering systems that have adverse configuration changes, and remediating these settings automatically when necessary. Compliance settings also can help control how users manage and access data in the enterprise network environment. For computers that run Windows 8 and newer operating systems, you can manage data using folder redirection, offline files, and roaming profiles. You also can control access to data using remote connection profiles, virtual private network (VPN) profiles, WI-FI profiles, and certificate profiles. This module describes the compliance settings that you can manage using Configuration Manager. You will learn to use these settings to maintain configuration requirements and to provide secure data access to enterprise resources.

Lessons

  • Overview of Compliance Settings
  • Configuring compliance settings
  • Viewing compliance results
  • Managing resource and data access
Labs
  • Managing configuration items and baselines
  • Viewing compliance settings and reports
  • Configuring remediation in compliance settings
  • Using compliance information to create collections
  • Describe compliance settings features.
  • Configure compliance settings.
  • View compliance results.
  • Manage resource and data access.

Module 11: Managing Operating System Deployment

You can use the operating system deployment feature in Configuration Manager to create operating system images that you can deploy to unmanaged computers and those managed by Configuration Manager. There are several scenarios in which you can deploy operating systems by using Configuration Manager, including when you are working with new systems or when you are upgrading existing ones. Operating system deployment uses both Configuration Manager and Windows components to manage and deliver operating system images. You can configure settings on a reference computer prior to capturing an image of its operating system or by using task sequences that Configuration Manager creates after you deploy the image to a target system. This module explains how to use Configuration Manager to create a strategy for operating-system deployments. And also, it explains how to manage Windows as a service.

Lessons

  • An overview of operating system deployment
  • Preparing a site for operating system deployment
  • Deploying an operating system
  • Managing Windows as a service
Labs
  • Managing the site system roles used to support operating system deployment
  • Managing packages to support operating system deployment
  • Preparing the operating system image
  • Creating a task sequence to deploy an image
  • Deploying an image
  • Describe the terminology, components, and scenarios used to deploy operating systems by using Configuration Manager.
  • Describe how to prepare a site for operating system deployment.
  • Describe the process used to deploy an operating system image.

Module 12: Managing and Maintaining a Configuration Manager Site

This module explains how to use manage and maintain a Configuration Manager site. It describes role-based administration, Remote Tools, and the site maintenance tasks that you can manage by using Configuration Manager. Additionally, it explains how to back up and recover a Configuration Manager site system.

Lessons

  • Configuring role-based administration
  • Configuring Remote Tools
  • Overview of Configuration Manager site maintenance
  • Backing up and recovering a Configuration Manager site
Labs
  • Configuring a new scope for Toronto administrators
  • Configuring a new administrative user
  • Configuring the Remote Tools client settings and permissions
  • Managing desktops by using Remote Control
  • Configuring maintenance tasks in Configuration Manager
  • Configuring the Backup Site Server task
  • Recovering a site from a backup
  • Configure role-based administration.
  • Configure Remote Tools to support client activity.
  • Identify Configuration Manager site Maintenance tasks.
  • Back up and recover a Configuration Manager site.

Training Locations

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