SCCM

My first session today was entitled "Basic Software Distribution in Config Manager v.Next"
v.Next seems to be the latest incarnation of the SCCM software suite for 2010, perhaps Mat can clarify as it wasn't very clear to me, but no matter, it pretty much rocked whatever it's called.
I was really pleased to see that the "Basic" in the title didn't mean simple or beginner - for me basic in this context means that all of the everyday stuff I'd want to do with software distribution was easy to find and very easy to manipulate. The interface is different to what I remember, but they seem to have made simple tasks much easier to manage. The tasks in this lab centred around taking an application which had been previously packaged, and sending it to the distribution points. Once set there, a simple policy change pushed the package out to my virtual clients, and based on my selected settings installed the package automatically. The process was flawless, and monitoring both the distribution points, the clients and the install status was very clear. The lab built in a deliberate error so that you could demonstrate a remote package fix and re-install from the console - very slick. This technology will make both client package and client enforced security updates a doddle to manage centrally.