Enhanced application performance and availability across heterogeneous platforms
. Delivers monitoring across Windows, Linux and Unix servers-all through a single console.
. Extends end to end monitoring of distributed applications to any workload running on Windows, Unix and Linux platforms.
. Maximize availability of virtual workloads with integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008.

Improved management of applications in the data center
. Delivers on the scale requirements of URL monitoring of your business.
. Meet agreed service levels with enhanced reporting showing application performance and availability.
. More efficient problem identification and action to resolve issues.

Increased speed of access to information and functionality to drive management
. Faster load times for views and results.
. Improved and simplified management pack authoring experience

The Operations Manager 2007 R2 beta integrates the functionality delivered within the Cross Platform Extensions Beta. New betas of the Interoperability Connectors will available shortly through the Operations Manager R2 Connect program.

Support for the R2 beta can be found through the following:

For general questions on the Operations Manager 2007 R2 beta, please use the existing newsgroups at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/opsmgr/bb839593.aspx

For questions relating to Cross Platform and the Interoperability Connectors, we are excited to launch the new forums available at:

Cross Platform Monitoring - http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=604&SiteID=17

Interop Connectors - http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=605&SiteID=17
We look forward to your evaluating this exciting new beta release, and hearing your feedback on the Operations Manager 2007 R2 beta.

Best regards,

System Center Operations Manager team

The following 20 steps are what it takes to get Configuration Manager to use the MDT variables isDesktop, isLaptop, and isServer during an operating system deployment task sequence. If I’ve missed anything, please let me know.

1.  Download Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008, Update 1.
2.  Install MDT to site server.
3.  From the Start menu, select Microsoft Deployment Toolkit | Configure ConfigMgr Integration.
4.  Create a package for the toolkit using the “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit \Templates\Distribution” folder as the package source. No program needed - just create the package.
5.  Configure your packages distribution points, as normal.
6.  In the Task Sequence Editor, click Add | MDT | Use Toolkit Package. Select the package that you created in step 4.
7.  Move this task between Install Operating System and Setup Operating System.
8.  Again, click Add | MDT | Gather.
9.  Choose the radio button for “Gather only local data (do not process rules). 
10.  Move this new task beneath the Use Toolkit Package task.
11.  From the Task Sequence Editor Install Software section, select the software package you like to have installed only on laptops (VPN software for example).
12.  Click the Options tab.
13.  Click Add Condition.
14.  Select If Statement.
15.  In the If Statement Properties page, select All Conditions.
16.  Highlight the line you just added beneath the “This group/step will run if the following conditions are met:”.
17.  Click “Add Condition” again.
18.  Choose Task Sequence Variable.
19.  In the Task Sequence Variable properties page, type isLaptop for the Variable, leaving the Condition set to equals and type TRUE for the Value.Remember, you also have isDesktop and isServer options to use as well.
20.  Save your Task Sequence.

I hope you’ll find this useful. Enjoy!

This problem has been noted on the USMT team blog.

When you click the OK button on the error message the USMT301 folder will be erased. However, as a workaround to obtaining the source files to build a USMT package for operating system deployment with Configuration Manager, you can keep the error message up, copy the source files from the C:\Program Files\USMT301 folder to another destination. Just make sure to do this prior to clicking OK. Otherwise, they’re gone!

To read the full report (no Gartner account needed), visit the Gartner site at:

http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/vol10/article2and3/article2and3.html

The following article specifies that .NET framework version 2.0 or later is required for this feature to work.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680801.aspx

November 2008 Volume Licensing Subscription Updates Notice

Dear Microsoft Licensing Customer,

  The below lists the latest Subscription updates from Microsoft. These software product updates will be available as noted below. (NOTE: Monthly Update Kit subscribers: Please refer to your Subscription agreement for details of the exact monthly update kits which your company has selected to receive.) November 2008 Subscription Updates for Select Agreement Customers

• Configuration Mgr Svr 2007 R2 (English, German, Japanese)
• Configuration Mgr Svr 2007 R2 with SQL (English, German, Japanese)
• Configuration Mgr Svr 2007 w/SP1 (Chinese Traditional, English/Multilanguage, Korean)
• Configuration Mgr Svr 2007 w/SP1 with SQL (Chinese Traditional, Korean)
• Desktop Optimization Pack for Windows SA 2008R2 (English)
• SQL Server Enterprise Edition (Brazilian, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish)
• SQL Server Standard Edition (Brazilian, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish)

This beta version is for testing only and should not be used in a productive environment. Feature-Requests and Issues should be reported on the smsclictrv2 Tracker (NOTE: a Sourceforge Account is required!).

You must enable each program that is associated with a Task Sequence application installation (including the SCCM client) to be available during Task Sequence execution without an Advertisement. To do so, just select the properties for the appropriate program (most commonly Per System Unattented Installation) and tick the checkbox at the bottom of the resulting tab.

If this item isn’t selected, all applications intended to be installed during the Task Sequence will fail. No Microsoft Updates will be installed and the User State will not be migrated as the Configuration Manager client will not be present.

Features: 

- Simple backup of userdata from Windows 2000 SP4, XP and Vista.
- Restore to XP and Vista and also restore Vista backup to XP (making a Vista to XP downgrade easier than ever!)
- Selection of what filetypes to migrate and where to restore.
- Possible to generate and use customized Config.xml file.
- Script builder that creates the scripts needed for automatic migrates.

Download from: http://usmtgui.ehler.dk/