System Center Guide

While recently testing Desired Configuration Management features of System Center Configuration Manager with a client, we ran into an issue with the DCM baselines coming down but not actually running or creating the client-side reports. After reviewing the DCMAgent.log file, it was determined that we were missing the  appropriate .NET framework version on the client.

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

Desired Configuration Management (DCM) is a feature in System Center Configuration Manager. With DCM, utilize Microsoft and third party best practice configuration knowledge to improve configuration definition and maintenance. Find the software you need to define configurations for your Microsoft and third party applications with Configuration Manager 2007.

At time of posting, there are 31 Configuration Packs available for download from the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Configuration Pack Catalog on Microsoft’s website.

Importing a Configuration Pack
You can import this Configuration Pack module using the Configuration Manager 2007 console and following these steps:

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Desired Configuration Management.
2. Right-click Configuration Items, Import Configuration Data to load the Import Configuration Data Wizard.
3. Click Add, browse to the location of the configuration data .cab file, and then click Open.
4. Follow the wizard instructions.

Assigning a configuration baseline to a collection

1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Desired Configuration Management / Configuration Baselines.
2. Right-click the configuration role you’d like to have the baseline assigned to, and then click Assign to a Collection to assign your baseline to a collection.