If you would manually initiate the definition updates, they would come from the MS update, not the SCCM server.

In the clients’ eventviewer I could see a lot of events 2001 with either error 0x80072f78: The server returned an invalid or unrecognized response or error 0x800b0003 : The form specified for the subject is not one supported or known by the specified trust provider.  these same errors can also be found in the windowsupdate.log file

Then I went over to the SCCM server and found these interesting errors logged:

event 364:

and

In the WSUS console I noticed that effectively the definition updates had not been downloaded (here is my explanation why I could not get them automatically … )

rightclicking on the definition updates and pushing on ‘Retry Download’, resulted in again an error in the eventviewer.

Then I came to this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922330 where I used the WSUS 3 equivalent command of method 1.  After that restart the WSUS service.

After a while I could succesfully download the definition updates from the WSUS console and a few minutes later I noticed that some clients began to pick them up also.

mission achieved!

Next runner up was Wally Mead, who we met before on a previous SCUG event. He talked about the similarities and changes in Software Distribution with Configuration Manager vNext. This was a very informative session, with working demos and some typical Wally Mead jokes From his session, we learned some of the new features and the slight different approach in vNext’s software distribution. An user-centric approach that is, giving users more flexibility to switch between multiple devices and networks.

A part of this user-centric approach is a better integration with App-V, to deliver applications to users, instead of limiting software delivery to computers. For example, an owner of a computer will get his software deployed like before. But if he logs on to another machine, not all his software will be deployed to that computer. He will be presented with the virtual version of his software (through App-V or RDP/TS), which is a time and bandwidth saver.

Like I said above, vNext has an option to tie user(s) to a computer (User Device Affinity). This can be used in combination with Requirements and Conditions, to deliver software for example.

User Device Affinity provides the ability to define a relationship between a user and a device. It allows the admin to think “user first”, while also ensuring the application not being installed everywhere the user logs on.

Configuration Manager v.Next supports:

• Single primary user to primary device
• Multiple primary devices per user
• Multiple primary users per device

The system allows both the administrator and user to define this relationship. It can be set in different ways. Based on usage threshold on the client, using an import file from external system, as part of the OSD, end-user through the Software Catalog and manual by an Administrator.

User Device Affinity allows the deployment of software-based on the nature of the relationship between the user and device. Each software can have multiple “installation-scenarios”. For example, we created 3 scenarios on how to install Outlook:

1. It can be installed physically on the computer (MSI)
2. It can be installed virtually (App-V)
3. Check your mail online (OWA, Outlook Web Access)

When a user logs on to his computer where he is the owner of, you use scenario 1 and install the MSI. When a user logs on to a computer of his colleague, we don’t want to install outlook on the pc. Here we use scenario 2. And when he logs on to a computer, where he is not the owner of and no AppV-client is installed, we create a shortcut that leads him to the OWA or a RDP session to a TS (scenario 3).

So it doesn’t matter where the user logs on, he can always use his software and check his email.

A big improvement in vNext is that you can control exactly when to install the software.

Wally also showed us On Demand Software installation via a webportal. This way users can request software, and a manager must approve this request. This saves time for both the users and the IT staff.

You can find all sessions at the bottom of this post, we can suggest Wally’s session about vNext, it’s worth the time!

vNext official name will be System Center Configuration Manager 2012 so let’s start using this name.

We would like to thank the SCUG-team to organize this kind of events. Good Job!

Stijn & Ben.

08.30 – 09.00
Keynote by Alexandre Verkinderen & Kenny Buntinx
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-belgium-keynote.aspx

09.00 – 10.15
Implementing, Customizing, and Extending System Center Service Manager by Travis Wright
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-customizing-and-extending-service-manager.aspx

10.30 – 11.30
Pre-assessment of System Center Service Manager by Kurt Van Hoecke & Ricardo Noulez
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-pre-assessment-of-system-center-service-manager.aspx

11.30 – 12.30
SCCM and that overrated Dos-box replacement by Kim Oppalfens
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-sccm-and-that-overrated-command-prompt-replacement.aspx

13.30 – 15.00
Software Distribution in Configuration Manager v.Next – Similarities and Changes by Wally Mead
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-configuration-manager-v-next-application-management.aspx

15.00 – 16.00
R3 power management : Lessons learned from the field by Kenny Buntinx
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-configuration-manager-r3-lessons-learned-from-the-field.aspx

16.15 – 17.15
System Center Data Protection Manger 2010 in the datacenter by Jason Bufington
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-data-protection-manager-dpm-2010-deep-dive.aspx

17.15 – 18.00
System Center in the Datacenter by Alexandre Verkinderen & co
http://technet.microsoft.com/nl-nl/edge/system-center-day-round-up-system-center-in-the-datacenter.aspx

The System Center Configuration Manager team would like to announce that the following has been released and available for immediate download:
Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Release Candidate (RC)

The official Release Candidate for Configuration Manager 2007 R3 can be downloaded by navigating to http://connect.microsoft.com downloads section of the Configuration Manager 2007 Open Beta program. Please read the release notes, they are separate from the build and also located in the download section.

Support and Feedback:
- All registered Open Beta users can submit bugs and make product suggestions using the Feedback tools provided on Microsoft Connect. This feedback is triaged daily by members of the Product Group. It is your feedback that helps drive feature changes and improvements. See the help link on the ConfigMgr MSConnect homepage for more instructions.
- Newsgroups for ConfigMgr07 R3 can be accessed on Microsoft Connect, they are a great way to post questions and receive general support for specific R3 related questions and answers.

ConfigMgr07 R3 was announced at the 2010 Microsoft Management Summit by Brad Anderson during his keynote. Power management is at the core of the R3 release, it addresses the need that many organizations have to monitor and reduce the power consumption of their computers. ConfigMgr07 R3 Power Management leverages the power management features built into Windows to apply relevant and consistent settings to computers in the organization. There are three major components to power management in ConfigMgr07 R3:
1. Monitoring and Planning: Power Management collects information about computer usage and power settings for computers in the origination. Reports are provided to allow the administrator to analyze this data and determine optimal power management settings for computers.
2. Enforcement: Power management allows the administrator to create power plans which can be applied to collections of computers. These power plans configure Windows power management settings on computers, and different power plans can be configured for peak and non-peak working hours.
3. Compliance: After applying power plans to computers in the organization, the administrator can run reports to validate that power settings were correctly applied and to calculate power and carbon footprint savings across collections of computers.
In addition to power management, ConfigMgr07 R3 will provide customers with enhanced scale and performance support (scale to 300K managed clients per hierarchy, Active Directory delta discovery, dynamic collection updates), as well as enablement of further capabilities for operating system deployment. A full list of the R3 features can be found on Microsoft Connect at the “What’s new in R3” post.
Navigate to Microsoft Connect today and download the ConfigMgr07 R3 Release Candidate (RC) product. Please review the Release Notes before performing any installation and the help (chm) file for specific deployment and supportability guidance.
If you experience any issues with the download or the ConfigMgr Microsoft Connect site please contact, sccmtap@microsoft.com
Regards,
The Configuration Manager Customer Team

RTM is scheduled to be released in December 2010

We will explain a bare metal Windows 7 deploy, as well as an upgrade path from Windows XP.