Microsoft recently announced the Beta 1 release of System Center Configuration Manager v.Next, which is the next iteration of systems management software targeted at enterprise level businesses. The software certainly has come a long way since the release of SMS v1.0 in 1994. I’ve highlighted a few of the key features / improvements below:

• User Centric Application Management –  v.Next provides the ability to define a relationship between a user and a device, ensuring that users receive the correct application in the correct format, whether working via desktop, laptop or mobile device. This shift in direction from a device based model in SCCM 2007 is a reflection of the increase in the mobile workforce – it can no longer be assumed that a user will be in one location, using one device to perform their tasks.

• Role Based Administration – Setting up custom administrative roles to interact with the SCCM 2007 console was difficult and time consuming. With v.Next, Role- Based administration lets you map the organisational roles of your administrators to defined security rules. Administrators will only see what they have access to.  Also, the v.Next console is no longer provided in a MMC window – the look and feel has been updated to be consistent with the System Center product range. The benefit – less button clicks to perform the same tasks.

• Site Hierarchy Improvements – the Central Administration Site is now used for reporting only; no other functions (such as client assignment) can be performed.  Primary sites can no longer be tiered, and do not need to be created for decentralised administration, language requirements, client agent configuration differences or data segmentation.

If you currently use SCCM 2007 and will consider a move to v.Next in the future, it’s worth noting that all hardware for site servers and site system roles (with the exception of distribution points / branch distribution points) will require 64-bit hardware, connected to a SQL 2008 SP1 database. SQL Reporting Services will also be required to produce reports; the web based reporting tool is no longer supported. The detail above barely scratches the surface of what will be available in SCCM v.Next, and I’m sure things will change as additional Beta versions are released. Should you wish to explore further, the SCCM v.Next beta 1 is publicly available from Microsoft.