SMS a.k.a. SCCM a.k.a Endpoint Configuration Manager

What can you really do with it?

I do a lot of experimental things in SCCM (A.K.A ConfigMgr) (A.K.A Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager). It doesn't matter, name aside, it is a good program capable of managing everything on your clients so far they have a client (CCM) installed and have a connection to the mothership.

Well, what can you do with it? As I said I like bulleted lists so I think it's best if I show you a simple list:

• Everything that you do with Group Policies (GPO) can be done with SCCM but with a ticket back if it really happened
• Roll out updates
• Roll out antivirus definitions
• Roll out programs with all the whistles and bells
• Roll out all of your custom scripts
• Roll out App-V packages (not really mature, you cannot remove them easily without scripting)
• Manage VPN-connections
• Create dynamic collections of users and computers

There is so much more but those are the things that I use a lot.

SCCM is my main tool at my job, it is a real beast but most of the stuff are really useful. I made a hundreds of Compliance baselines, deployments, scripts and I really enjoy it! I must admit, I was an anti-SCCM in the beginning when Altiris and Ghost were losing the battle several years ago, SCCM was not really matching all the things that those good old programs had. Now I’m a of kind of SCCM-expert, I know the limits, I know what I can do with it, I know the structure for most of the SQL tables that exist on SCCM server. That is the first thing you should learn - how internal stuff works: you'll need to know about SQL, WMI, PowerShell, Active Directory, Group Policies, security, MSI-packaging and all the other things than may show up in client-managing scenarios.

With that kind of knowledge it shouldn't be hard to make your own scripts, programs, reports that your company can use.

I can pull out reports for every little thing on clients via MS Reporting Services (also one of my programming-skills), or via plain Powershell scripts, PowerBI or via Autoit GUI or via any other SQL tool.