At MMS 2009 the next version of Configuration Manager was shown to public for the first time. Here is the list of news and  improved features to look for:

  1. Name
    1. The name is not yet made public. If you are searching for any other news about the version try using Config Mgr. Next which is the “name” used during public presentations at MMS
  2. Performance
    1. No more MMC console I repeat NO MORE MMC CONSOLE yes I wrote that with capitals
    2. As a result to the removed MMC console no more F5 for refresh 🙂
    3. Only a 64 bit version will be released.
  3. Software Distribution
    • Model driven application installation.
      • For each package you can create different delivery rules for example:
        • If you are logging on the your primary device an MSI file can be installed locally.
        • If you are logging on to colleagues computer the installation will be a link to the same remote application on a Terminal Server
        • If you a logging on to a mobile device, the software wont be installed.
    • Software catalog
      • A web based software catalog will be made available to the end user. So he/she instantly can install any application that has been advertised. Being a web based catalog opens endless possibilities. For each application you can provide additional information about the usage, company policies and even online training videos.
  4. Software Update Management
    1. Creation of Auto deploy rules. Now certain updates (you decide) can be auto approved. This feature has been missed a lot by “old” WSUS administrators
  5. Operating System Deployment
    1. OEM Media image task sequence. Create and ship your image directly to your OEM
    2. Schedule Software updates to images offline – very cool, will reduce the number of times you need to create a new master image. You can just select the properties of your image in the console and select the updates you want to import into it
  6. Security
    1. Real role based access control
    2. Create Custom roles
    3. Create security scopes
  7. Reporting
    1. Only support for SQL Reporting Services – maybe this belongs to the performance section
  8. Site Systems
    1. Sender functionality as we know it today (working with schedules and rate limits) has been built in to site systems. So now you can control the bandwidth used to send packages to each Distribution Point. This will really force us to rethink the site hierarchy design all over again.
    2. Dynamic state based Distribution Point groups. If a DP is added to an existing group it will receive any packages deployed to DP’s in that group.