Some enterprises may find that they want to take advantage of both Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (SP1) and System Center Operation Manager 2007 in their environment. Each independently have the ability to provision and manage vPro clients (natively from SCCM and through the Intel SCOM MP for SCOM), but is there a way so that both can manage the same vPro clients? YES, there is!

The way it works is that SCCM owns the provisioning (setting up certification, ACL, base configuration) and then both SCCM and SCOM w/ Intel SCOM MP can invoke vPro Use Cases. To get SCCM and SCOM w/ Intel AMT Management Pack to work together with vPro, here are the high level steps:

1. If you have not already installed Microsoft SCCM SP1, Microsoft SCOM 2007, and the Intel SCOM MP, following the standard install documentation.

2. Create a domain account that the Intel SCOM MP Service will run under. Once created, ensure you set the Log-in Account for the Intel SCOM MP Service to run under that account.

3. Within SCCM under the Component Configuration -> AMT Settings -> AMT User Account Setting, add the domain account you created to run the Intel SCOM MP service under. Ensure you give that account sufficient access to perform the desired vPro function.

4. Within SCOM Intel Management Pack, navigate to the "Intel AMT Management Pack Settings". Under Security Settings, set Kerberos to be used and check the "TLS Enable" check box. Under the CA Certificate, ensure to specify the file location of an export of the Root CA cert (This should be the same CA that SCCM is using to issue AMT client certificates). Once complete, make sure you restart the Intel SCOM MP Service.

5. Now that base configuration is done, provision your vPro Client normally through SCCM. If you have already provisioned the vPro Client, ensure you "update management controller" so that new ACL is pushed to the vPro Clients. Once provisioned, you should be able to invoke vPro Use Case through SCCM Collection Based power control or the Out of Band Console without issue.

6. Within SCOM, configure the IP range that includes all vPro Clients to be monitored by the Intel SCOM Management Pack. After the vPro Clients are discovered, you should be able to invoke vPro Usage from within SCOM as well.

--Matt Royer

I've created three videos to cover every step required to install and configure SCCM SP1 to work with Intel AMT platforms. The videos are best viewed at 1024x768 video resolution (click the video to enlarge). Enjoy!

SCCM SP1 Pre-Installation video

Click To Play

SCCM SP1 Installation video

Click To Play

SCCM SP1 Configuration and Provisioning video

Click To Play

Here is a closer look at the install and configuration of the Intel WS-MAN translator for Microsoft SCCM SP1. The included video should be used as a reference only and not a replacement for the steps defined in the following documentation.

High Level Installation steps & reference documentation:

• Configuring ISS Certificate

• WS-MAN Translator Install & Configuration

• Enabling support for Intel WS-MAN translator within SCCM SP1

Matt Royer

As referenced in the Overview of SMS/Intel SCS migration to SCCM SP1 blog post, Intel has developed a utility to easy the migration of vPro Client that have been activated on SMS/SCS to SCCM SP1.

The beta of the Intel SCStoSCCM Migration Utility has been released and can be downloaded from the following location: http://communities.intel.com/openport/docs/DOC-1660

A User Guide on how to use the migration utility has been included in the download. Since SCCM SP1 has a dependency on the Intel WS-MAN Translator for any vPro Client less than firmware version 3.2.1, the WS-MAN translator will need to be installed and configured before proceeding with the migration if you have legacy system already activated in your environment.

Note: Intel SCStoSCCM Migration Utility is currently in Beta status and not considered a released product at this time.

Matt Royer

Microsoft has announced today (May 22, 2008) that they are shipping System Center Configuration Manager SP1. For more detail on the announcement, please visit http://blogs.technet.com/systemcenter/ .

You can now download SCCM SP1 RTM from Microsoft web site

Matt Royer

Intel Manager Brian Johnson demonstrates the combination of Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007 with PCs powered by Intel vPro Technology and servers powered by Intel Xeon Processors. This hardware and software technology is designed for businesses with 500 or less PCs, and brings the capabilities that till now only large businesses could take advantage of into a package that's optimized for small business. His video includes demonstrations around remote power control of PCs with Intel vPro Technology and remote diagnosis and repair of troubled servers with Intel Xeon Processors.

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To see more videos from MMS 2008, please go here: http://www.intel.com/go/mms/

While at MMS, Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Program Manager Dave Randall demonstrated how Intel vPro Technology enhances Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1. The videos below include demonstrations around secure remote power control, remote diagnosis and repair of troubled PCs, discovery of PC assets, and remote configuration.

1) Video demonstration of hardware-assisted Secure Remote Power Control:

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2) Video demonstration of hardware-assisted Remote Diagnosis and Repair:

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3) Video demonstration of hardware-assisted Discovery of PC Assets:

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4) Video demonstration of Remote Configuration of Intel vPro technology:

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Click here to learn more about the combination of Microsoft System Center 2007 products with Intel vPro technology: http://communities.intel.com/community/vproexpert/microsoft-vpro