Regarding the client comparing it to the KBox client: I used several methods to deploy the SCCM client (when we used SCCM), and each required some hand holding. Several PCs/laptops refused to install the client, even after the various WMI rebuilds/etc the SCCM list suggested. I always wondered by it was so hard for Microsoft to just create a self-installing file like other vendors. The KBox client is easy to install. The only requirement is Net 1.1 to be installed, and I think we had perhaps a few PCs (they were old) that didn't have it. I comes with the client and will install if needed. I deployed via a short script within a GPO. You can also do push install like SCCM. Regarding connectivity to your WAN sites, you can throttle (speed and time) distributions to your distribution point, similar to SCCM, but it uses it's own mechanism. Again, just my experience, may not be what others have seen. And my difficulties with SCCM were in part due to lack of time to dedicate to it. Tom
>>> "Ray" <[email protected]> 2/5/2011 2:19 PM >>> The one word I’d use is patience. We have about 15 sites (mostly prisons) across the state. I’ve heard about various scripts that’ll help with the “client health” issue. Start deploying them. Step 2 would probably be install the “master”. There seems to be endless variations on how, and how often, you want the workstations to communicate with the server. Then I’d start trying to deploy the secondary sites. From: Jonathan [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 7:54 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: RE: Patch management, revisited Ray - you make a good point. We're covering 13 locations across the US, with varying WAN connectivity. Also, number of sites are the result of past acquisitions, so there has been a high level of site autonomy. We are the first internal IT department for the org to work toward standardization. This should be fun! Given the multiple locations, literally from NC to CA and CT to SC, and the history of autonomy among sites, any other thoughts/recommendations on how to tackle this? Jonathan - Thumb typed from my HTC Droid Incredible (and yes, it really is) on the Verizon network. On Feb 5, 2011 8:32 AM, "Ray" <[email protected]> wrote: > The success of SCCM would have to depend on your environment. If you're in > an environment with multiple locations that have had some level of autonomy > on hardware purchases, and imaging, and patch management, it could be a > nightmare. It seems to rely heavily on WMI. Speed is an issue too, so if > your WAN suck, you'll have issues. > > > > On top of that, MS support is at best inconsistent on how this is supposed > to work if you have multiple sites. The only way we finally got a whole lot > of this to finally work was thru our TAM and whatever that support team is > called. They spent days at our site trying to get it to work. > > > > I would hope most sites aren't as fundamentally screwed up as ours was > however. > > > > I agree that the product has an amazing amount of power. > > > > > > From: Michael B. Smith [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 11:50 AM > To: NT System Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Patch management, revisited > > > > If you don't do third party patches, SCCM is _almost_ exactly like WSUS. It > is based on the WSUS engine as a matter of fact, and you have to install > WSUS on the Software Update Point. J > > > > Doing the SCCM installation can be a little finicky; but once you set it up > - it just RUNS. > > > > The challenge with SCCM in my eyes is that it can do SO MUCH, that unless > you break it up into pieces (which is what I do when I teach classes on it), > it can seem utterly overwhelming. > > > > Regards, > > > > Michael B. Smith > > Consultant and Exchange MVP > > http://TheEssentialExchange.com > > > > From: Jonathan [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 1:43 PM > To: NT System Admin Issues > Subject: Patch management, revisited > > > > Ok, guys & gals, I've sifted through the threads for the past year searching > on patch management and SCCM, and not found exactly what I'm looking for... > > > > In my new gig, the team gets to choose what we will use to handle patches > and updates, as there is nothing set in stone right now. Two options have > been mentioned by the team: SCCM and Big Fix. I don't know anything about > Big Fix, except hat they were just recently gobbled up by IBM and are now > part of Tivoli. What I've heard about SCCM is that it is a bear to learn and > manage. Right now we've got between 700 and 1,000 nodes (including servers, > both virtual and physical), and potentially slated for continued growth. > Some of the engineers have laptops that are NOT members of AD, and they run > as local Admins. That is probably NOT going to change. Also, we may or may > not be looking at needing to handle 3rd party updates as well. I've run > WSUS, but only for a few hundred nodes, and really only for windows OS > updates and nothing else. > > > > Finally, we need decent reporting tools that can provide us with compliance > reports on where we stand with patch management. > > > > I've seen Shavlik, Kace/K-Box, WSUS, SCCM, & GFI LANGuard all mentioned > here... > > > > 1. Am I missing anything any products that I should be looking into? > > 2. Are any of these apps not well suited for the numbers of nodes I'm > talking about (either over or under-powered for 700-2000 nodes)? > > 3. What's going to be the easiest learning curve/least administrative > overhead? > > > > Thanks, > > -- > Jonathan, A+, MCSA, MCSE > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. 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