22 April 2011

Mobile devices in SCCM 2012 B2 First Look

Hi,

with the introduction of SCCM 2012 Microsoft Mobile Device Management in ConfigMgr is enhanced. Up until now the management of mobile devices was done by Mobile Device Management 2008 (MDM), SCCM 2007 R3 and/or Exchange 2007/2010.

Now an Exchange administrator has to manage mobile devices like Windows Moblie 6.0/6.1/6.5, WindowsCE 6.0, Nokia Symbian, Apple iPhone, Android, Windows 7 Phone etc. devices. With the new functionality in SCCM 2012 this is shifted towards the SCCM administrator, so we have 1 console to administer desktops, servers and mobile devices. Cool!

The topology needed for mobile device management consists of:
  • Web proxy for enrollment
  • Service point for enrollment
  • Management point
  • Distribution point
  • Software catalog if needed
  • SCCM site in HTTPs mode (Native mode)
  • Exchange connector
Then we have 2 options for mobile device management:
  1. Simple or light management
  2. Full or indepth management
What can we do with it?
Well here's an overview:
Mobile overview
Mobile device management overview


(EAS = Exchange ActiveSync, WM = Windows Mobile)

Device information is collected through the Exchange connector.

For a device enrollment the proces for WinCE and WM 6.0 is the same as in SCCM 2007, WM 6.0/6.5 and Nokia have the capability of over-the-air enrollment via HTTPs.

Registered mobile devices are added to the SCCM site and deliver inventory information. This information is provided in the console like any other resource with can be accessed with the Resource Explorer.
This also means that mobile device settings can be evaluated. Things like baseline settings and monitoring are at hand in 1 console, nice.

Finally there is a possibility for a Remote Wipe. This comes in handy when a user loses his or her mobile device. Simple devices are wiped with the next policy and indepth devices are wiped with a next e-mail sync.
This simplifies the proces of mobile device security.

So mobile device management in SCCM 2012 is a nice feature for the Configuration Management administrator as well for the Exchange administrator.

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