Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Coming

Configuration Manager 2007 R3 is planned for release in the second quarter of 2010 and will add PC power management features to allow organizations to monitor current power settings, consumption, and power utilization trends, and deploy and enforce specific power settings. Enhancements to OS deployment features will allow organizations to use Configuration Manager to create OS images for OEMs to load onto new PCs. A final beta is expected before the end of Mar. 2010.

R3 Adds Features for Power Management, OS Deployment

System Center Configuration Manager automates software deployment and updating, inventories hardware and software assets, and reports on OS and application compliance with configuration policies set by administrators. The most recent major version, Configuration Manager 2007, was released in Nov. 2007 and updated with a service pack (SP1) and interim or R2 release during 2008. SP2, which applied to both Configuration Manager 2007 and 2007 R2 and included some new power management features, appeared in Oct. 2009.