Configuration Manager Tackles Applications, Security, Mobile

A major update to System Center Configuration Manager (CM) targets the delivery of applications and includes other changes to improve administration and extend capabilities to managing security and mobile devices. CM 2012 allows organizations to manage computers, mobile devices, and malware protection from a single infrastructure. A changed architecture for the CM management server hierarchy means that organizations may be able to eliminate some site servers. However, companies with existing CM 2007 installations cannot upgrade in-place to CM 2012 but must instead migrate data and settings, and may have to add SQL Servers. In addition, System Center 2012 introduces major changes to the way Microsoft licenses System Center, making licensing simpler and more consistent but eliminating individual product licenses, requiring customers to buy a suite instead. However, CM Client Management Licenses are available individually, which will be attractive to organizations that use CM to manage PCs without using other System Center products.