Question: I have successfully Installed Configuration Manager 2012, with one Central Administration site and two Primary site servers. Okay, so what do I do next and where to start from?

 

Answer: This is well documented in the TechNet library and here is how I would prioritize a few must do things, after you install Configuration Manager 2012 site servers:

 

On the topmost site server in your hierarchy

 

  1. Configure Discovery Options (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427340.aspx)

 

  1. Add new boundaries (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427326.aspx)
    1. Create Boundary groups and assign site to a boundary group

 

  1. Make sure that your site system can publish site information to Active Directory Forest (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh696542.aspx)
    1. This will also required you to have AD schema extended and SCCM site server to have full rights on Systems Management Container.

 

  1. Configure Client Settings for Client Management (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427330.aspx)
    1. You can also create custom client settings instead of default setting to target on selected devices through collections

 

  1. To automate client installation, configure Client Push Installation settings or any other method which works for you (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712298.aspx)

 

  1. Configuring Alerts in Configuration Manager (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427334.aspx )

 

  1. Add necessary Distribution Points and Create Distribution Point groups (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427335.aspx)
    1. You can also assign collections to Distribution group boundaries

 

  1. Configure Site Components (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427329.aspx)

 

  1. Add new site system roles (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh272770.aspx )
    1. There are some roles which depend on your CM 2012 hierarchy
    2. e.g. if you have a CAS, Software Update Point has to be first enabled on CAS server, which will serve as a upstream server in the hierarchy to distribute Updates
      metadata.
    3. Endpoint Protection point can only be enabled on the topmost site in the hierarchy.
    4. Asset Intelligence synchronization point to be installed on topmost site.
    5. Reporting services point is also recommended to be installed on CAS
    6. Similarly there are other roles related to device enrollment and Application catalog which will be installed on a Primary site.
    7. If you only have one server, you need not worry :) you can put everything on the same box!

 

To monitor Client Health:

               10. Configure Alerts from Device collection properties (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427334.aspx)