Site TypesConfiguration Manager 2012 introduces the central administration site and some changes to primary and secondary sites. Central administration site The central administration site coordinates intersite data replication across the hierarchy by using Configuration Manager database replication. It also enables the administration of hierarchy-wide configurations for client agents, discovery, and other operations. Use this site for all administration and reporting for the hierarchy. Although this is the site at the top of the hierarchy in Configuration Manager 2012, it has the following differences from a central site in Configuration Manager 2007:

Does not process client data. Does not accept client assignments. Does not support all site system roles. Participates in database replication

Primary site

Manages clients in well-connected networks. Primary sites in Configuration Manager 2012 have the following differences from primary sites in Configuration Manager 2007:

Additional primary sites allow the hierarchy to support more clients. Cannot be tiered below other primary sites. No longer used as a boundary for client agent settings or security. Participates in database replication.

Secondary site

Controls content distribution for clients in remote locations across links that have limited network bandwidth.Secondary sites in Configuration Manager 2012 have the following differences from secondary sites in Configuration Manager 2007:

SQL Server is required and SQL Server Express will be installed during site installation if required.

A proxy management point and distribution point are automatically deployed during the site installation.

Secondary sites can be tiered to support content distribution to remote locations.

Participates in database replication.

Step 1. Create the Lab Environment

We are going to create a Standalone Primary Site in our LAB (creating a CAS and then another Primary is a bit more work, I may write up that process in the future), so let's get started, and to start off with I re-used/recycled my lab from Beta 2 by applying the day 1 snapshots effectively giving me a blank activated AD and blank SCCM 2012 server with the Operating System ready and activated.

This is a huge advantage of doing labs in a virtual environment.

The SCCM 2012 RC server for this lab has a C: partition (OS) and 150GB D: partition (DATA).The Domain Controller (AD1) is running Server 2008 R2, and is hosting the DHCP server and DNS roles.

I chose to install Windows Server 2008 R2 standard as the server OS for SCCM 2012 RC. Once done I joined it to my domain (SERVER2008R2), verified DNS was working correctly via nslookup and was ready to begin the steps below.

Create AD users:Note: Perform the following on the Active Directory Domain Controller server as Local Administrator

In addition I created some accounts in AD, namely:

* SMSadmin, a domain user,* Testuser, a domain user,* DomJoin, a domain user,(for joining to the domain)* ReportsUser, a domain user for reporting services.* ClientInstall, a domain user for installing the Vnext Client. This user will be a local administrator on computers you want to install the vNext Client.* SCCMNAA, a domain user, (Network Access Account) used during OSD

Create Local Administrator accounts:

Note: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as Local Administrator

On the SCCM server I added the SCCM site server computer account (SCCM$) as a member of the Local Administrators Group. In addition, add the SMSadmin user to the Local Administrators group *you can add the ClientInstall account also).

Step 2. Download SCCM 2012 Release Candidateyou can download it from Microsoft here.System requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2Site System Requirements

Site servers and site roles require 64-bit OS (distribution points are an exception)

Branch Distribution Points

Branch distribution points have been deprecated and replaced with standard distribution points that can be hosted on Configuration Manager 2012 client

operating system platforms, with the exception of Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 and Windows XP Tablet PC SP3

Standard DPs can run on Windows Server 32-bit but will not support advanced functionality

Server Operating System Requirements

Windows Server 2008 (64-bit) and Windows Server 2008 R2 Distribution points can run on Windows Server 2003

Client Operating System Requirements

Windows XP professional SP3 – x86 and Windows XP SP2 pro for 64 bit systems

Windows Vista SP2 (x86,x64) Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 (x86,x64) Windows Server 2008 (x86,x64) Windows Server 2008 R2 (x86,x64) Windows 7 (x86,x64)

Database Requirements

SQL Server 2008 SP2 with CU 6 SQL Server Express 2008 r2 WITH SP1 and CU 3 is supported only on

secondary sites SQL Reporting Services is ONLY reporting solution

For Supported Configurations information, visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx.

Step 3. Create The System ManageMent ContainerNote: Perform the following on the Active Directory Domain Controller as a Domain Administrator

Open ADSI Edit, click on Action, Connect To and click Ok, Double Click on Default Naming Context and the DC= that appears below it. Click on the + and scroll down to CN=System.

Right Click on CN=System and choose New, Object

Choose Container from the options, click Next and enter System Management as the value. Click Next and Finish. Press F5 to refresh ADSI Edit and you should now see the new System Management Container. Close ADSI Edit.

Step 4. Delegate Permission to the System Management Container.Note: Perform the following on the Active Directory Domain Controller as a Domain Administrator

Open Active Directory Users and Computers. Click on view, select Advanced Features.

Select the System Management Container, and right click it, choose All Tasks and Delegate Control.

When the Welcome to Delegation of Control Wizard appears click next, then click Add. click on Object Types, select Computers. Type in your SCCM server name and click on Check Names, it should resolve.

Click Ok, then Next. Choose Create a Custom Task to Delegate, click next, make sure This folder, existing objects in this folder and creation of new objects in this folder is selected.

click next, select the 3 permissions General, Property-Specific and Creation-deletion of specific child objects are selected then place a check mark in FULL CONTROL, and click next then Finish.

Failure to do the above will mean that the System Management Container in AD will NOT POPULATE with SCCM site info needed by the Clients and you will see many errors in your site status warning you of same

Step 5. Extend the Active Directory schema for Configuration ManagerNote: Perform the following on the Active Directory Domain Controller as a Domain Administrator

Note:-

The Active Directory schema extensions for Configuration Manager 2012 are unchanged from those used by Configuration Manager 2007. If you extended the schema for Configuration Manager 2007, you do not need to extend the schema again for Configuration Manager 2012.

Perform the below on your Active Directory server, simply browse the network to your sccm server \\sccm\d$ and locate the folder where you uncompressed SCCM 2012 and find \SMSSetup\Bin\x64\Extadsch.exe, right click and choose Run As Administrator.

A command prompt window will appear briefly as the schema is extended, check in c:\ for a log file called ExtADSch.log it should look similar to this

Quote

< 10-27-2011 07:31:43> Modifying Active Directory Schema - with SMS extensions.<10-27-2011 07:31:43> DS Root:CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=server2008r2,DC=lab,DC=local<10-27-2011 07:31:45> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Site-Code.<10-27-2011 07:31:45> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Assignment-Site-Code.<10-27-2011 07:31:45> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Site-Boundaries.<10-27-2011 07:31:45> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Roaming-Boundaries.<10-27-2011 07:31:45> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Default-MP.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Device-Management-Point.

<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-MP-Name.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-MP-Address.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Health-State.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Source-Forest.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Ranged-IP-Low.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=MS-SMS-Ranged-IP-High.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Version.<10-27-2011 07:31:46> Defined attribute cn=mS-SMS-Capabilities.<10-27-2011 07:31:47> Defined class cn=MS-SMS-Management-Point.<10-27-2011 07:31:48> Defined class cn=MS-SMS-Server-Locator-Point.<10-27-2011 07:31:48> Defined class cn=MS-SMS-Site.<10-27-2011 07:31:48> Defined class cn=MS-SMS-Roaming-Boundary-Range.<10-27-2011 07:31:48> Successfully extended the Active Directory schema.

<10-27-2011 07:31:48> Please refer to the ConfigMgr documentation for instructions on the manual<10-27-2011 07:31:48> configuration of access rights in active directory which may still<10-27-2011 07:31:48> need to be performed. (Although the AD schema has now be extended,<10-27-2011 07:31:48> AD must be configured to allow each ConfigMgr Site security rights to<10-27-2011 07:31:48> publish in each of their domains.)

Step 6. Open TCP port 1433 and 4022 for SQL replicationNote: Perform the following on the Active Directory Domain Controller as a Domain Administrator

If you are setting up a hierarchy (CAS/Primary/etc) then on your AD server do the following, start Group Policy Management tool and create a new GPO,

Select Computer Configuration, Policies, Windows Settings, Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and select Inbound Rules, choose New and follow the wizard for opening up TCP port 1433 as per this guide on Technet. Once done, repeat the above for Port 4022.

Step 7. Install .NET 3.5.1 and WCF ActivationNote: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

In Server Manager select Features, Add Features, Select .NET Framework 3.5.1, also select WCF Activation and when prompted answer Add Required Role Services click next and next again

Verify the following IIS components are installed in addition to the ones preselected by the wizard.

Quote

Common HTTP FeaturesStatic ContentDefault DocumentDirectory BrowsingHTTP ErrorsHTTP Redirection

Application DevelopmentASP.NET.NET ExtensibilityASPISAPI ExtensionsISAPI Filters

Health and DiagnosticsHTTP loggingLogging toolsRequest MonitorTracing

SecurityBasic AuthenticationWindows AuthenticationURL AuthorizationRequest FilteringIP and Domain Restrictions

PerformanceStatic Content Compression

Management ToolsIIS Management ConsoleIIS Management Scripts and ToolsManagement ServiceIIS 6 Management CompatibiltyIIS 6 Metabase CompatibilityIIS 6 WMI Compatibility

IIS 6 Scripting ToolsIIS 6 Management Console

answer yes to any additional prompts, then Click Next and Install and close when done.

Step 8. Download and install .NET 4Note: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

Download .NET 4 from here (webinstall) or here (Standalone). Double click the file, After a while it will complete, Click Finish when done

restart when prompted

Note: In some scenarios, such as when IIS is installed or reconfigured after the .NET Framework version 4.0 is installed, you must explicitly enable ASP.NET version 4.0. For example, on a 64-bit computer that runs the .NET Framework version 4.0.30319, run the following command:%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe –i –enable

Step 9. Add BITS and Remote Differential CompressionNote: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

Finally, in Server Manager click on Add Features, place a selection mark in BITS and RDC.

Step 10. Download Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP2 CU6Note: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

The supported versions of SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 are listed here on Technet:- http://technet.micro...nfigSQLDBconfig

In this guide I chose to use SQL Server 2008 SP2, CU6 with the hotfix mentioned below, that is fine for Release Candidate 1. If you are using RC2, then see step 10.b below.

Download SQL Server 2008 Standard (x86, x64) - DVD (English) from your provider (MSDN or Technet) the one I used was

File Name: en_sql_server_2008_standard_x86_x64_dvd_x14-89155.iso

Note: You can download the Trial version (180 days) from here.

While you are at it download SQL Server 2008 SP2 from here - File Name: SQLServer2008SP2-KB2285068-x64-ENU.exe

Next Download the CU6 from here

Finally, you also need to Download 2603910

Step 10.bIf you are installing SCCM 2012 RC2, then you need to install CU7 (if using SQL 2008 SP2 from above)you can download CU7 from here.

Step 11. Install SQL Server 2008Note: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

To Install SQL server follow this guide but please install SQL on D:\Program Files... and when running setup.exe right click and choose Run as Administrator.

After you install SQL Server 2008, you must install SP2 and then CU6 and finally install KB2603910.for SQL Collation note that you must use (It is required whether you have a hierarchy of sites or a single site and regardless of the OS

languages.):- SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS

So install it in this order:

SQL Server 2008 >> SQL Server 2008 SP2 >> SQL Server 2008 Cumulative Update 6 >> KB2603910

Note: CU7 is available and it's supposed to contain the above hotfix, however i have not tested it yet.

Step 12. Install Configuration Manager 2012 Release Candidate.Note: Perform the following on the SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin

TIP: you can open C:\ConfigMgrSetup.log with Configuration Manager Trace Tool available in the extracted media to and review the contents of the file, it will inform you of any issues during installation.

Uncompress the EXE by running it, then browse to where you uncompressed it and click on Splash.hta

when the wizard appears, click on Install, click next at the warning and then select Install a Configuration Manager Primary Site

at the EULA click accept

Create a folder on D:\ called RC_Updates and then specify the path to download the updates

Tip:

If you don't have internet on your SCCM server then you can download the required updates on another computer by doing like so:-

Open a command prompt with administrative permissions Navigate to .\Configuration Manager 2012 Install source\smssetup\bin\X64 Run SetupDL.exe target dir (in my example SetupDL.exe D:\RC_Updates)

Click next at the Server Language screen

and at the Client Language Screen

enter your Site and Installation Settings, install the site on D:\ as per below screenshot

select Standalone as the site type

take note of the warning (ie: if will not be able to join it to an existing site heirarchy later)

review the Database Information

review the SMS provider settings

review the Client computer communication settings, select Configure the Communication method on each site system role

review the site system roles

click next at the CEIP screen then review the summary

take note of any warnings, if like mine (WSUS and SQL memory, we can fix them later, no problem)

click on Begin Install

now is a good time to look at the C:\ConfigMgrSetup.log with CMtrace, watch it for errors

after a long install you should see the installer finish, click on Close

reboot the SCCM server and then login again as SMSadmin

start the Configmgr console

congratulations, you've installed System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Release Candidate

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