SCCM2007 - Peer DP functionality

I've been spending a fair amount of time of late working with SCCM2007 - which is currently available for download and evaluation.  As with any beta software, SCCM2007 is still subject to change - for prerequisites and download instructions see https://www.microsoft.com/smserver/evaluation/2003/smsv4.mspx

There are several new features in SCCM2007 and we will spend some time talking about them over the next few entries.

One of the new features is the addition of peer distribution point (PDP) functionality.  In short, PDP's are workstation based distribution points and are targeted to fit branch office scenarios where it would be helpful to have software content available locally, so as to avoid traversing small or busy WAN links, but it isn't practical to have a server class machine at the location.

Assigning software content to a PDP can be done just as you would for a standard DP - just select the PDP from the list of available distribution points when configuring the package.  In addition, it is also possible to have a PDP provisioned 'on demand'.  This means that if a client receives an advertisement to run software that should be run from the PDP, and that PDP does not have the content provisioned already, the PDP can be configured in the background by SMS to receive the software and make it available to requesting clients.

We will start to look at this in greater detail over the next few weeks.

-Steve