Sneak Peek: Intelligent Systems Management Changes in System Center 2012 SP1

Posted By The Embedded Ninja

More and more frequently corporate users are finding themselves in need of a robust management solution for their Intelligent Systems. For example, managing thin client devices to ensure the right VDI or Citrix experience is becoming paramount. In terms of POS devices or interactive kiosks that take payment, managing software updates is a bar of entry for doing business in the world of PCI. And for other devices like those in an industrial scenario, keeping track of the “shift and drift” of an intelligent system ensures quality across the board.

For all of those scenarios and more, the newest System Center release offers a brilliant upside: It does away with the need for extra software to manage all kinds of embedded devices. Ben Smith, one of our Embedded Ninjas, offers a quick overview embedded-specific enhancements coming in Service Pack 1.

Many of the large enterprises we work with have implemented Windows Embedded Device Manager 2011 on top of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to manage embedded devices.  As you may have seen in the earlier System Center 2012 SP1 blog, with Service Pack 1, the capabilities of System Center 2012 Configuration Manager will be extended to manage Windows Embedded-based thin clients, Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, digital signage, kiosks, and others.  This functionality means devices other than servers, desktops, and laptops can be managed by System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 without requiring any additional software. 

For detailed information about Windows Embedded Device Manager with System Center 2012 SP1, please visit Steve Beaumont’s System Center Blog for an independent overview of the solution.  If you are interested in testing System Center 2012 SP1 embedded device management in your own environment, feel free to download the SP1 Beta here.