Note, this post assumes you have 3 machines DC1 (a Domain Controller using the domain name CORP.local), SQL1 (a Server 2012 R2 machine) and CM1. This post is written around a lab environment and you may need to skip tasks for your production environment.
Exercise 1 – Installing System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch
Before we begin installing Configuration Manager Build 1511 here is the list of steps that you be performing in this exercise.
Task 1:        Create System Management Container
Task 2:        Extend the Active Directory Schema
Task 3:        Create Service Accounts
Task 4:        Install Supported SQL Server version
Task 5:        Install Prerequisites for Configuration Manager Current Branch
Task 6:        Install Configuration Manager Current Branch
Task 7:        Configure Usage Data settings
Task 8:        Configure Service Connection Point
Task 9:        Updating System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch to build 1602

Task 1:    Create System Management Container

  1. To create a container log on to the DC1 with CORP\Administrator, click on Server Manager, Tools, click on ADSI Edit.
  2. Right click ADSI Edit and click on Connect to. On the Connection Settings window, the naming context should be Default naming context. Do not change anything here, click on OK. In the ADSI Edit Console, expand the Default Naming Context, right click CN=System, click on New and create an Object.
  3. On the Create Object windows, select the class as container and click on Next. Provide the value as System Management. Click on Next and click on Finish to close the wizard.
  4. The primary site server computer account must be granted Full Control permissions to the System Management container and all its child objects.
  5. Click on Server Manager, click on Tools, click on Active Directory Users and Computers. Click on View and click Advanced Features. Expand System, right click System Management and click on Delegate Control. Click Next then on Add, on Select Users, Computers or Groups window click on Object Types and check for Computers as object types. Click on OK. Type SCCM1 computer account and click on OK. On the Tasks to Delegate page, click on Create a custom task to delegate. Click on Next.
  6. On the Active Directory Object Type window, select the option This folder, existing objects in this folder and creation of new objects in this folder. Click on Next.
  7. You need to select the permissions to delegate, choose General, Property Specific and Creation/deletion of specific child objects. Under the permissions, click on Full Control. Click on Next and click on Finish to close the wizard.
  8. You have delegated full permissions to primary site server computer account on System Management container.

Task 2:    Extend the Active Directory Schema

  1. Insert the Configuration Manager ISO Image into DC1 by clicking Media > DVD Drive > Insert Disk from the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Console. The ISO image is located in C:\LabFiles. If you cannot locate the media ask your Instructor.
  2. To extend the Active Directory Schema using extadsh.exe utility, locate the extadsh.exe which can be found in SMSSETUP>BIN>X64 of the configuration manager setup DVD. Copy the file to the root of the C: drive.  Launch the command prompt. Type “extadsch.exe” and press Enter. Right click and click paste and hit enter. You should see the line Successfully extended the Active Directory Schema.

Task 3:    Create Service Accounts for Configuration Manager Current Branch

  1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers and create a new Organisational Unit called “Service Accounts”.
  2. Create the following new users in the Service Accounts OU:
Account NamePasswordPurpose
Srv-CMBuildPa$$w0rdused for building ConfigMgr created images
Srv-CMDomJoinPa$$w0rdused for joining computers to the domain
Srv-CMRSPa$$w0rdused for reporting services.
Srv-CMCPPa$$w0rda domain user used when installing the Configuration Manager Client for Client Push
Srv-CMNAAPa$$w0rda domain user, (Network Access Account) used during OSD

Task 4:    Install Supported SQL Server version for Configuration Manager Current Branch

In the labs you will use SQL 2014 Standard Edition with SP1 review this Technet Article for all supported versions of SQL https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt589592.aspx
  1. Log onto SQL1 as CORP\Administrator.
  2. Ensure the Server 2012 R2 media is inserted into the SQL1 VM.
  3. Open Powershell and type:
    Install-WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Features -Source d:\sources\sxs
  4. Once the .Net Framework 3.5.1 has installed successfully, insert the SQL 2014 ISO image from C:\LabFiles and run setup.
  5. Click on Installation and click on New SQL server standalone installation. On the Product Key Page either click next if you have a product key entered or click Specify Free Edition and ensure evaluation is selected and click Next. Check the box for I accept the license terms and click on Next. After the Setup Support Rules are completed click on Next. Select the Setup Role as SQL Server Feature Installation and click Next.
  6. On the Feature Selection window, select Database Engine Services, Reporting Services-Native and Management Tools – Complete. Click Next.

  1. Click Next on the Default Instance page.
  2. On the Server Configuration page change the Account Name for the SQL Server Database Engine to CORP\Srv-SQL and Pa$$w0rd as the password leave the service set to start automatically.
  3. On the Server Configuration Page click on the Collation Tab > Click Customize and select SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS and click OK. This is important or the ConfigMgr installation will fail!
  4. Click Next.
  5. Add Current User and Srv-SQL accounts as SQL Server Administrators.

It may be worth noting here than in Production you may wish to put the SQL Database and Log files on different disks for performance. See the following
blog
  1. Click on Next twice then click on Install to start the installation. (During the installation of SQL you can continue with Task 5 but be sure to come back to this point and continue the SQL configuration once the installation is complete!)

  2. During the installation of Configuration Manager Current Branch. the installer checks if the SQL server memory limit is limited. If the memory is not limited, then a warning is displayed. If you plan to co-locate your SQL and SCCM Primary Site Server on the same machine then limit the maximum amount of SQL memory to 8192 Mb which is more than enough in most environments.
    Open SQL Server Management Studio. Login to the server and right click the Server and click on Properties. Click on Memory, set Minimum server memory value to 8192 MB (The minimum value can be less that 8192 MB) and set Maximum server memory as 8192 MB. Click on OK and close the SQL management studio.
  3. Right Click the Start Menu > Computer Management > Local users and Groups > Groups. Double Click Administrators and Add SCCM1 computer account to the group.
  4. When you configure SQL Server to use the local system account, a Service Principal Name (SPN) for the account is automatically created in Active Directory Domain Services. When the local system account is not in use, you must manually register the SPN for the SQL Server service account.
    Given you used Srv-SQL in the exercise above you must run the setspn tool. It must be run on a domain machine and use Domain Administrator credentials to run.
    Run both commands to create the SPN, Change the server name and account name in each commands.
    setspn -A MSSQLSvc/SQL1:1433 CORP\Srv-SQL
    setspn -A MSSQLSvc/SQL1.corp.local:1433 CORP\Srv-SQL
  5. To verify the domain user SPN is correctly registered, use the following commands:
    setspn -L
    setspn –L CORP\Srv-SQL

Task 5:    Install Prerequisites for Configuration Manager Current Branch

  1. Log onto SCCM1 as CORP\Administrator.
  2. Insert the Server 2012 R2 ISO image into the SCCM1 Virtual Machine.
  3. The first task is to install the prerequisites required. A tool has been created for this. On SCCM1 navigate to https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-2012-R2-e52919cd and download the ZIP file. Extract it to your desktop and run the script.

  4. Click on Central Administration Site tab and click Install. If and when prompted to browse for a folder then navigate to d:\sources\sxs. This is because the .Net 3.5.1 feature requires the Server 2012 R2 media. The script will continue to run and install it for you.
  5. As your SCCM1 server will also be a Primary Site click the Primary Site tab and click Install.
  6. Once complete Exit the Prerequisites Tool.
  7. Note the following in regards to the Windows 10 Build 1511 as it has a hotfix (March 2nd, 2016) to fix some issues previously, please read the updated blog about that here.
  8. Insert the Windows 10 ADK ISO Image. And run the adksetup.exe
  9. Click Next on Specify Location.
  10. Click No on the Windows Kits Privacy.
  11. Click Accept on the EULA.
  12. Only leave the following features selected:
    1. Deployment Tools
    2. Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
    3. User State Migration Tool (VAMT)
  13. Click Install.
  14. Click Close.
  15. Open PowerShell and type the following command to install the Windows Deployment Services Feature:
    Install-WindowsFeature WDS-Deployment -IncludeAllSubFeature -IncludeManagementTools
  16. Microsoft recently blogged about an Important update for WSUS 4.0 (KB 3095113). This update allows WSUS 4.0 to use the new Upgrades classification in WSUS 4.0 (Windows Server 2012 R2). Failure to install the hotfix will mean that WSUS will not have the Upgrades Classification even though ConfigMgr version 1511 will show this classification in the SUP properties. In addition, this hotfix is mandatory to support Windows 10 servicing via Software Update Management. Download and install KB 3095113 as the WSUS component was installed using the Prerequisites Tool. Once installed reboot the SCCM1 server then log back on as CORP\Administrator
  17. Ensure the Configuration Manager Current Branch ISO image is inserted into the Virtual Machine.
  18. Open Command Prompt and navigate to d:\smssetup\bin\x64
  19. Type
    MD c:\downloads
  20. Type:
    SetupDL.exe C:\Downloads
    This may take a while depending on your internet connectivity. Should it fail, just click ok and rerun the command. This is usually down to the bandwidth availability for the downloads.

Task 6:    Install Configuration Manager Current Branch

  1. Once the downloads are complete open File Explorer and navigate to the ConfigMgr ISO and double click the Splash application.
  2. On the ConfigMgr Splash screen click Install.
  3. On the Before you Begin page click Next.
  4. Select Install a Configuration Manager Primary Site and click next.

  5. Select Install the evaluation edition of this product and click Next
  6. Accept the EULA and click Next.
  7. Accept the additional components EULA’s and click Next.
  8. On the Prerequisite Downloads page click Use previously downloaded files and enter c:\downloads as the path. (The option to download them manually above was used to show you an alternative way to download the files and what the wizard actually does in the background) Click Next.
  9. On the Server Language Selection page ensure only English language is selected and click Next.
  10. On the Client Language Selection page ensure only English language is selected and click Next.
  11. On the Site and Installation settings page enter CM1 as the site code and Head Office as the Site name and click Next.
  12. On the Primary Site Installation page select Install the primary site as a stand-alone site and click Next and then Yes.
  13. On the Database information page enter SQL1.corp.local as the SQL Server and click Next.
  14. The database locations will be pulled from the SQL Server. Click Next.
  15. On the SMS Provider page click Next.
  16. On the Client Computer Communications Settings page click Configure the communications method on each site system role and ensure the check box is deselected.
  17. On the Site System Roles page click Next.
  18. On Usage Data page click Next.
  19. On the Service Connection Point page click Next.
  20. On the Summary page click Next.
  21. The Prerequisite Check will show two warnings discussed in the previous task in reagrds to SQL memory allocation:

    You can ignore these warnings as you have SQL running on a dedicated Virtual Machine. In production if the SQL server was collocated you would need to limit the memory to 8192 Mb.
  22. Click Begin Install.
  23. Whilst the install is running you can view the logs live to see the progress. Navigate to d:\smssetup\tools and copy CMTrace.exe to the Desktop. Double click CMTrace on your desktop and then Click Yes to make it the default Log Viewer for log files. You will see how useful this tool is later in the labs.
  24. Navigate to c:\ and double click the ConfigMgrSetup.local file which will open in the Trace Log Tool.

    Setup will take around 30 mins to complete the installation, although this depends on the specification of the hardware.

  25. Once Setup is complete click on Close.
  26. Reboot the SCCM1 Server.
  27. Log back on to SCCM1 as CORP\Administrator and Launch the Configuration Manager console via the start screen and click on the white downward pointing arrow in the top left of the console then click on About Configuration Manager, notice the version info, and that it says Version 1511.

  28. Next, take a look at the top line of the ConfigMgr console to reveal whether you are running a licensed or evaluation version. Below is how the evaluation version will appear.

    To licence the Eval edition all you need to do is rerun setup and enter your Product Key. This activates ConfigMgr.

Task 7:    Configure Usage Data settings

  1. Earlier in the lab you may have noticed a Usage Data information screen with no configurable options. To configure what Usage Data is sent to Microsoft do as follows. In the ConfigMgr Console, click on the white downward pointing arrow in the top left, and select Usage Data from the options available.

  2. There are three levels shown, Basic, Enhanced (default) and Full. Make a choice and click on OK.

  3. You can click on the two clickable links provided to get more info about what these Usage Data settings and levels mean.
    Learn more about Usage Data levels and settings – http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=626566
    Privacy Statement for Configuration Manager –
    http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=626527

Task 8:    Configure Service Connection Point

  1. During setup you have the choice of installing the Service Connection Point role (or skipping it). You can configure this by selecting Administration, Servers and Site System roles, select your Primary site and then select the Service Connection Point role from the roles listed as installed on the server. 
    The options available are Online or Offline. If you do choose offline then you’ll have to use the Service Connection Point tool to manually setup the role and configure notifications.
In the ConfigMgr Console, navigate to Administration > Site Configuration > Servers and Site System Roles > Click \\SCCM1.corp.local\ Under Site System Roles Right Click Service connection point > Properties

  1. Click Ok.

Task 9:    Updating System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch to build 1602

Since SCCM Current Build 1511, Microsoft now release update pack differently than services packs and cumulative updates. Downloading and updating is made directly from the console. If you need to make a new SCCM installation, you can’t install SCCM 1602 directly.
Be aware during the installation process all SCCM services including SMS_Executive service are stopped!
  1. Navigate to Administration > Cloud Services > Updates and Servicing and you should see the update Downloading.

  2. You can monitor the progress by navigating to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Logs and opening the dmpdownloader.log

    Note: This file is approx. 1.2gb and therefore may take some time. You can monitor it by seeing the cabinet file grow in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\EasySetupPayload
  3. Once downloaded you will see the update status change from Downloading to Available.

  4. Right click the update and click Run prerequisite check.
  5. Open the ConfigMgrPrereq.log located in the C: drive to monitor the prerequisite check process. Wait until the process is complete. If the check is successful then you will find a line in the log file which reads “Prerequisite checking is completed”.

    Be patient it may take a few minutes to start.
  6. In the console, we now see that the State is Prerequisite check passed. We also see that Prereq only is set to Yes.

  7. Right click on the update and click Install Update Pack.
  8. You will now see Configuration Manager Updates wizard. Click Next.

  9. The update pack includes some new features, leave all the features Checked and click Next.

  10. Select Upgrade without validating and click Next.
  11. Accept the EULA and click Next.
  12. On the Summary click Next.
  13. Close the Wizard.
  14. In the background the update is being installed. The state of the update is seen as Installing.
  15. To monitor the update process, open the CMUpdate.log and wait for the process to complete.

  16. Another way to monitor the install is to navigate to Monitoring > Site Servicing Status > Right Click your Update Name and select Show Status…

  17. The update will take around 20 minutes to complete (dependent on classroom hardware). Once the upgrade is complete, the state is changed to Installed (Refresh the Updates and Servicing node). You have now upgraded our Configuration Manager 1511 version to 1602 version.
  18. The final task is to update the ConfgMgr console to Build 1602. The console now has an auto-update feature. At console opening, if you are not running the latest version, you will receive a warning and the update will start automatically. Since all updates operations were initiated from the console, we didn’t close it during the process. We received a warning message when clicking certain objects. You will have the same message when opening a new console

  19. Click OK and the console update will starts automatically
  20. After setup is completed, verify the build number of the console. If the console upgrade was successful, the build number will be 5.0.8355.1000. You can also notice that Version 1602 is stated.

Conclusion

After this exercise you should have SQL and SCCM installed and have updated it to Version 1602.
Exercise 2 – Discovering and Organizing Resources
Before we begin
Discovering and Organizing Resources in Configuration Manager Build 1602 here is the list of steps that you be performing in this exercises.
Task 1:        Create an OU and Group Structure in Active Directory
Task 2:        Configure Active Directory Forest Discovery
Task 3:        Configure Active Directory Group Discovery
Task 4:        Configure Active Directory System Discovery
Task 5:        Configure Active Directory User Discovery
Task 6:        Configure Heartbeat Discovery
Task 7:        Configure Boundaries and Boundary Groups
Task 1:    Create an OU and Group Structure in Active Directory
  1. Log onto DC1 as CORP\Administrator.
  2. Open PowerShell.
  3. Type the following commands to create Organisations Units that will be used throughout the labs:
    New-ADOrganizationalUnit -Name “IT” -Path “DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADOrganizationalUnit -Name “Sales” -Path “DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADOrganizationalUnit -Name “Marketing” -Path “DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADOrganizationalUnit -Name “Executives” -Path “DC=CORP,DC=local”
  4. Type the following commands to create Groups in the correct OU’s that will be used throughout the labs:
    New-ADGroup -Name “IT” -GroupScope Global -Path “OU=IT,DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADGroup -Name “Sales” -GroupScope Global -Path “OU=Sales,DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADGroup -Name “Marketing” -GroupScope Global -Path “OU=Marketing,DC=CORP,DC=local”
    New-ADGroup -Name “Executives” -GroupScope Global -Path “OU=Executives,DC=CORP,DC=local”
  5. Type the following commands to create Users in the correct OU’s that will be used throughout the labs:
    New-ADUser -Name Joe -DisplayName “Joe Smith” -GivenName Joe -Surname Smith -Path “OU=IT,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Bob -DisplayName “Bob Jones” -GivenName Bob -Surname Jones -Path “OU=IT,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Sue -DisplayName “Sue Gatier” -GivenName Sue -Surname Gatier -Path “OU=Sales,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Cal -DisplayName “Cal Eden” -GivenName Cal -Surname Eden -Path “OU=Sales,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Pat -DisplayName “Pat Rade” -GivenName Pat -Surname Rade -Path “OU=Marketing,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Pauline -DisplayName “Pauline Tu” -GivenName Pauling -Surname Tu -Path “OU=Marketing,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Mike -DisplayName “Mike Black” -GivenName Mike -Surname Black -Path “OU=Executives,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
    New-ADUser -Name Carl -DisplayName “Carl Bunce” -GivenName Carl -Surname Bunce -Path “OU=Executives,DC=CORP,DC=local” -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText “Pa$$w0rd” -Force) -Enabled $true -PasswordNeverExpires $true
  6. Type the following commands to add users to the Groups that will be used throughout the labs:
    Add-ADGroupMember IT -Members Joe,Bob
    Add-ADGroupMember Sales -Members Sue,Cal
    Add-ADGroupMember Marketing -Members Pat,Pauline
    Add-ADGroupMember Executives -Members Mike,Carl
Task 2:    Configure Active Directory Forest Discovery
Active Directory Forest Discovery discovers Active Directory sites and subnets, and creates Configuration Manager boundaries for each site and subnet from the forests which have been configured for discovery.
Using this discovery method, you can automatically create the Active Directory or IP subnet boundaries that are within the discovered Active Directory Forests. This is useful if you have multiple AD Site and Subnet, instead of creating each of them manually, use this method will automatically create them for you.
  1. Log onto SCCM1 as CORP\Administrator.
  2. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  3. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Discovery Methods
  4. Right Click Active Directory Forest Discovery and select Properties.
  5. On the General tab, Enable the method by checking Enable Active Directory Forest Discovery, Automatically create Active Directory sites boundries….. and Automatically create IP address range boundaries…. Click OK.

  6. Click Yes to
    start a Discovery immediately.
Task 3:    Configure Active Directory Group Discovery
Active Directory Group Discovery discovers groups from locations you select in Active Directory. The discovery process discovers local, global or universal security groups. When you configure the Group discovery you have the option to discover the membership of distribution groups. With the Active Directory Group Discovery you can also discover the computers that have logged in to the domain in a given period of time, ideal to ensure those dormant objects don’t clutter ConfigMgr. Once the discovery has occurred, you can use group information, for example, to create a deployment based on Active Directory groups.
NOTE: You should take caution configuring this method. If you discover a group that contains a computer object that is has not been discovered using the Active Directory System Discovery, the computer WILL be discovered. In addition, if automatic client push is enabled, this could lead to unwanted clients computers being populated in the ConfigMgr console.
  1. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  2. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Discovery Methods
  3. Right Click Active Directory Group Discovery and select Properties.
  4. On the General tab, Enable the method by checking Enable Active Directory Group Discovery.
  5. Click the Add button and select Groups.
  6. In the name field type Corporate Department Security Groups.
  7. Click Browse and add IT, Marketing, Sales and Executives groups and click OK.
  8. Click on the Poling Schedule tab. A 7 day cycle with a 5 minutes delta interval is more than adequate in most environments.
  9. Click on the Options tab, you can select to discover only accounts that have logged or updated their passwords since a specific number of days. This can be useful if your Active Directory isn’t kept tidy and has dormant accounts. Use this to discover only records within the criteria you can see.
  10. Click OK and then Yes.
Task 4:    Configure Active Directory System Discovery
Active Directory System Discovery discovers computers in your organisation from specified locations in Active Directory. In order to push the ConfigMgr client to the computers, the resources must be discovered first. You can specify to discover only computers that have logged on to the domain in a given period of time. This option is useful to exclude obsolete computer accounts from Active Directory. You also have the option to pull additional custom Active Directory Attributes. 
  1. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  2. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Discovery Methods
  3. Right Click Active Directory System Discovery and select Properties
  4. On the General tab, you can enable the method by checking Enable Active Directory System Discovery.
  5. Click on the Star icon and select the Active Directory OU’s or container that you want to include in the discovery process. Add IT, Sales, Marketing and Executives OU’s and add the Computers Container.
  6. Click on the Poling Schedule tab. A 7 day cycle with a 5 minutes delta interval is more than adequate in most environments.
  7. Click on the Options tab, you can select to discover only accounts that have logged or updated their passwords since a specific number of days. This can be useful if your Active Directory isn’t kept tidy and has dormant accounts. Use this to discover only records within the criteria you can see.
  8. On the Active Directory Attribute tab, you can select custom attributes to include during discovery. This is useful if you have custom data in Active Directory that you want to use in ConfigMgr.
  9. Click OK and then Yes.
Task 5:    Configure Active Directory User Discovery
Active Directory User Discovery process discovers user accounts from specified locations in Active Directory. You also have the option to pull additional custom Active Directory Attributes. Once discovered, you can use group information for example to create user based deployments. 
  1. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  2. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Discovery Methods
  3. Right Click Active Directory User Discovery and select Properties
  4. On the General tab, you can enable the method by checking Enable Active Directory System Discovery.
  5. Click on the Star icon and select the Active Directory OU’s or container that you want to include in the discovery process. Add IT, Sales, Marketing and Executives OU’s.
  6. Click on the Poling Schedule tab. A 7 day cycle with a 5 minutes delta interval is more than adequate in most environments.
  7. On the Active Directory Attribute tab, you can select custom attributes to include during discovery. This is useful if you have custom data in Active Directory that you want to use in ConfigMgr.
  8. Click OK and then Yes.
Task 6:    Configure Heartbeat Discovery
HeartBeat Discovery runs on every client and to update their discovery records in the database. The records the client collects called Discovery Data Records (DDRs) are sent to the Management Point in specified duration of time. Heartbeat Discovery can force discovery of a computer as a new resource record, or can repopulate the database record of a computer that was deleted from the database.
Heartbeat Discovery is enabled by default and is scheduled to run every 1 week (although this can be forced).
  1. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  2. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Discovery Methods
  3. Right Click Heartbeat Discovery and select Properties
  4. Note the only settings available are the Enablement and the schedule.
  5. Click OK and then Yes.
You may notice there is another option in the Discovery Methods called Network Discovery. This discovery method searches a network infrastructure for network devices that have an IP address. It can search the Domains, SNMP devices and DHCP servers to find resources. It can discover devices that might not be found by other discovery methods. This includes printers, routers, and bridges. This method is old and depreciated and therefore outside the scope of this post.
Task 7:    Configuring Boundaries and Boundary Groups
  1. Open the Configuration Manager Console.
  2. Navigate to Administration > Hierarchy Configuration > Boundaries.
  3. Right Click Boundaries and select Create Boundary.
  4. In the Description type Head Office Subnet.
  5. In the Network field type 10.10.0.0.
  6. In the Subnet mask field type 255.255.0.0.
  7. The Subnet ID should be automatically calculated for you.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Right Click the Boundary that has already been created for you called Default-First-Site-Name and click Properties.
  10. Change the Description to Head Office AD Site.
  11. Based on these 2 boundaries you can now create a boundary group.
  12. Right click Boundary Groups and select Create Boundary Group.
  13. In the name field type Head Office Boundary Group and add the two boundaries (Subnet and AD Site).
  14. Click on the References Tab. Select Use this boundary for site assignment and click OK.

Conclusion

After this exercise you should have configured the discovery methods and created Boundaries and Boundary Groups.