Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2

Operating System Deployment (OSD) Enhancements. The following enhancements are included in Configuration Manager 2007 R2:

Unknown computer support--In Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you can deploy operating systems to computers using a PXE service point without first adding the computer to the Configuration Manager database. For more information, see About Unknown Computer Support for Operating System Deployment.

Multicast deployment--Configuration Manager R2 will support multicast of operating system images to Windows PE, simplifying the deployment process in this scenario. Multicast can make more efficient use of network bandwidth when deploying large images to several computers at the same time. For more information, see About Multicast for Operating System Deployment.

Also new within the OSD feature set is the ability to specify credentials on Run Command Line task sequence action. This provides "Run As" capability for applications, such as SQL Server, that should be installed under a specific account.Feature Bullet Summary:Virtual Application PackagesConfiguration Manager 2007 supports running sequenced applications created using the Microsoft Application Virtualization Platform. Virtual application packages run on Configuration Manager 2007 client computers without having to install the software application on the local computer. Target computers must be running Windows XP or above to run virtual application packages.Forefront Client Security Integration with Configuration Manager 2007 R2

Microsoft Forefront Client Security provides unified virus and spyware protection for business desktops, laptops, and server operating systems. You can use the Configuration Manager 2007 desired configuration management feature to monitor the Client Security agent on clients managed by Configuration Manager 2007 R2 sites.

SQL Reporting Services ReportingConfiguration Manager 2007 R2 SQL Reporting Services provides a set of tools and resources that help you use the advanced reporting capabilities of SQL Reporting services from the Configuration Manager console.Client Status ReportingClient status reporting in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 provides up-to-date information on the status of client computers in a Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy. Full documentation for the client status reporting feature is located in a separate help file, which is available when you install the feature.Operating System Deployment (OSD)OSD allows you to create operating system images and deploy those images to target computers. OSD also provides task sequences, which help facilitate the deployment of operating system images and other Configuration Manager 2007 software packages.