All client settings in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager are managed in the Configuration Manager console from the Client Settings node in the Administration workspace. A set of default settings is supplied with Configuration Manager. When you modify the default client settings, these settings are applied to all clients in the hierarchy. You can also configure custom client settings, which override the default client settings when you assign these to collections. For information about how to configure client settings, see How to Configure Client Settings in Configuration Manager.
Many of the client settings are self-explanatory. Use the following sections for more information about the client settings that might require some information before you configure them.
Client settings for devices:
- Background Intelligent
Transfer
- Client Policy
- Compliance
Settings
- Computer Agent
- Computer Restart
- Endpoint
Protection
- Hardware Inventory
- Metered Internet
Connections
- Network
Access Protection (NAP)
- Power
Management
- Remote Tools
- Software
Deployment
- Software Inventory
- Software Updates
- User and Device
Affinity
Client settings for users:
Client Settings for Devices
Use the following sections for information about client device settings.
Background Intelligent Transfer
Setting name | More information |
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Limit the maximum network bandwidth for BITS background transfers |
If this option is configured as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), then BITS bandwidth throttling will be used by Configuration Manager clients. |
Throttling window start time |
Specify the start time in local time that the BITS throttling window will begin. |
Throttling window end time |
Specify the end time in local time that the BITS throttling window will end. If this value is the same as the Throttling window start time, BITS throttling is always enabled. |
Maximum transfer rate during throttling window (Kbps) |
Specify the maximum transfer rate in (Kbps) that can be used by Configuration Manager clients during the specified BITS throttling window. |
Allow BITS downloads outside the throttling window |
Select this option to allow BITS downloads outside of the throttling window. This option allows Configuration Manager clients to use separate BITS settings outside of the specified window. |
Maximum transfer rate outside the throttling window (Kbps) |
Specify the maximum transfer rate in (Kbps) that will be used by Configuration Manager clients when outside of the specified BITS throttling window. This option can be configured only when you have selected to allow BITS throttling outside of the specified window. |
Client Policy
Setting name | More information | ||
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Client policy polling interval (minutes) |
For Configuration Manager with no service pack: Specify how frequently client computers download client policy. For Configuration Manager SP1 only: Specify how frequently the following Configuration Manager clients download client policy:
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Enable user policy polling on clients |
When you configure this setting as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), and Configuration Manager has discovered the user, Configuration Manager clients on computers receive applications and programs that are targeted to the logged on user. For more information about how to discover users, see the Configure Active Directory Discovery for Computers, Users, or Groups section in the Configuring Discovery in Configuration Manager topic. Because the Application Catalog receives the list of available software for users from the site server, this setting does not have to be configured as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) for users to see and request applications from the Application Catalog. However, if this setting is False (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or No (Configuration Manager SP1), the following will not work when users use the Application Catalog:
In addition, when this setting is False (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or No (Configuration Manager SP1), users will not receive required applications that you deploy to users or any other management operations that are contained in user policies. This setting applies to users when their computer is on the intranet and the Internet; it must be configured as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) if you also want to enable user policies on the Internet. |
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Enable user policy requests from Internet clients |
When the client and site is configured for Internet-based client management and you configure this option as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) and both of the following conditions apply, users receive user policy when their computer is on the Internet:
If you leave this option as False (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or No (Configuration Manager SP1), or if either of the conditions fails, a computer on the Internet will receive computer policies only. In this scenario, users can still see, request, and install applications from an Internet-based Application Catalog. If this setting is False (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or No (Configuration Manager SP1) but the Enable user policy polling on clients is configured as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), users will not receive user policies until the computer is connected to the intranet. For more information about managing clients on the Internet, see the Planning for Internet-Based Client Management section in the Planning for Communications in Configuration Manager topic.
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Compliance Settings
Setting name | More information |
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Schedule compliance evaluation |
Click Schedule to create the default schedule that will be displayed to users when they deploy a configuration baseline. This value can be configured for each baseline in the Deploy Configuration Baseline dialog box. |
Enable User Data and Profiles |
For Configuration Manager SP1 only: Select Yes if you want to deploy user data and profiles configuration items to Windows 8 computers in your hierarchy. For more information about user data and profiles, see How to Create User Data and Profiles Configuration Items in Configuration Manager. |
Computer Agent
Setting name | More information | ||
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Default Application Catalog website point |
Configuration Manager uses this setting to connect users to the Application Catalog from Software Center. You can specify a server that hosts the Application Catalog website point by its NetBIOS name or FQDN, specify automatic detection, or specify a URL for customized deployments. In most cases, automatic detection is the best choice because it offers the following benefits:
Automatic detection does not guarantee that clients will be given an Application Catalog website point that is closest to them. You might decide not to use Automatically detect for the following reasons:
If you specify the Application Catalog website point rather than use automatic detection, specify the NetBIOS name rather than the intranet FQDN to help reduce the likelihood that users will be prompted for credentials when they connect to the Application Catalog on the intranet. To use the NetBIOS name, the following conditions must apply:
Typically, users are prompted for credentials when the URL contains an FQDN but not when the URL is a NetBIOS name. Expect users to be always prompted when they connect from the Internet, because this connection must use the Internet FQDN. When users are prompted for credentials when they are on the Internet, ensure that the server that runs the Application Catalog website point can connect to a domain controller for the user’s account so that the user can be authenticated by using Kerberos.
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Add default Application Catalog website to Internet Explorer trusted sites zone |
If this option is configured as True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), the current default Application Catalog website URL is automatically added to the trusted sites zone in Internet Explorer on clients. This setting ensures that the Internet Explorer setting for Protected Mode is not enabled. If Protected Mode is enabled, the Configuration Manager client might not be able to install applications from the Application Catalog. By default, the trusted sites zone also supports user logon for the Application Catalog, which requires Windows authentication. If you leave this option as False, Configuration Manager clients might not be able to install applications from the Application Catalog unless these Internet Explorer settings are configured in another zone for the Application Catalog URL that clients use.
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Allow Silverlight applications to run in elevated trust mode |
Applies to Configuration Manager SP1 only: This setting must be configured as Yes if users run the Configuration Manager SP1 client and use the Application Catalog. If you change this setting, it takes effect when users next load their browser or refresh their currently opened browser window. For more information about this setting, see the Certificates for Silverlight 5 and Elevated Trust Mode Required for the Application Catalog section in the Security and Privacy for Application Management in Configuration Manager topic. |
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Organization Name displayed in Software Center |
Type the name that users see in Software Center. This branding information helps users to identify this application as a trusted source. |
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Install Permissions |
Configure how users can initiate the installation of software, software updates, and task sequences:
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Suspend BitLocker PIN entry on restart |
If the BitLocker PIN entry is configured on computers, this option can bypass the requirement to enter a PIN when the computer restarts after a software installation.
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Agent extensions manage the deployment of applications and software updates (Configuration Manager with no service pack) Additional software manages the deployment of applications and software updates (Configuration Manager SP1) |
Enable this option only if one of the following conditions apply:
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PowerShell execution policy |
Configure how Configuration Manager clients can run Windows PowerShell scripts. These scripts are often used for detection in configuration items for compliance settings, but can also be sent in a deployment as a standard script.
This option requires at least Windows PowerShell version 2.0 and the default is Restricted in Configuration Manager with no service pack, and All Signed in Configuration Manager SP1.
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Disable deadline randomization |
For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 only. This setting determines whether the client uses an activation delay of up to two hours to install required software updates and required applications when the deadline is reached. By default, the activation delay is disabled. For virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) scenarios, this delay can help to distribute the CPU processing and data transfer for a computer that has multiple virtual machines that run the Configuration Manager client. Even if you do not use VDI, if many clients install the same software at the same time, this can negatively increase CPU usage on the site server, slow down distribution points, and significantly reduce the available network bandwidth. If required software updates and required applications must install without delay when the configured deadline is reached, select No for this setting. |
Computer Restart
When you specify these computer restart settings, ensure that the value for the restart temporary notification interval and the value for the final countdown interval are shorter in duration than the shortest maintenance window that is applied to the computer.
For more information about maintenance windows, see How to Use Maintenance Windows in Configuration Manager.
Endpoint Protection
Setting name | More information | ||
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Manage Endpoint Protection client on client computers |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) if you want to manage existing Endpoint Protection clients on computers in your hierarchy. Select this option if you have already installed the Endpoint Protection client and want to manage it with Configuration Manager. Additionally, select this option if you want to create a script to uninstall an existing antimalware solution, install the Endpoint Protection client, and deploy this script by using a Configuration Manager application or package and program. |
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Install Endpoint Protection client on client computers |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) to install and enable the Endpoint Protection client on client computers where it is not already installed.
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Automatically remove previously installed antimalware software before Endpoint Protection is installed |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) to uninstall existing antimalware software.
If you try to install the Endpoint Protection client on a computer and the uninstall of an existing antimalware solution is not supported, then the Endpoint Protection client installation will fail. In this case, you can use application management to uninstall the existing antimalware solution, install the Endpoint Protection client and then use the Manage Endpoint Protection client on client computers client setting to let Configuration Manager manage the newly installed Endpoint Protection client. |
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For Windows Embedded devices with write filters, commit Endpoint Protection client installation (requires restart) |
For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 only. Select Yes to disable the write filter on the Windows Embedded device and restart the device. This commits the installation on the device. If No is specified, the client is installed on a temporary overlay that is cleared when the device is restarted. In this scenario, the Endpoint Protection client is not committed until another installation commits changes to the device. This is the default setting. |
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Suppress any required computer restarts after the Endpoint Protection client is installed |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) to suppress a computer restart if it is required after the Endpoint Protection client is installed.
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Allowed period of time users can postpone a required restart to complete the Endpoint Protection installation (hours) |
Specify the number of hours that users can postpone a computer restart if this is required after the Endpoint Protection client is installed. This option can only be configured if the Suppress any required computer restarts after the Endpoint Protection client is installed option is set to False. |
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Disable alternate sources (such as Windows Update, Microsoft Windows Server Update Services or UNC shares) for the initial definition update on client computers |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) if you want Configuration Manager to only install the initial definition update on client computers. This setting can be helpful to avoid unnecessary network connections and reduce network bandwidth during the initial installation of the definition update. |
Hardware Inventory
Setting name | More information | ||
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Maximum custom MIF file size (KB) |
Specify the maximum size, in kilobyte (KB), allowed for each custom Management Information Format (MIF) file that will be collected from a client during a hardware inventory cycle. If any MIF files exceed this size, they will not be processed by Configuration Manager hardware inventory. You can specify a size between 1 and 5,000 KB. By default, this value is set to 250 KB. This setting does not affect the size of the regular hardware inventory data file.
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Hardware inventory classes |
In System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you can extend the hardware information that you collect from clients without manually editing the sms_def.mof file. Click Set Classes if you want to extend Configuration Manager hardware inventory. For more information, see How to Extend Hardware Inventory in Configuration Manager. |
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Collect MIF files |
Use this setting to specify whether to collect Managed Information Format (MIF) files from System Center 2012 Configuration Manager clients during hardware inventory. For a MIF file to be collected by hardware inventory, it must be located in the correct location on the client computer. By default, the files should be located as follows:
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Metered Internet Connections
For Configuration Manager SP1 only, you can manage how Windows 8 client computers communicate with Configuration Manager sites when they use metered Internet connections. Internet providers sometimes charge by the amount of data that you send and receive when you are on a metered Internet connection.
Note |
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The configured client setting is not applied to Windows 8
client computers in the following scenarios:.
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Setting name | More information | ||
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Specify how clients communicate on metered network connections (Configuration Manager SP1) |
From the drop-down list, choose one of the following for Windows 8 client computers:
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Network Access Protection (NAP)
Setting name | More information | ||
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Enable Network Access Protection on clients |
When you set this option to True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), Configuration Manager clients that support Network Access Protection (NAP) evaluate software updates for their statement of health and send the results to a System Health Validator point.
The default setting is False. |
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Require a new scan for each evaluation |
When you set this option to True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1), this is the most secure configuration, but it will result in a delay for connecting clients as they wait for their NAP evaluation to complete. If this option is set to False, clients return the cached results from their most recent NAP evaluation. How current that cached information is depends on the NAP re-evaluation schedule client setting. The default setting is False. |
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NAP re-evaluation schedule |
By default, NAP-capable clients re-evaluate their statement of health with a simple schedule of every day. You can change this behavior if you click Schedule and configure the frequency and interval or a custom schedule.
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Power Management
Setting Name | More Information | ||
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Allow users to exclude their device from power management |
From the drop down list, select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) to allow users of Software Center to exclude their computer from any configured power management settings. |
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Enable wake-up proxy |
For Configuration Manager SP1 only: Specify Yes to supplement the site’s Wake On LAN setting when it is configured for unicast packets. For more information about wake-up proxy, see the Planning How to Wake Up Clients section in the Planning for Communications in Configuration Manager topic.
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Wake-up proxy port number (UDP) |
For Configuration Manager SP1 only: Keep the default value for the port number that manager computers use to send wake-up packets to sleeping computers, or change the number to a value of your choice. The port number specified here is automatically configured for clients that run Windows Firewall when you configure the Windows Firewall exception for wake-up proxy option. If clients run a different firewall, you must manually configure it to allow the UDP port number that is specified for this setting. |
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Wake On LAN port number (UDP) |
For Configuration Manager SP1 only: Keep the default value of 9, unless you have changed the Wake On LAN (UDP) port number in the site Properties, Ports tab.
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Remote Tools
Setting Name | More Information | ||||
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Enable Remote Control on clients Firewall exception profiles |
Select whether Configuration Manager remote control is enabled for all client computers that receive these client settings. Click Configure to enable remote control and optionally configure firewall settings to allow remote control to work on client computers.
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Users can change policy or notification settings in Software Center |
Select whether users can change remote control options from within Software Center. |
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Allow Remote Control of an unattended computer |
Select whether an administrator can use remote control to access a client computer that is logged off or locked. Only a logged-on and unlocked computer can be remote controlled when this setting is disabled. |
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Prompt user for Remote Control permission |
Select whether the client computer will display a message asking for the user's permission before allowing a remote control session. |
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Grant Remote Control permission to local Administrators group |
Select whether local administrators on the server initiating the remote control connection can establish remote control sessions to client computers. |
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Access level allowed |
Specify the level of remote control access that will be allowed. |
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Permitted viewers |
Click Set Viewers to open the Configure Client Setting dialog box and specify the names of the Windows users who can establish remote control sessions to client computers. |
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Show session notification icon on taskbar |
Select this option to display an icon on the taskbar of client computers to indicate that a remote control session is active. |
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Show session connection bar |
Select this option to display a high-visibility session connection bar on client computers to indicate that a remote control session is active. |
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Play a sound on client |
Select this option to use sound to indicate when a remote control session is active on a client computer. You can play a sound when the session connects or disconnects, or you can play a sound repeatedly during the session. |
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Manage unsolicited Remote Assistance settings |
Select this option to let Configuration Manager manage unsolicited remote assistance sessions. Unsolicited remote assistance sessions are those where the user at the client computer does not request assistance to initiate a session. |
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Manage solicited Remote Assistance settings |
Select this option to let Configuration Manager manage solicited remote assistance sessions. Solicited remote assistance sessions are those where the user at the client computer sends a request to the administrator for remote assistance. |
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Level of access for Remote Assistance |
Select the level of access to assign to remote assistance sessions that are initiated in the Configuration Manager console.
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Manage Remote Desktop settings |
Select this option to let Configuration Manager manage Remote Desktop sessions for computers. |
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Allow permitted viewers to connect by using Remote Desktop connection |
Select this option to let users specified in the permitted viewer list to be added to the Remote Desktop local user group on client computers. |
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Require network level authentication on computers that run Windows Vista operating system and later versions |
Select this more secure option if you want to use network-level authentication to establish Remote Desktop connections to client computers that run Windows Vista or later. Network-level authentication requires fewer remote computer resources initially because it completes user authentication before it establishes a Remote Desktop connection. This method is more secure because it can help protect the computer from malicious users or software, and it reduces the risk from denial-of-service attacks. |
Software Deployment
Setting name | More information | ||
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Schedule re-evaluation for deployments |
Configure a schedule for when Configuration Manager re-evaluates the requirement rules for all deployments. The default value is every 7 days.
You can also initiate this action from a Configuration Manager client computer by selecting the action Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle from the Actions tab of Configuration Manager in Control Panel. |
Software Inventory
Setting name | More information | ||||||
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Inventory reporting detail |
Specify the level of file information to inventory. You can inventory details about the file only, details about the product associated with the file or you can inventory all information about the file. |
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Inventory these file types |
If you want to specify the types of file to inventory, click Set Types and then configure the following in the Configure Client Setting dialog box:
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Collect files |
If you want to collect files from client computers, click Set Files and then configure the following:
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Set Names |
During software inventory, manufacturer names and product names are retrieved from the header information of files installed on clients in the site. Because these names are not always standardized in the file header information, when you view software inventory information in Resource Explorer or run queries, different versions of the same manufacturer or product name can sometimes appear. If you want to standardize these display names, click Set Names and then configure the following in the Configure Client Setting dialog box:
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Software Updates
Setting name | More information | ||||
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Enable software updates on clients |
Use this setting to enable software updates on Configuration Manager clients. If you clear this setting, Configuration Manager removes existing deployment policies from client. When you re-enable this setting, the client downloads the current deployment policy.
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Software update scan schedule |
Use this setting to specify how often the client initiates a software update compliance assessment scan. The compliance assessment scan determines the state for software updates on the client (for example, required or installed). For more information about compliance assessment, see the Software Updates Compliance Assessment section in the Introduction to Software Updates in Configuration Manager topic. By default a simple schedule is used and the compliance scan initiates every 7 days. You can choose to create a custom schedule to specify an exact start day and time, choose whether to use UTC or the local time, and configure the recurring interval for a specific day of the week.
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Schedule deployment re-evaluation |
Use this setting to configure how often the Software Updates Client Agent re-evaluates software updates for installation status on Configuration Manager client computers. When software updates that have been previously installed are no longer found on client computers, and still required, they are reinstalled. The deployment re-evaluation schedule should be adjusted based on company policy for software update compliance, whether users have the ability to uninstall software updates, and so on, and with the consideration that every deployment re-evaluation cycle results in some network and client computer CPU activity. By default, a simple schedule is used and the deployment re-evaluation scan initiates every 7 days.
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When any software update deadline is reached, install all other software update deployments with deadline coming within a specified period of time |
Use this setting to install all software updates in required deployments that have deadlines that will occur within a specified period of time. When a deadline is reached for a required software update deployment, installation initiates on clients for the software updates in the deployment. This setting determines whether to also initiate the installation for software updates defined in other required deployments that have a configured deadline within the specified period of time. Use this setting to expedite software update installation for required software updates, potentially increase security, potentially decrease display notifications, and potentially decrease system restarts on client computers. By default, this setting is not enabled. |
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Period of time for which all pending deployments with deadline in this time will also be installed |
Use this setting to specify the timeframe for the previous setting. You can enter a value from 1 to 23 hours and from 1 to 365 days. By default, this setting is configured for 7 days. |
User and Device Affinity
Setting name | More information | ||
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User device affinity usage threshold (minutes) |
Specify the number of minutes before Configuration Manager creates a user device affinity mapping. |
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User device affinity usage threshold (days) |
Specify the number of days over which the usage based affinity threshold is measured.
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Automatically configure user device affinity from usage data |
Select True (Configuration Manager with no service pack) or Yes (Configuration Manager SP1) to enable Configuration Manager to automatically create user device affinities based on the usage information that is collected. |
Client Settings for Users
Use the following sections for information about user settings on clients.
Mobile Devices
This section applies to Configuration Manager with no service pack only.
Setting name | More information | ||
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Mobile device enrollment profile |
Before you can configure this setting, you must first set to True the mobile device user setting Allow users to enroll mobile devices. Then you can click Set Profile to specify an enrollment profile that contains information about the certificate template to use during the enrollment process, the site that contains an enrollment point and enrollment proxy point, and the site that will manage the device after the enrollment.
For more information about how to enroll mobile devices by using Configuration Manager, see How to Install Clients on Mobile Devices and Enroll Them by Using Configuration Manager. |
Enrollment
This section applies to Configuration Manager SP1 only.
Setting name | More information | ||
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Mobile device enrollment profile |
Before you can configure this setting, you must first set to Yes the enrollment user setting Allow users to enroll mobile devices and Mac computers. Then you can click Set Profile to specify an enrollment profile that contains information about the certificate template to use during the enrollment process, the site that contains an enrollment point and enrollment proxy point, and the site that will manage the device after the enrollment.
For more information about how to enroll mobile devices by Configuration Manager, see How to Install Clients on Mobile Devices and Enroll Them by Using Configuration Manager. For more information about how to install Mac clients and enroll their certificates, see How to Install Clients on Mac Computers in Configuration Manager. |
User and Device Affinity
Setting name | More information |
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Allow user to define their primary devices |
Specify whether users are allowed to identify their own primary devices from the Application Catalog, My Devices tab. |