Updated distribution point role

Unlike Configuration Manager 2007 that had the standard and branch distribution points, Configuration Manager 2012 provides one distribution point type that can be installed on workstations and servers.

Content library

The content library in Configuration Manager 2012 is the location where all content files are stored for software updates, applications, operating system deployment, and so on. The content library is located on the site server and each distribution point, and provides a big advantage over content management functionality in Configuration Manager 2007. For example, in Configuration Manager 2007 you might deploy the same content files multiple times using different deployments and deployment packages. The result was that the same content files were stored on the site server and distribution points multiple times. This added a lot of unnecessary processing overhead and hard disk space requirements.

The content library in Configuration Manager 2012 provides a single instance store for content files on the site server and distribution points. This means that before content files are downloaded to the site server and copied to distribution points, Configuration Manager 2012 checks to see if the content file is already in the content library, and if so, the existing content file is used.

Content storage

In Configuration Manager 2007, content files are automatically distributed to the disk drive with the most free space. In Configuration Manager 2012, you can configure the disk drives to use for content storage and what priority each drive has when Configuration Manager 2012 copies content files. Content files are copied to the drive with the highest priority until the drive is below a specified amount of free space.

Prestaging content

You can prestage content files for all package types on distribution points in Configuration Manager 2012. In the Configuration Manager console, you select the content that you want and use the Create Prestaged Content File Wizard to create a compressed prestaged content file that contains the files and associated metadata for the content that you selected. You can then manually import the content at a site server, secondary site, or distribution point, the content is added to the content library, and registered with the site server. The distribution point can be configured for prestaging, and then when you distribute content you can choose whether you will always prestage the content on the distribution point, prestage the initial content for the package but use the normal content distribution process when there are updates to the content, or always use the normal content distribution process for the content in the package. During the import process, Configuration Manager detects version conflicts and will prevent the content for an older version of the package from being prestaged.

Bandwidth throttling and scheduling

You can now configure bandwidth settings, throttling settings, and schedule content distribution between the site server to the distribution point, much like you could configure for site-to-site communication in Configuration Manager 2007.

PXE service point integration

The PXE service point is no longer a site role in Configuration Manager 2012, but integrated as a property of the distribution point site system role. The same certificate is used for PXE and the distribution point. There is no longer a PXE share for boot images, but rather an attribute of the boot image and the image will automatically deploy to the PXE store. Multicast options have also been integrated with the distribution point.

BranchCache integration

BranchCache has been integrated in Configuration Manager 2012 and provides you with an ability to control usage at a more detailed level. You can configure the BranchCache settings on a deployment type for applications and on the deployment for a package.

Distribution point groups

Distribution point groups provide a logical grouping of distribution points for content distribution. When you distribute content to a distribution point group, all distribution points that are members of the distribution point group receive the content. If you add a distribution point to the distribution point group after an initial content distribution, the content is automatically distributed to the new distribution point member. You can also add a collection to distribution point groups, which creates an association, and then target the collection to distribute content. When you distribute content to a collection, Configuration Manager 2012 determines the content that is associated with the distribution point group, and then the content is distributed to all distribution points that are members of distribution point group.

Content validation

Content validation can be enabled on distribution points to verify the integrity of packages that have been distributed to the distribution point. You can configure content validation to run on a schedule or you can manually initiate content validation from the properties for distribution points, distribution point groups, and package types (for example, applications, packages, deployment packages, and boot images). You can view status reports from the Monitoring workspace in the Configuration Manager console.

Management of content files

You can now manage your content from the properties of distribution points, distribution point groups, and package types (for example, application, deployment package, driver package, and so on). From the distribution point and distribution point properties, you can see all package types that are assigned for distribution. From the package properties, you can see all distribution points and distribution point groups in which the package has been distributed. You can redistribute, validate, or remove the content from the properties for the object.

Content monitoring

The Configuration Manager 2012 console provides content monitoring that includes the status for all package types in relation to the associated distribution points, the status of content assigned to a specific distribution point group, the state of content assigned to a distribution point, and the status of optional features for each distribution point (Content validation, PXE, and Multicast).