Configuration baselines in Configuration Manager 2012 contain predefined configuration items and optionally, other configuration baselines. After a configuration baseline is created, you can deploy it to a collection so that devices in that collection will download the configuration baseline and assess their compliance with it.
Configuration baselines in Configuration Manager 2012 can contain specific revisions of configuration items or can be configured to always use the latest version of a configuration item. For more information about configuration item revisions, see How to Manage Configuration Items for Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager 2012.
There are two methods that you can use to create configuration baselines in Configuration Manager 2012:
- Import configuration data from a file. For
more information, see How to Manage Configuration Baselines for
Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager 2012.
- Use the Create Configuration Baseline Wizard
to create a new configuration baseline.
Use the following procedure to create a configuration baseline by using the Create Configuration Baseline Wizard.
To create a configuration baseline
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In the Configuration Manager 2012 console, click Assets and Compliance.
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In the Assets and Compliance workspace, expand Compliance Settings, and then click Configuration Baselines.
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On the Home tab, in the Create group, click Create Configuration Baseline.
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In the Create Configuration Baseline Wizard, enter a unique name and a description for the configuration baseline. You can use a maximum of 255 characters for the name and 512 characters for the description.
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The Configuration data list displays all the configuration items or configuration baselines that are included in the configuration baseline. Click Add to add a new configuration item or configuration baseline to the list. You can choose from the following:
- Configuration Items
- Software Updates
- Configuration Baselines
- Configuration Items
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Use the Change Purpose drop-down list to specify the behavior of a configuration item that you have selected in the Configuration data list. You can select from the following:
- Required The configuration baseline will be
evaluated as noncompliant if the configuration item is not detected
on a client device. If it is detected, it will be evaluated for
compliance
- Optional The configuration item will only be
evaluated for compliance if the application it references is found
on client computers. If the application is not found, the
configuration baseline will not be marked as noncompliant.
- Prohibited The configuration baseline will be
evaluated as noncompliant if the configuration item is detected on
client computers.
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NoteThe Change Purpose drop-down list is available only if you selected the option This configuration item contains application settings on the General page of the Create Configuration Item Wizard. - Required The configuration baseline will be
evaluated as noncompliant if the configuration item is not detected
on a client device. If it is detected, it will be evaluated for
compliance
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Use the Change Revision drop-down list to choose a different revision of the configuration item to assess for compliance on client devices or select Always Use Latest to always use the latest revision. For more information about configuration item revisions, see How to Manage Configuration Items for Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager 2012.
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If you want to remove a configuration item from the configuration baseline, select a configuration item, and then click Remove.
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Optionally, click Categories to assign a category to the configuration baseline to make it easier to find in the Configuration Manager 2012 console. For more information, see How to Manage Configuration Baselines for Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager 2012.
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Click OK to close the Create Configuration Baseline Wizard and to create the configuration baseline.