After installing System Center Essentials, you must complete the following configuration tasks before you can manage computers and devices in your environment:

  1. Configure product features.

  2. Configure computers and devices to manage.

  3. Configure Microsoft Update settings.

After installation, the System Center Essentials console continues to display reminders in the overview screens about the required configuration tasks until you complete them. Those reminders contain links to help you complete those tasks.

Configure Product Features and Policies

You must use the Feature Configuration Wizard to help complete Essentials 2007 configuration. For example, some Essentials 2007 features are disabled by default, and you must enable and configure those features before you can use them.

When you select Required: Configure important features from the Computers Overview screen or from any other overview screen, the Feature Configuration Wizard opens. Complete this wizard to configure policies and to enable and configure important features such as the following:

  1. Group Policy for Essentials 2007.

  2. Remote Assistance for Windows-based managed computers.

  3. Agentless Exception Monitoring of managed computers.

  4. E-mail delivery of the Daily Health Report/.

For subsequent configuration of those features, start the Feature Configuration Wizard by accessing the Administration screen and selecting the Configure product features action item.

Configure Computers and Devices to Manage

Before you can manage computers and devices, Essentials 2007 must configure the devices for management.

When you select Configure computers and devices to manage from the Computers Overview screen or from any other overview screen, Essentials 2007 starts the Computer and Device Management Wizard. You must complete this wizard to remotely install management agents on discovered computers.

After completing the initial discovery and configuration, you can run the Computer and Device Management Wizard again whenever you need to configure new computers and devices to manage.

Configure Microsoft Update Settings

Before you can use manage updates, Essentials 2007 must retrieve and synchronize information with the Microsoft Updates Web site.

When you select Configure Microsoft Update settings from the Computers Overview screen or from any other overview screen, the Updates Management Configuration Wizard starts. You must complete the wizard to run the initial synchronization and to configure update management settings.

After the initial synchronization and configuration is complete, you can run the Updates Management Configuration Wizard from the Updates Overview screen whenever you need to make changes to update management settings.

See Also