Export knowledge

Some of the most powerful features of SCM include the ability to export data in a variety of formats that you can use to work with different products and tools to monitor the computers in your environment and produce reports. These formats include:

Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that you can import into Active Directory® and apply to groups of computers and users.
DCM Configuration Packs that you can use with the Desired Configuration Management (DCM) feature in Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to scan and monitor computers for compliance.
Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) files that comply with a standard overseen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Exporting baselines

You use the export feature options in the Action pane under Export to export your baselines in the format that your organization requires.

To export a baseline

In the Baselines Library, select the baseline that you want to export, and then in the Action pane, under Export, choose one of the following export format options:
- Excel workbook (.xlsm) – This export option produces an Excel workbook that you can use to research and compare baseline setting information.
  Note The export feature option requires Microsoft® Excel® 2007 to be installed on the computer running SCM. If macros are disabled in this application, then an alert message will appear with a security warning on the disabled workbook. On the Security Warning notice, below the ribbon of the workbook, click the Enable Content button to complete the export process.
  
  Warning While it is possible to avoid the alert message and security warning by configuring Excel to enable all macros, we recommend against doing this as it exposes your computer to potentially malicious code.
- GPO Backup (folder) – This export option produces a folder containing GPO Backup files.
- SCAP v1.0 (.cab) – This export option produces a .cab file in a Windows native compressed archive format that contains SCAP data. CAB supports compression and digital signing and is used in a variety of Microsoft installation engines.
- SCCM DCM 2007 (.cab) – This export option produces a .cab file containing Configuration Pack information that is designed to work with Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
- SCM (.cab) – This export option produces a .cab file containing information that is designed to work with another computer running SCM.
In the Export dialog box, confirm the name of the file that you want to export in the format you have chosen, and then click Save.

The following Help subtopics include instructions about how to export data in each of these formats: