The desired configuration management client mainly uses state messages to send compliance results. State messages offer a quick and efficient mechanism to send client data. State messages process quickly on the management point and include XML attachments for desired configuration management compliance details. State messages are consolidated on the client and sent according to the State message reporting cycle (minutes) value configured in the Computer Client Agent Properties: General Tab. By default, this cycle is set to occur every 15 minutes.

For more information about state messages, see About State Messages. For a list of state messages used in Configuration Manager 2007, see State Messages in Configuration Manager 2007.

The Actual Compliance state (Applicable, Detected, Compliant or Non-Compliant) for each configuration item is sent as a state message to the management point in the following circumstances:

• When the configuration item is first evaluated.
  
  
• Whenever the client detects a change in the compliance of a configuration baseline.
  
  

This change in compliance of the configuration baseline might be from any of the original compliance states to the corresponding new compliance state, as listed in the following table.

If the client does not detect a change in its compliance with an assigned configuration baseline, it sends only its overall compliance state with its assigned configuration baseline to the management point, except in the following circumstances:

• The non-compliance severity level of a setting or object changes.
  
  
• The validation criteria of a setting or object changes after it has previously been reported as non-compliant.
  
  

When both of the preceding circumstances apply, the client sends the Actual Compliance state for the configuration item to the management point.

For more information about the compliance states, see About Compliance and Compliance Information in Desired Configuration Management.

The following status messages are sent by Configuration Manager (with the component name of Desired Configuration Management) whenever there is a change in compliance for configuration items or configuration baselines or whenever there is a change in the non-compliance severity level of a configuration item:

• 11854: An informational status message that records a change in compliance data from unknown or non-compliant to compliant.
  
  
• 11855: An informational status message that records either of the following states:
  
  
  • A change in compliance data from compliant or unknown to non-compliant when the non-compliance severity level is configured as Informational.
    
    
  • A change in the non-compliance severity level configuration to Informational and the client is non-compliant.
    
    
• 11856: An warning status message that records either of the following states:
  
  
  • A change in compliance data from compliant or unknown to non-compliant when the non-compliance severity level is configured as Warning.
    
    
  • A change in the non-compliance severity level configuration to Warning and the client is non-compliant.
    
    
• 11857: An error status message that records either of the following states:
  
  
  • A change in compliance data from compliant or unknown to non-compliant when the non-compliance severity level is configured as Error.
    
    
  • A change in the non-compliance severity level configuration to Error and the client is non-compliant.
    
    

To locate these status messages, see How to Identify Computers that have Changed their Compliance Status in Desired Configuration Management.

Concepts