Configuration Manager mobile device management allows a system administrator to manage Configuration Manager 2007 Windows Mobile and Windows CE mobile devices in much the same way that Configuration Manager 2007 manages desktop computers. Awareness of mobile device communications and server roles will help you better plan your deployment.

Mobile Device Communication

By default, mobile device clients use HTTP to communicate with the device management points. Mobile device clients poll the device management point at specified intervals to report discovery data and receive policy advertisements. The polling interval is specified by the administrator in the Configuration Manager 2007 Administrator console. For more information on configuring mobile device polling, see Mobile Device Client Agent Properties: General Tab.

Device Management Architecture Diagram

Device Management Point

The device management point is a site role dependent on the Configuration Manager 2007 management point role. The device management point is the communication point for Configuration Manager 2007 Windows Mobile device clients and must reside on the same computer as the Configuration Manager 2007 management point.

The mobile device management point submits configuration and software installation instructions to the mobile device client when a request is made from the mobile device client during the polling interval. Software inventory data, hardware inventory data, and collected files are sent to the device management point.

The device management point receives mobile device client inventory data and sends policies to the mobile device client when the client polls the device management point.

Fallback Status Point

The fallback status point is a site system role that receives Configuration Manager 2007 mobile device client state messages in the event the mobile devices are unable to communicate with their management point. For example:

  • The client is not healthy.

  • The client has been installed with incorrect values specified.

The state messages sent to the fallback status point provide administrators assistance with identifying and diagnosing client problems. For more information, see About the Fallback Status Point in Configuration Manager.

Distribution Point

Mobile device clients receive policy and package information from the device management point. Software is then downloaded by the mobile device from a Configuration Manager 2007 distribution point. This distribution point can be located with the device management point role or it can be located on a separate server.

Mobile device clients use local distribution points and distribution points available while roaming regionally in the Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy only.

See Also