Before Configuration Manager can manage a mobile device, the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 mobile device client software must be installed on that mobile device. One way to install the mobile device client software is to discover Configuration Manager 2007 desktop computers that synchronize with mobile devices and then distribute the mobile device client installation software through those computers. The mobile device installation files can then be distributed to those managed computers and the mobile device client will be installed the next time the mobile device docs with the computer. To discover mobile devices attached to desktop computers, the hardware inventory of the desktop computers must be extended. The hardware inventory only needs to be extended on Windows XP and older computers. Connected mobile devices are discovered by default by Windows Vista.

Prerequisite

Before you can complete this procedure, the desktop computer must have all of the following installed:

  • Mobile Device Center installed on Windows Vista client computers and ActiveSync running on Windows XP and earlier client computers that will deploy the mobile device client agent to mobile devices. For more information, see the mobile device synchronization web page (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81724).

  • Hardware inventory enabled for desktop computer clients

The hardware inventory of the desktop computer is extended after the Inventory Extension package is downloaded and the program is run. When the next inventory cycle runs, if a computer reports having synchronized with mobile devices then two new classes will appear in the computer hardware inventory when viewed in Resource Explorer: ActiveSync Service and Connected Device.

To verify the hardware inventory has been extended, run the following Configuration Manager 2007 device management reports:

  • Configuration Manager 2007 desktops reporting an ActiveSync-connected device without a Configuration Manager 2007 Device Client.

  • Configuration Manager 2007 desktops reporting a connected Windows Mobile device.

Inventory extension is successful if Configuration Manager 2007 client computers appear in these reports. After the next hardware inventory cycle, you can create reports and collections in Configuration Manager 2007 identifying which Configuration Manager 2007 client computers synchronize with mobile devices.

Use the following procedure to distribute hardware inventory extension.

Procedure

To create the device management inventory extension package

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution / Packages.

  2. Right-click Packages, click New, and then click Package From Definition. The Create Package from Definition Wizard opens.

  3. In the Create Package from Definition Wizard, in the list of available Package definitions, select the Device Management Inventory Extension template, and then click Next.

  4. Depending upon your Configuration Manager 2007 environment, select one of the following:

    • Always obtain files from a source directory

    • Create a compressed version of the source

    Click Next.

  5. Include the source directory located at <InstallationFolder> \ DeviceClientDeployment \ InventoryExtension, click Next, and then click Finish to create the Device Management Inventory Extension package.

  6. Distribute the newly created inventory extension package to managed computers.

Inventory Extension Files

Extending the hardware inventory of Configuration Manager 2007 client computers deploys the following files:

  • Device management common installer program (DmCommonInstaller.exe)

  • Device management settings file (DmCommonInstaller.ini)

  • Device management inventory extension tool (DmInvExtension.exe)

See Also