Configuration items in Configuration Manager 2007 define a discrete set of configurations you need to manage for compliance, and they can be one of these four types:

Note
Software updates configuration items are automatically created when you download software updates with the software updates feature. You do not create or see these configuration items in the Desired Configuration Management node, but you can select them when defining your configuration baselines.

There are three different ways to create a new configuration item within the Configuration Manager console:

  1. Create a duplicate configuration item from the Configuration Items node. This approach is appropriate if you want an exact copy of an existing configuration item to use as your starting point, but you want to modify it to create an independent configuration item from the original.

    For more information, see Determine If You Need To Create Duplicate Configuration Baselines or Duplicate Configuration Items for Desired Configuration Management.

  2. Create a child configuration item from the Configuration Items node. This approach is appropriate if you want a configuration item that continues to inherit the properties of an existing configuration item but refines them with more detailed configuration.

    For more information, see Determine If You Need to Create Child Configuration Items for Desired Configuration Management.

  3. Use a wizard to create one of the supported configuration types. This approach is appropriate if you want to configure all the properties or you have no existing configuration item from which you can create a duplicate or a child configuration item. The wizards to create configuration items are the following:

    • Create Application Configuration Item Wizard

    • Create General Configuration Item Wizard

    • Create Operating System Configuration Wizard

To create a new configuration item by duplicating a configuration item

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Desired Configuration Management / Configuration Items.

  2. Right-click the configuration item that you want to duplicate, and then click Duplicate.

  3. The new configuration item will appear in the Configuration Items node and display with a sequential number in brackets appended to the original name.

To create a new configuration item by creating a child configuration item

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Desired Configuration Management / Configuration Items.

  2. Right-click the configuration item that you want to duplicate, and then click Create Child Configuration Item.

  3. The new configuration item will appear in the Configuration Items node and display with the same base name as the original, but it will have the current creation date.

  4. The configuration inheritance from the original configuration item can be confirmed by viewing the Relationships tab in the configuration item properties.

To create a new configuration item with one of the create configuration item wizards

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

  2. Right-click Configuration Items, click New, and then select one of the following, depending on the type of configuration item that you want to create:

    • Application Configuration Item

    • General

    • Operating System Configuration Item

    Note
    If you are not sure which configuration item type to choose, see Choose the Configuration Item Type to Create for Desired Configuration Management.

  3. If you are creating an application configuration item, follow the instructions in the Create Application Configuration Item Wizard.

  4. If you are creating a general configuration item, follow the instructions in the Create General Configuration Item Wizard.

  5. If you are creating an operating system configuration item, follow the instructions in the Create Operating System Configuration Item Wizard.

  6. When you have successfully completed the wizard, the configuration item you have created will display in the Configuration Items node.

See Also