Device Manager 2011 provides configuration items and configuration packages to configure devices (and also provides some information about other types of packages). You can use the Configuration Manager console to create configuration items and configuration packages and use advertisements to send notifications to a collection of devices. An advertisement is a Configuration Manager object that the site server sends as a notification to the management points, specifying that a program, software update deployment, or task sequence is available for devices.

Configuration Manager uses Group Policy in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to apply specific settings to traditional client computers. However, many devices are not joined to a domain and do not receive the group policies set using Group Policy. Device Manager 2011 lets you configure thin client, point of service (POS), and digital signage devices with or without AD DS. Configuration occurs for all existing devices in a device collection, and for new devices joining the collection. For devices that have not joined a domain, you can configure them by using registry settings, file copying, and remote execution of scripts.

You can use inventories to find devices to configure, and collections to define a group of devices and update them with a configuration package. Use inventories to determine which devices do not have the required configuration item, such as password settings. Use this information to create a collection of devices that do not have this configuration item. Then create a configuration package that includes this configuration item and distribute this package to the appropriate collection.

For more information about how to distribute packages, see Software Distribution in Configuration Manager Help.

Scenario:Changing the OEM Firmware Version. Obtain the registry location of the configuration item and its value. This configuration item is located in the device registry under a specific path. Use the New Configuration Item Wizard to create a new configuration item and select a registry setting. When prompted, enter the registry key and its desired value. Add the new configuration item to an existing configuration package. Then advertise this configuration package to a collection. All devices in the collection now have the new value for the OEM Firmware Version.