Category: Solution Accelerators

Download: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 8.5

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 8.5 is available for download. This useful tool is on fast release cycle and in this version offer the following features:

  • Newly designed user interface
  • Lync 2013, SharePoint 2013, and Exchange 2013 Usage Tracking Support
  • Enhanced Virtual Machine discovery
  • Windows Volume Licensing scenario helps to Identify license status of computers running Windows Vista SP1 and newer

You can download it from this link.

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager

Solution Accelerator team have just released the final 3rd version Security Compliance Manager. Here are the key features of the new version:

  • Integration with the System Center 2012 Process Pack for IT GRC: Product configurations are integrated into the Process Pack for IT GRC to provide oversight and reporting of your compliance activities.
  • Gold master support: Import and take advantage of your existing Group Policy or create a snapshot of a reference machine to kick-start your project.
  • Configure stand-alone machines: Deploy your configurations to non-domain joined computers using the new GPO Pack feature.
  • Updated security guidance: Take advantage of the deep security expertise and best practices in the updated security guides and the attack surface reference workbooks to help reduce the security risks that you consider to be the most important.
  • Centralized Management of Your Baseline Portfolio: The centralized management console of the Security Compliance Manager provides you with a unified, end-to-end user experience to plan, customize, and export security baselines. The tool gives you full access to a complete portfolio of recommended baselines for Windows client and server operating systems, and Microsoft applications. The Security Compliance Manager also enables you to quickly update the latest Microsoft baseline releases and take advantage of baseline version control.
  • Security Baseline Customization: Customizing, comparing, merging, and reviewing your baselines policy configurations just got easier. Use the customization capabilities of the Security Compliance Manager to duplicate any of the recommended baselines from Microsoft and quickly modify security settings to meet the standards of your organization’s environment.
  • Multiple Export Capabilities: Export baselines in formats like XLS, Group Policy objects (GPOs), Desired Configuration Management (DCM) packs, or Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) to enable automation of deployment and monitoring baseline compliance.
  • Available policy configuration baselines include Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Hyper-V, Windows 8, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, BitLocker Drive Encryption, Windows Internet Explorer 10, Windows Internet Explorer 9, Windows Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft Office 2010 SP1, Microsoft Office 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2010 SP2 and Exchange Server 2007 SP3.

 

You can download the tool from here.

Introducing SCVMM Service Templates and Datacenter Automation by Solution Accelerators Team

Update: As I wrote Microsoft is announcing two new Solution Accelerator beta programs for System Center products and now it is official at Microsoft SCVMM team blog.

Solution Accelerators Team in Microsoft is starting two new initiatives:

  • System Center Virtual Machine Manager Service Templates – Solution Accelerators Team will probably create a site where SCVMM service templates will be published and supported by Microsoft.  The first release will include templates for various Windows Server 2008 R2 and 2012 Roles – Domain Controller, DNS, DHCP, IIS and File Server. There will be also add-in for SCVMM that will be able to browse and download these service templates.
  • Datacenter Automation for the cloud  – From this initiative we will probably see scripts and runbooks for Orchestrator supported by Microsoft. The first solutions will be focused on SharePoint and Windows Server – Orchestrator Runbooks for quick SharePoint farm back-up and recovery scenario; Back up a Web application; Back up a service application; Trace logs; Checking Disk Space, CPU and RAM; Sharepoint WMI scan for perf/alerts; Scan for missing patches / WMI.

The two initiatives will start as beta programs on Microsoft Connect soon.

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 3.0 beta is available

SCM 3.0 beta is available for download at MS Connect site. New baselines for Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 are introduced:

Windows Server 2012 Security Baselines:

  • Domain Controller Security Compliance
  • Domain Security Compliance
  • Hyper-V Security Compliance
  • Member Server Security Compliance
  • Web Server Security Compliance

    • Windows 8 Security Baselines:

  • BitLocker Security
  • Computer Security Compliance
  • Domain Security Compliance
  • User Security Compliance:

    • Internet Explorer 10 Security Baselines:

  • Computer Security Compliance
  • User Security Compliance

    • In a later stage of the Beta programs more baselines will be introduced for server roles in Windows Serer 2012:

  • Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
  • DNS Server
  • DHCP Server
  • File Services
  • Network Policy and Access Servers
  • Print Services
  • Remote Access
  • Remote Desktop Services

MVA: Using Solution Accelerators to Prepare for Windows Server 2012

Another course from MVA. This time is about using Solution Accelerators tools for Windows Server 2012:

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 7.0 Module

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 Update 1 Module

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 3.0 Module