What’s Microsoft System Center? Anyone!?

Posted on March 19th, 2009 by Gosia Grabowska

Microsoft System CenterHave you heard of Microsoft’s System Center? Know what it does? I didn’t either …

I got this package from Microsoft the other day, and on the bottom it says Microsoft System Center. 

After opening it I realized that it was evaluation software for Virtual Machine Manager and Operations Manager (sent because I went to the getVIRTUALnow conference last year), but I wasn’t sure what these products were for.

I decided to Google it and found out that there are 5 core products making up the System Center:

  • Configuration Manager 2007 R2
  • Operations Manager 2007
  • Data Protection Manager 2007
  • Virtual Machine Manager 2008
  • Essentials 2007

I was able to find out that all these products were created by Microsoft to help us, the Microsoft shops, with efficiency, optimization, enhancement, and protection of our servers and data.

• Configuration Manager 2007 R2

Configuration Manager is designed to help you assess, deploy and update your servers, workstations, and other devices (both physical and virtual devices).

• Operations Manager 2007

Operations Manager (that’s one of the products I got) can help you increase efficiency in your organization and provide much greater control over your IT environment.

• Data Protection Manager 2007

Data Protection Manager assists with rapid and reliable backup and recovery of your data as well as provide continuous data protection for all Microsoft application and file servers.

• Virtual Machine Manger 2008

Virtual Machine Manger (VMM – this is the second evaluation software that appeared at my desk) helps configure and deploy virtual machines.  Once they are deployed it centrally manages the physical and virtual infrastructure.  The 2008 version of VMM provides multi-vendor virtualization platform support, enhanced support of “high availability” host clusters, as well as a few other very appealing new features.

Microsoft System Center products

• Essentials 2007

As for the Essentials product, it is designed for businesses with up to 500 workstation and 30 servers and it provides unified management of IT environment with increased efficiency.

To find out more about all these core products as well as other System Center products visit the Microsoft System Center page.

Have you used the System Center products?  I would love to hear about it.  Did you like it?  Do you think it’s worth the investment?  Let me know!

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3 Responses to “What’s Microsoft System Center? Anyone!?”

  • Dustin Mobley Says:

    March 29th, 2009 at 7:59 am

    We recently deployed Config Manager (SCCM) and Ops Manager (SCOM) in our environment. I was starting to get the hang of it and it seemed like it was going to be a pretty powerful product, then I was laid of due to a Reduction in workforce.
    But from the little bit that I did get to play with it, the OS deployment and Package deployment in SCCM was pretty nice feautre. Some of the alerts that we were getting from SCOM, helpe us in preventing servers crashing.

  • Gosia Grabowska Says:

    March 30th, 2009 at 9:18 am

    Thanks Dustin for your input. It’s good to hear that people like these products.

    I am sorry you lost your job – hopefully you are going to be able to find a new one soon. I will cross my fingers for ya!

  • Windows Server HQ by Train Signal.com » System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2: Information, Training, Certification, and Resources Says:

    June 5th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    [...] am working on a training course about Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2. As Gosia mentioned in a previous article, Configuration Manager is just one part of System Center. The knowledge that I sap up while [...]

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