ConfigMgr server installation

After all prerequisites have been fulfilled, finally, the ConfigMgr server will be installed. Before we start the installation, a couple of matters need to be considered:

• Three-character location code
• The name of the ConfigMgr server

These two are used to identify a server in the hierarchy. Why are these two things so essentially important? That's because these cannot be modified after the server is installed. The only way to change them is to reinstall the ConfigMgr server from scratch:

1. After starting the installer, the type of installation needs to be chosen. Choose the primary site and the Install a Configuration Manager primary site option:

1. The ConfigMgr license comes along with Software Assurance. The installer asks for the license key and the date until which Software Assurance is valid:

1. The next step is accepting the license terms for the application used by the ConfigMgr server:

1. The ConfigMgr installer does the checkout of prerequisites--if some prerequisites haven't been met, the installer will try to install the missing components. These files are downloaded from the internet and saved in a location chosen by us--it might be a network share or a local folder on a ConfigMgr server. If we installed ConfigMgr server or client somewhere in the past, we might point the installer to this folder so it can be used, for instance, to install another ConfigMgr server, and there will be no need to download the required binaries again.

1. The mentioned folder also handles the install files of SQL Express, which are used when installing the secondary site:

1. The installer downloads files from the internet; if the download operation finishes with success, the installer goes further:

1. Working with the server, there is an opportunity to use many different languages for the console as well as for clients. During installation, the installer asks which versions of languages for console and clients should be installed during the installation procedure:

The ConfigMgr server console will adjust the installing language automatically, depending on the operating system language it is being installed on. The same happens with the client. English is the default installed language, and unfortunately, this cannot be changed.

1. Next, the language for the clients needs to be chosen:

1. After choosing the language, the installer will ask for the location name, the server name, and the installation folder. As mentioned earlier, these two settings cannot be modified after the server is installed, so we need to be sure we provide the right data:

1. ConfigMgr can work as a standalone unit, or it can cooperate with other servers in the hierarchy. The decision about which option to choose is done at this moment by the administrator:

1. After choosing the standalone installation option, the installer shows information that the server might later be connected to the hierarchy:

1. Each ConfigMgr server saves data in the SQL. During deployment, the installer asks for the FQDN of the server and the SQL instance, a person who will be maintaining the ConfigMgr database. The default ConfigMgr database name is CM_{location_code}. If there is a need, the database name might be changed later:

1. During the installation, there is a possibility to point to another location apart from the default one, where the database and logs will be created:

1. Each administration console instance connects to the ConfigMgr server using SMS Provider (FQDN). The complete FQDN of this server needs to be provided during the server installation. SMS Provider can be installed on one machine only:

1. Starting with ConfigMgr 2007, the server might work using the HTTP or HTTPS mode. Depending on the needs, the mode needs to be set up during the configuration:

Each ConfigMgr installation has one fundamental tenet that has two roles, management point and distribution point, which need to be deployed. Management point supports communication between the server and the clients, whereas distribution point shares all the binaries needed for configured administrative actions with clients, for instance, application installation:

Microsoft, as a part of its continuous improvement process, gathers some usage data from all the ConfigMgr servers. This feature cannot be completely turned off; the only option is to lower the amount of shared data.

Along with ConfigMgr 1511, Microsoft has changed its approach for patching the server and upgrades to new versions. Similarly to Windows Server, ConfigMgr works in the current branch mode, and it searches for new patches and versions and shows information on the console. The server role is responsible for checking whether there are any new patches for the server, called service connection point. We may install it or not--there is no requirement:

After configuring service connection point, the installer will sum up the settings on screen:

After all of the required data has been provided to the installer, check all the prerequisites and requirements related to the operating system. There are two types of statuses that can be experienced:

• Critical: The error makes ConfigMgr unable to install, a situation that may cause an error, for instance, lack of Windows ADK
• Warning: The error does not influence the installation of the server, but its future operational status, for instance, lack of an installed WSUS server

The actual ConfigMgr server installation shouldn't take longer than an hour:

After the server is fully installed, it is always good to perform a checkout and review whether all the components are working properly.