Introduction

What is a survival guide? It’s a page we created as a pointer to information on the web.  You can use the information below to learn the fundamentals and share information with other community members.  And, if you think we missed some great article out there, please add it below!  
The #ConfigmgrGuide hash tag allows you to track updates to the Survival Guide.
Have a suggestion? Go to the New! Configuration Manager suggestion box.

Getting Started  

• Introduction to Configuration Manager
• What’s New in Configuration Manager
• Fundamentals of Configuration Manager
• Supported Configurations
• Understanding the content library in 5 minutes
• FAQ
• TechCenter Landing Page
• Pre-Requisites for Installation of System Center Configuration Manager 2012 RC
• Deploy System Center Configuration Manager 2012 RC

Site Administration  

• Introduction to Site Administration in Configuration Manager
• Planning for Site Systems in Configuration Manager
• Install Sites and Create a Hierarchy for Configuration Manager
• PKI Certificate Requirements for Configuration Manager
• Step-by-Step Example Deployment of the PKI Certificates for Configuration Manager: Windows Server 2008 Certification Authority

Migration

• Introduction to Migration in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• Prerequisites for Migration in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• Administrator Checklists for Migration Planning in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• Configuring Migration to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• Operations for Migrating Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager

Clients

• Introduction to Client Deployment in Configuration Manager
• How to Install Clients on Computers in Configuration Manager
• Prerequisites for Client Deployment in Configuration Manager About Client Settings in Configuration Manager
• Administrator Checklist: Deploying Clients in Configuration Manager
• Client support in untrusted forests
• Configuring servers to not auto remediate using Settings management 

• Mobile Devices

  • Deploying the Configuration Manager Client to Mobile Devices
  • Prerequisites for Mobile Device Clients
  • Determine How to Manage Mobile Devices in Configuration Manager
  • How to Install Clients on Mobile Devices and Enroll Them by Using Configuration Manager
  • How to Manage Mobile Devices by Using the Exchange Server Connector in Configuration Manager

  Client Status (Client Health)

  • How to Configure Client Status in Configuration Manager
  • How to use client status to monitor Configuration Manager client computers

Reporting

• Change the logo in all reports
• Reporting

Developer Resources

• New! SDK Prerelease (online)
• New! SDK Prerelease (download .chm)

Step-by-Step Guides

Standalone Primary Server

• CM12 in a lab - Part 1. Installation.
• CM12 in a lab - Part 2. Adding Sup and WDS
• CM12 in a lab - Part 3. Configuring Discovery and Boundaries
• CM12 in a lab - Part 4. Configuring Client Settings and adding roles
• CM12 in a lab - Part 5. Enable the Endpoint Protection Role and configure settings
• CM12 in a lab - Part 6. Deploying Software Updates
• CM12 in a lab - Part 7. Build and Capture Windows 7 X64
• CM12 in a lab - Part 8. Deploying Windows 7 X64
• CM12 in a lab - Part 9. Adding an Application, editing a Deployment Type, Copying the Deploy Task
• CM12 in a lab - Part 10. Using Prestart and Extrafiles to get more out of UDA
• CM12 in a lab - Part 11. Adding the Reporting Services Point role
• CM12 in a lab - Part 12. Updating an Operating System image using Offline Servicing.
• CM12 in a lab - Part 13. using Role Based Administration to define permissions in the ConfigMgr Console
• CM12 in a lab - Part 14. Performing a side-by-side Migration from Configuration Manager 2007
• CM12 in a lab - Part 15. Deploying Windows 8 Customer Preview
• CM12 in a lab - Part 16. Integrating MDT 2012 RC1 with Configuration Manager 2012
• CM12 in a lab - Part 17. Using MDT 2012 RC1 with Configuration Manager 2012
• CM12 in a lab - Part 18. Deploying a UDI Client Task Sequence

Multi Site Hierarchy

• New! using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - Part 1. Installation - CAS
• New! using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - Part 2. Install the Primary server - P01
• New! using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - Part 3. Configuring Discovery and Boundaries
• New! CAS considerations for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager

Other

• New! CM12 in a lab - How can I easily prompt for a computer name in Configuration Manager 2012
• CM12 in a lab - Importing Computers using a file
• CM12 in a lab - Two New Endpoint Protection Reports added, What are they and what do they look like ?
• CM12 in a lab - How can I setup a Distribution Point on a Windows 7 PC in Configuration Manager 2012 ?
• CM12 in a lab - How can I capture an image using Capture Media in Configuration Manager 2012 ?

Downloads

• Using Configuration Manager 2012 in a LAB (18 parts) - The windows-noob CM12 Guides in PDF and WORD format
• New! Configuration Manager 2012 Application Exports
• New! Configuration Manager Queries, Reports, and MOFs
• New! General Community downloads

Features

• Software Distribution (Application Management & Packages/Programs)
• Content Management
• Software Updates
• Collections
• Queries
• Inventory
• Power Management
• Remote Control
• Software Metering
• Out of Band Management
• Compliance Settings
• Endpoint Protection

Troubleshooting

• New! Fix: Unable to connect CAS or Primary to the SQL database during the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager setup
• Technical Reference for Log Files in Configuration Manager
• Forums on Microsoft Connect
• Troubleshooting In-Console Monitoring
• Troubleshooting and Gotchas

Tools

• When you want to limit your search to only the Configuration Manager content on Technet you can use scoped search. To use, simply replace "Configuration Manager" with your search string and your results will only display Configuration Manager Content on Technet. You can also use OR to search for multiple strings. An example is ("user state migration" OR "USMT" OR "computer associations").
• Package Conversion Manager
• Prerequisite Checker

Exam

70-243:  Administering and Deploying System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Published :- April 16, 2012

Configuration Manager classroom training

• Mastering System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - http://blog.coretech.dk/kea/looking-for-configuration-manager-2012-training/
• MOC 10747A: Administering System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/course.aspx?ID=10747A&Locale=en-us
• MOC 10748A: Deploying System Center 2012 Configuration Manager - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/course.aspx?ID=10748A&Locale=en-us

Blogs

In English

• Official ConfigMgr Team Blog
• System Center on Technet Edge
• Official System Center Blog
• The Configuration Manager Support Team Blog
• MVP Raphael Perez
• MVP Kent Agerlund 
• MVP Ronni Pedersen
• MVP Rob Marshall
• MVP Niall C. Brady
• MVP Cliff Hobbs
• MVP Greg Ramsey
• MVP Jörgen Nilsson
• MVP Kaido Järvemets
• MVP Garth Jones
• MVP Michaël Bertuit
• MVP Matthew Hudson
• MVP Peter Daalmans
• MCC Michael Petersen
• MCC Anoop C Nair
• System Center  
• MCC Eswar Koneti

In German

• MVP Torsten Meringer

In Brazilian Portuguese

• MVP Raphael Perez

In French

• MVP Jean-Sébastien Duchêne
• New! WebLog de Stéphane PAPP
• New! Le Club System Center des experts OZITEM

Community

In English

• myITforum.com
• New! Configuration Manager Community Group
• System Center Central

In Brazilian Portuguese

• www.canalsystemcenter.com.br

In English and French

• SystemCenter2012.com 

In French

• windowsmanagement.fr

Forums  

• New! Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• windows-noob.com
• myITforum.com

Magazines In Brazilian Portuguese

• Canal System Center - issue # 1
• Canal System Center - issue # 2
• Canal System Center - issue # 3
• Canal System Center - issue # 4
• Canal System Center - issue # 5

Twitter

• #configmgr hash tag
• #ConfigmgrGuide hash tag allows you to track updates to the Survival Guide.
• Configmgr iX
• System Center Team
• MVP Raphael Perez
• MVP Kent Agerlund 
• MVP Ronni Pedersen
• MVP Niall C. Brady
• MVP Rob Marshall
• MVP Cliff Hobbs
• MVP Torsten Meringer
• MVP Greg Ramsey
• MVP Jörgen Nilsson
• MVP Kaido Järvemets
• MVP Garth Jones
• MVP Michaël Bertuit
• MVP Stefan Schörling
• MVP Peter Daalmans  
• MCC Michael Petersen
• System Center News
• myITforum.com
• Rod Trent
• MCC Anoop C Nair
• Canal System Center    

Virtual Labs

• System Center 2012 Virtual Labs

Videos

• Role based administration
• Automating Deployments of Software Update
• Software Update Management - Monitoring and Reporting
• Installing a Software Update Point
• Creating an Application
• Video 00-AD Environment
• Video 01-Schema extension 
• Video 02-SQL Server 
• Video 03-Requirements
• Video 04-Download Setup Requirements
• Video 05-Installation
• Video 06-Installation - Validation
• Video 07-Site Roles (DP, MP, FSP)
• Video 08-Basic Settings (Discovery, Boundaries & DP)
• Video 09-Client Settings & Installation
• Video 10-Client Health
• Video 11-Client Settings
• Video 12-Hardware Inventory
• Video 13-Asset Intelligence
• Video 14-Remote Tools
• Video 15-Collections
• Video 16-Reporting
• Video 17-Application Management (Part I)
• Video 18-Application Catalog
• Video 19-Application Management (Part II)
• Video 20-Software Update
• Video 21-Endpoint Protection
• Video 22-OSD Part I
• Video 23-OSD Part II
• Video 24-OSD Part III
• Video 25-OSD Part IV
• Video 26-OSD Part V
• Video 27-Certificate Part I
• Video 28-Certificate Part II
• Video 29-HTTPS
• Video 30-Mobile Device Management Part I
• Video 31-Mobile Device Management Part II
• Package Conversion Manager in action
• Migrating from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012

PowerShell

• New! Creating Distribution Point Groups and adding Distribution Points to Distribution Group
• New! Lock and Unlock objects
• New! Create User Device Affinity relationship
• New! Audit Distribution Points
• New! Writing the log in CMTrace format
• New! Managing security scopes
• New! Get requested Applications
• New! Create Deployments
• New! Create and move Collections
• New! GUI in Powershell to work some stuff in ConfigMgr
• New! Create ConfigMgr Machine Variables via script