SCCM 2012 now available as RC download

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection Release Candidates

 

download link http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=27841

Please note: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection are now provided as a single installation package.
System Center 2012 Configuration Manager helps you to empower people to use the devices and applications they need to be productive, while maintaining corporate compliance and control. As more and more consumer devices enter the workplace, IT faces the challenge of delivering a rich experience to users across multiple devices – both personal and corporate-owned – without giving up the control needed to protect company assets. Configuration Manager provides a unified infrastructure for mobile, physical and virtual environments. Configuration Manager also helps you to be more efficient with simplified administrative tools and improved compliance enforcement.
New features in the release candidate include:

• Improved endpoint protection functionality, with integrated setup, management and reporting of System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection. (see below)
• Improved application catalog design that provides a better, more responsive experience when requesting and downloading applications.
• New support for Windows Embedded devices, including Windows Embedded 7 SP1, POS-Ready 7, Windows 7 Think PC, and Windows Embedded Compact 7.
• Improved compliance enforcement and tracking, with the ability to create dynamic collections of baseline compliance and generate hourly compliance summaries.
• Platform support for deep mobile device management of Nokia Symbian Belle devices. Pending a platform update by Nokia later this calendar year for these devices, customers will be able to try out the management of Nokia devices with Configuration Manager.

System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection (previously known as Forefront Endpoint Protection 2012) protects client and server operating systems against the latest threats using industry-leading malware detection technologies. It is built on System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, giving customers a unified infrastructure for client security and compliance management. This shared infrastructure lowers ownership costs while providing improved visibility through user-centric malware reporting and control over endpoint management and security.
New features in the release candidate include:

• Support for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, including integrated setup, management, and reporting.
• Role-based management across security and operations.
• Improved alerting and reporting, with near real-time and user-centric data views.
• More efficient delivery of signature updates using new automatic software deployment model.

Need more information? See the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection product details pages.

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System requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Site System Requirements

• Site servers and site roles require 64-bit OS (distribution points are an exception)

Branch Distribution Points

• Branch distribution points have been deprecated and replaced with standard distribution points that can be hosted on Configuration Manager 2012 client operating system platforms, with the exception of Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 and Windows XP Tablet PC SP3
• Standard DPs can run on Windows Server 32-bit but will not support advanced functionality

Server Operating System Requirements

• Windows Server 2008 (64-bit) and Windows Server 2008 R2
• Distribution points can run on Windows Server 2003

Client Operating System Requirements

• Windows XP professional SP3 – x86 and Windows XP SP2 pro for 64 bit systems
• Windows Vista SP2 (x86,x64)
• Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 (x86,x64)
• Windows Server 2008 (x86,x64)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 (x86,x64)
• Windows 7 (x86,x64)

Database Requirements

• SQL Server 2008 SP2 with CU 6
• SQL Server Express 2008 r2 WITH SP1 and CU 3 is supported only on secondary sites
• QL Reporting Services is ONLY reporting solution

For Supported Configurations information, visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx.

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Instructions

Click the Download button next to the file most appropriate for your needs.
For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Release Candidate use the file - ConfigMgr_2012_RC1_ENU_7678.exe

1. Do one of the following:
   • To download the media image, click Run
   • To save the download to your computer to install at a later time, click Save.
   • To cancel the installation, click Cancel.
2. The media will be downloaded into a folder and then you can run splash.hta in the root of the folder to begin Setup.