Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard
About the Configuration Manager Dashboard
IT Challenges
IT administrators and IT support staff need easier access to key information about software and operating system deployments, client health, and compliance with regulations. They must ensure that their systems and software meet the configuration requirements established for the organization. And they need the ability to track this information without having access to a System Center Configuration Manager console.
Solution
The Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard lets customers track application and operating system deployments, security updates, the health status of computers, and IT compliance with key regulations—with an easy to use, customizable Web interface. Because the Dashboard is built on Windows® SharePoint® Services, IT staff can access information without using the Configuration Manager console. The Dashboard is a free Solution Accelerator, and fully supported by Microsoft.
Key Benefits
Benefits of the dashboard include:
- Actionable information out of the box. The dashboard comes with valuable, built-in datasets that IT managers can access without using the Configuration Manager console.
- Centralized, near-real-time access to key information. The graphical dashboard lets customers view any Configuration Manager data set in near-real time—without leaving their desk.
- Easy to build and configure. The dashboard’s wizard-based tools let customers easily create new dashboards in minutes.
- Easy to customize. The dashboard can easily be customized to meet the needs of different departments and other groups. Any data set in the Configuration Manager database can be presented on the dashboard, in chart, gauge, and table formats.
- Flexible & interactive. Users can easily filter data and create ad hoc, custom views. Filters allow users to quickly drill down from high-level to more specific data.
Download This Solution Accelerator
Download the Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard
The Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard is globalized, but not localized to non-English languages. Currently it is only supported for US-English language.
How the Dashboard Works
The Configuration Manager Dashboard is designed to work with an existing Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure. The Dashboard queries the Configuration Manager site database and uses the resulting data set to present key infrastructure metrics in a graphical format.
The Configuration Manager Dashboard uses SharePoint Web parts to manage and display data sets:
- Microsoft Dashboard Configuration Web Part. Use this Web part to create and modify the SQL queries that produce the data sets and the other properties that govern how the Dashboard displays the data sets.
- Microsoft Dashboard Viewer Web Part. Use this Web part to display the data sets. A Dashboard Viewer Web Part displays one data set at a time. The Configuration Manager Dashboard can contain multiple copies of the Dashboard Viewer Web Part at once, each copy displaying a different data set.
The following figure shows how users can interact with the Web parts to retrieve and display data.
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Figure 1. Configuration Manager Dashboard Process Flow
The Configuration Manager Dashboard process flow involves the following sequence of activities:
- An IT Service Manager requests a new data set.
- The IT Administrator uses the Dashboard Configuration Web Part to define the new data set.
- The IT Administrator stores the configuration information for the new data set (the information is saved in the Windows SharePoint Services Content database).
- The IT Administrator adds a new copy of the Dashboard Viewer Web Part to the default Configuration Manager Dashboard and then modifies the Web part to display the new data set.
- The IT Service Manager browses to the Configuration Manager Dashboard site.
- Windows SharePoint Services queries the Configuration Manager site database as specified by the data set configuration.
- Windows SharePoint Services renders the new data set using the Dashboard Viewer Web Part.
Requirements for the Configuration Manager Dashboard
The Configuration Manager Dashboard integrates with an already functioning deployment of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and has no additional infrastructure requirements. It is assumed that Configuration Manager 2007 and the Configuration Manager site database are configured in accordance with Microsoft installation guidance.
The following table lists software requirements for the Configuration Manager Dashboard.
Infrastructure |
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Software |
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Browser |
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Note For more information about the software requirements for the Configuration Manager Dashboard, see the appropriate sections in the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard: User Guide or the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard release notes.
Related Resources
Windows Server Solution Accelerators
System Center Configuration Manager
Community and Feedback
Please send questions or comments about this Solution Accelerator to satdash@microsoft.com.
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