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How to Configure Client Computers to Find Management Points by using DNS Publishing in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

Clients in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager must locate a management point to complete site assignment and as an on-going process to remain managed. Active Directory Domain Services provides the most secure method for clients on the intranet to find management points. However, if clients cannot use this service location method (for example, you have not extended the Active Directory schema, or clients are from a workgroup), use DNS publishing as the preferred alternative service location method.

Note

For System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 and later:

When you install the client for Linux and UNIX, you must specify a management point to use as an initial point of contact. For information about how to install the client for Linux and UNIX, see the Install the Client on Linux and UNIX Servers section in the How to Install Clients on Linux and UNIX Computers in Configuration Manager topic.

Before you use DNS publishing for management points, make sure that DNS servers on the intranet have service location resource records (SRV RR) and corresponding host (A or AAA) resource records for the site's management points. The service location resource records can be created automatically by Configuration Manager or manually, by the DNS administrator who creates the records in DNS.

For more information about DNS publishing as a service location method for Configuration Manager clients, see the Service Location and how clients determine their assigned management point section in the Planning for Communications in Configuration Manager topic.

By default, clients search DNS for management points in their DNS domain. However, if there are no management points published in the clients’ domain, you must manually configure clients with a management point DNS suffix. You can configure this DNS suffix on clients either during or after client installation:

  • To configure clients for a management point suffix during client installation, configure the CCMSetup Client.msi properties.

  • To configure clients for a management point suffix after client installation, in Control Panel, configure the Configuration Manager Properties.

To configure clients for a management point suffix during client installation

  • Install the client with the following CCMSetup Client.msi property:

    • DNSSUFFIX=<management point domain>

      If the site has more than one management point and they are in more than one domain, specify just one domain. When clients connect to a management point in this domain, they download a list of available management points, which will include the management points from the other domains.

    For more information about the CCMSetup command-line properties, see About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager.

To configure clients for a management point suffix after client installation

  1. In Control Panel of the client computer, navigate to Configuration Manager, and then double-click Properties.

  2. On the Site tab, specify the DNS suffix of a management point, and then click OK.

    If the site has more than one management point and they are in more than one domain, specify just one domain. When clients connect to a management point in this domain, they download a list of available management points, which will include the management points from the other domains.