Glossary

Find definitions for common terms and objects that are part of the Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007.

To learn more about Configuration Manager 2007, see TechNet: Fundamentals of Configuration Manager 2007. See also the TechNet: Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager glossary for definitions of common terms.

Boot images
An operating system deployment boot image is a Windows® Pre-Installation Environment (WinPE) 2.1 image that is used to deploy the operating system. The Boot Images node displays a list of the operating system deployment boot images that exist and actions that you can run. Select a boot image to see specific actions that you can run for that boot image.
Built-in actions
The Task Sequence Editor comes with built-in, or preconfigured, actions for performing such standard tasks as:
  • Operating system image deployment
  • Operating system configuration
  • Automatic driver injection into an operating system installation
  • Configuration of network parameters
  • Configuration of Windows settings
Computer associations
A computer association organizes the migration of user state and settings from a reference computer to a destination computer. The reference computer is an existing computer that is managed by Configuration Manager 2007, which contains the state and settings to be migrated.

The Computer Association node displays a list of existing computer associations and the actions that you can run. Select a computer association to view specific actions that you can run for that computer association.

Condition
A parameter within a task sequence step or task sequence group that determines whether the Configuration Manager Client should process the action. Conditions can be based on a number of variables, including collection or machine variables, task sequence variables, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) queries, and more.

For more information about conditions, see TechNet: Task Sequence Options Tab

Custom actions
IBM® provides custom tools for configuring IBM hardware. These utilities are often run behind the scenes in a stand-alone GUI or are integrated into another tool set.

You also have the ability to create a custom action, with custom user interfaces, to use your own tools and actions. You can use drop-down lists, checkboxes and buttons to format the appropriate commands for your tools or actions.

Custom actions can also combine a number of related actions into a single menu item. For example, you could create a custom action to perform pre-configuration and post-configuration tasks.

Device drivers
A device driver consists of an INF file that describes how to install the driver, the driver file, and one or more additional files required for device support. A driver package is a Configuration Manager 2007 package that contains the content for one or more device drivers. Driver package content is added to a driver package shared disk. The driver package can then be copied to a distribution point so that computers can install them.

When you perform operating system deployments, the Auto Apply Drivers and Apply Driver Package task sequence actions can be used to apply the specified device driver or device driver package onto each computer that will receive the corresponding image.

Driver catalogs
The driver catalog helps manage the cost and complexity of operating system deployment by providing a centralized location to manage Windows device drivers.

When you create generic operating system images, you can import the related device drivers into the driver catalog.

Group
A group is a logical arrangement of multiple steps within a task sequence. A task sequence group consists of a name and an optional check for the conditions assigned to a task. Grouping task sequence steps is not required. However, using groups improves the readability of the task sequence and provides better error handling and conditional execution.
Operating system images
The Operating System Images node displays a list of the operating system deployment image packages that exist and the actions that you can run. Select an operating system image package from the Operating System Images results pane to view specific actions that you can run for that operating system image package. A Windows Imaging (WIM) file, which is the file format for a captured image, is a compressed collection of files and folders.
Operating system installation packages
The Operating System Install Packages node displays a list of existing operating system installation packages in the Details pane.

You can add a new operating system install package, or copy an existing one with the appropriate wizard.

Step
A step is the basic component of a task sequence or task sequence group. Each step can contain an action and an optional check for the conditions assigned to a task.
Task sequence action
The general term for a single step within a task sequence. There are two types of task sequence actions: built-in actions and custom actions.
Task Sequence Editor
Use the Task Sequence Editor to modify new or existing task sequences. You can add, remove, or modify the task steps and groups within a task sequence.

You can update or change the run-time actions associated with an existing task sequence. You can change the order of the task sequence steps. You can specify how the task sequence handles errors for failed task sequence steps. You can also add conditional processing to the task sequence for certain options.

Task sequences
A task sequence is a series of one or more task steps that can be advertised to Configuration Manager 2007 clients to run user-specified actions. Task sequences are used with Operating System Deployment to build source computers, capture an operating system image, migrate user and computer settings, and deploy an image to a collection of target computers. Task sequences can also be used to run other Configuration Manager 2007 actions, such as deploying Configuration Manager 2007 software packages or running custom command lines.

For more information about task sequences, see TechNet: About Task Sequences.

Task sequence variables
When a task sequence is running, the Task Sequence environment contains many variables, including temporary variables available only to the running action, variables available throughout the task sequence, and variables that are more permanent such as machine or collection variables. These variables play a part in many aspects of the task sequence, but especially in the use of conditions.

For more information about variables, see TechNet: About Task Sequence Variables.