Endpoint Services, MECM, Configuration items and baselines
Overview
What is the recommended use of MECM configuration items and baselines versus group policy objects (GPOs)?Systems
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM)
Intended Audience
University of Illinois IT Pros leveraging MECM, hosted by Technology Services' Endpoint Services team
General Information
Group Policy Objects (GPOs) remain unchanged by MECM; IT Pros can continue to apply configuration settings via GPOs.
MECM can also manage compliance via Configuration Items and Configuration Baselines.
- Configuration Items are often scripts that evaluate whether an endpoint is set up properly for a particular purpose. For example: Is the endpoint configured to use a device-based subscription for Office 365? Does the endpoint have a valid certificate from Active Directory Certificate Services?
- Navigate to \Assets and Compliance\Overview\Compliance Settings\Configuration Items in the console to view configuration items managed by Endpoint Services
- Visit this guide for more information
- Configuration Baselines are collections of Configuration Items and include compliance settings (only report compliance or also remediate non-compliant devices).
- Navigate to \Assets and Compliance\Overview\Compliance Settings\Configuration Baselines in the console to view configuration baselines managed by Endpoint Services
- Visit this guide for more information
- Follow this guide to deploy configuration baselines
- Monitor the results of configuration baselines at \Monitoring\Overview\Deployments in the console. Visit this guide for more information.
- Follow this guide to create collections based on compliance
For developing custom configuration items and baselines, Microsoft has published a step-by-step guide to writing configuration items and an overview of creating configuration items.