How to Deploy SCCM in your Lab setup
In this post we will see how to deploy SCCM in your lab setup. If you are planning to install SCCM in your lab, this post will help you. Configuration Manager allows administrators to manage the deployment and security of devices and applications across an enterprise. There are many other useful things the SCCM can do.
Should I call it SCCM or Configuration Manager ?. The answer is Configuration Manager. Over the years people started using SCCM a lot than Configuration Manager. For most of us, it is the same but for Microsoft it is Configuration Manager. So in my future posts I will be calling it as SCCM or Configuration Manager but both means the same.
Table of Contents
SCCM Configuration Manager Features
Before you deploy SCCM in your lab setup, it is good to know the SCCM features. There are lot of features packed with Configuration Manager, I am listing some of the important features.
- Windows 10 management
- In-console updates
- Application delivery
- Device management
- Virtual desktop management
- Endpoint Protection
- Compliance and settings management
- Software update management
- Power management
- Operating system deployment
- Client health and monitoring
- Asset intelligence
- Inventory
- Reporting
Configuration Manager provides more effective IT services by enabling secure and scalable software deployment, compliance settings management, and comprehensive asset management of servers, desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
Therefore, you can simplify numerous tasks using SCCM. Such as deploying operating systems, managing software updates, software metering etc.
How to Deploy SCCM Lab setup
The best part is you can test how SCCM works in your lab setup. You can choose any test domain name, for example, the domain name for this lab is PRAJWAL.LOCAL. You can use either Vmware or Hyper-V to create virtual machines.
Most of all if you are setting up a lab, decide your own domain name. I prefer to install DNS on the domain controller itself. The SQL server and WSUS will be installed on SCCM machine. Note that you can also install WSUS on a separate machine.
You can also install SQL server and WSUS on different machine, however to keep it simple I will be installing SQL and WSUS both on the same machine. We are going to create a standalone Primary site in this lab.
Softwares Required – SCCM Lab Setup
During the deployment of SCCM we require few softwares which must be downloaded. Here’s the list of the softwares.
- .NET Framework 4.0
- SQL Server 2008 SP2
- WSUS SP2
- SQL Server 2008 STD
- SQL CU9 for SQL SP2
- SCCM 2012 R2
SCCM User Accounts
Since I am installing SCCM in my lab setup, I choose to use a single account. Hence I have created an user account named “sccmadmin”. This user account is the member of domain admins group. This account will be used to install and configure SCCM throughout the lab. To login to each client machine, I have created some test user accounts.
Hi Prajwal,
Greetings.
I m new to SCCM and INTUNE and want to explore further in these technologies. I need to setup a V-lab for more hands on. if possible, please share the links to the software used to create a v-lab for SCCM and Intune.
Regards,
Kapil
Hi Prajwal,
A client of mine has just installed SCCM, they want to deploy clients via SCCM but they can’t. How can they do this?
What method is being used to deploy the agents and have you reviewed the client logs to determine the errors?.
Can i use work AD account for sccm lab setup in AD server
No, if it’s a lab setup, keep it isolated and use only the accounts created in AD on lab setup.
Hi Sir,
I love your website. Very Helpful indeed.
I am vey new to SCCM, can you please send me the steps of how to setup/install SCCM from scratch, then deploying win10 64 bit OS to my lab pcs please.
I have no server but I am trying to run this on my Laptop of specs: i5, win1064bit, 500GB, 8GB ram.
thank you kind sir,
Palikara
Hi sir
Please send me update software links
Hi,Can I set up lab with one PC and 1TB external HDD?
Join the discussion…Please advice it will be highly appreceated.
hi sir,
I i have 10 gb of ram how can i build sccm lab prerequisites
You can create a single VM for active directory. Another VM for SCCM. You can also create some client machines for testing.
Hi prajwal,
Thankyou so much for giving this knowledge. I am very much new to sccm 2012.
Wondering about what configuration system i should be having for setting and practising the lab.
Mine is i7 6500u, 500gbhd, 8gb ram, Basically alienware r2 13 inch lap.
Is it good to go as a starter or do i need an upgrade? Or can i manage the lab through some other software like vmware?
Let me know where and how to start practicing lab. just post me the link from where to start initially. All i need at this point is a push start help for a fresh student. Just let me know in serial wise so i can learn step by step from the base.
Thanks again for incredible knowledge you posted and it is priceless.
Your website and material is so well put together, professional and creative. I think you have done an outstanding job presenting this information and making it interesting and easy to follow. I really am blown away by how you put all this together and the time you must have spent doing this. Thank you for making this wonderful and easy to follow guide. Great job!!!
Thank you Dan B
Sorry we are so much thankful to you. It’s a priceless job.
Hi there Prajawal. Thanks for this series of posts abou SCCM. Really inspiring. I´m new to SCCM and it will be a big hand 🙂 Congratulations
Thank you.
Hi Shashi, you can check my posts on deploying software updates and ADR.
Hi Prajawal,
I am the new user for sccm 2012.I want your guide for patch management.
The patch management guide is available on my website. Please check.
8GB of RAM is sufficient for SCCM + SQL installed on same machine. For AD and client machines you could allocate 1 GB each for VM.
Hi Prajawal,
Thanks for the post Its really very helpful. I am new for SCCM platform.
Could you please recommend the RAM requirement for the lab setup you have explained in the above article. I have PC with 24 GB of RAM available. How much RAM should be allocated for SCCM PC (SCCM) where SQL and WSUS will be installed for smother processing ?
AD – 2GB, SCCM -10 GB, Client machines – 1.5 GB each
I have a laptop (HP) with 4 GB memory.
I have installed Windows 2008 R2.
Active Directory installed.
DHCP, DNS installed
Can I have SCCM on this same machine, if yes please guide
Thanks & Regards
You can limit the machine RAM to 1 GB on which you have installed AD,DNS,DHCP. You can create another VM for SCCM, but believe me it will be really slow.
Hello Prajwal Desai, This is venkat, I need to know about the instalation using VMware in my laptop, Does this possible to install in one laptop, if yes Please exlaine the requirements and guide lines. Thank you.
Yes it is possible, what laptop are you using ? Can you provide me the hardware specs of the laptop..
Hi Prajwal, Thank you for these articles. Do you also provide classroom/online trainings on SCCM?
Currently I don’t, but in future yes..
I am new to creating home lab and install SCCM , please advice from begininh what to do:
I have windows 7 workstaion with 8GB Ram and I have 2TB external HDD, please advice from begining,
Join the discussion…Any advice on this will be appreciated; Karim
Join the discussion…Hi, any advice on this will be appreciated.Karim
How to marge Wsus server with sccm software update point and then crate auto definition update endpoint security
If you are using SCCM to deploy the windows updates to machines then just install WSUS and don’t configure it.
the links are all broken. unable to download or view.
Except the SCCM 2012 R2 download link, rest all the links are working fine.
Hi Prajwal, WSUS SP2 is not working