What tool do I use?

[David_Pike]

For once I'm overwhelmed by too much information. I'm an OEM system builder building my first VPro client computer. There seem to be dozens of configuration tools, some old, some new, but none with the same name or description.

So what tool should I use to configure the VPro computer I'm building?
And which document should I read as a guide?

Hopefully there's a single answer!

Thanks to all,
David

[Gael_H_Intel]

David,

I wish that I could tell you that it really isn't all that complicated. I would start here with the Start Here Guide. I have tried really hard to make this document something that could be skimmed through and give the reader an idea of where to start. Hopefully it will do that for you. Let me know if it doesn't.

A good overall guide to the SDK and what all is possible with Manageability - here is the online Docs.

There are a number of ways you can configure your client. How you do it and which tool you use depends on what features you need. (TLS? KVM?) If you are just enabling one system, I usually just do it through the MEBx menus - this puts the system in Admin Control Mode.

Video: Host-Based Provisioning Intel vPro clients using the ACU Wizard

Video: How to Configure and Un-configure an Intel vPro technology client (Intel AMT) inside the MEBx Menus

The videos above are a little rough - I did them in a low budget sort of environment. Hopefully they will help explain the basics on enabling AMT.

You can use the full Setup and Config Software available here. (There is a video about the SCS at this link.)

You can also use powershell scripts - let me know if you need more info here.

Configuring your client is really not that big of a deal. The bottom line is you must enable AMT first. This opens up the network and allows the Manageability Engine to send out and receive manageability messages. The next step is to "configure" it. Configuring your AMT client simply means that apis are being sent to the ME to allow certain features to be used. The SCS tool has this all wrapped up into one tool

You can also configure your system using the Director tool that is part of the DTK - more on that when you get there! Using the "Commander" portion of the DTK, you can connect to a client and actually manage it. Look for the Director portion if you want to use it for enabling AMT.

[David_Pike]

Thanks very much Gael.

I guess it was hoping too much that there was a simple way to go, but you've given me an excellent map through the maze. I'll be following these leads over the next couple of days.

By the way, do any of the (free)management tools run on Windows 7, or do they have to be on a server?

Thanks again,
David.

[Gael_H_Intel]

I have been doing everything on Windows 7 for all the host based provisioning that I do. However, if you need a setup that requires use of the SCS with the RCS (Remote Configuration Service) service (which allows for the unified provisioning across various versions of AMT clients) you need a more sophisticated network setup with IIS installed and you may need a DNS server, AD, and DHCP as well. Your access point may be able to provide DHCP but for the other components you would need a version of the OS that supports all the server related roles.

Also if you are wanting to create your own "Provisioning Certificate" you would need either a system that can act as a CA or you can use the Director to create provisioning certs (remember though if you create your own cert, you have to add the hash manually into the ME.)