ConfigMgr 2012 R2 and Windows Azure Cloud Distribution Point

Source: http://blog.coretech.dk/kea/configmgr-2012-r2-and-windows-azure-cloud-distribution-point/

In order to use a Windows Azure distribution point, you need a few things like a Windows Azure account, Access to internal DNS, a couple of certifcates and 45 minutes. The Azure distribution point can act as a fallback distribution point for your Windows clients and do support most content type. To calculate the cost for each Azure distribution point, checkout this Azure calculator http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/calculator/?scenario=full.

What a Cloud-Based Distribution Point do not support

• ·Apple MAC OS X clients
• UNIX clients
• 3^rd party Software updates thru the Windows Update feature
• Windows Updates
• Streamed Applications
• Task Sequences that are NOT configured with Download all content locally before starting task sequence
• PXE and Multicast

Create a Cloud-Based Distribution Point – The high-level steps

1. Create a management certificate and install the certificate on the site server. The certificate only needs to be installed on the site server and will be used to ensure the trust relationship between the site server and Windows Azure.
2. Create a cloud-based distribution point service certificate, and install the certificate on the site server.
3. Create a Windows Azure trial account and import the management certificate in Windows Azure.
4. Install a cloud-based distribution point in ConfigMgr.
5. Configure the Client Settings to allow the ConfigMgr client to use the distribution point.
6. Configure a host record in DNS with the IP address of the cloud-based distribution point in order for clients to download content from the distribution point.

Create certificates

Follow the steps described in this Microsoft Technet article – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/230dfec0-bddb-4429-a5db-30020e881f1e#BKMK_clouddp2008_cm2012 In the following steps I do expect that the certificates are stored in D.:\Setup\Certificates on the primary site server.

Create a Windows Azure Trial Account and Import the Certificate

1. Log on to http://www.windowsazure.com and create a trial account.
2. Log on to Windows Azure with your newly created account.
3. Select Select Settings and click the Management Certificates link in the top of the page.

Read More:  http://blog.coretech.dk/kea/configmgr-2012-r2-and-windows-azure-cloud-distribution-point/