System Center Configuration Manager has evolved since Microsoft originally released it as "Systems Management Server" in 1994. Significant releases include:
Systems Management Server 1.0, released in 1994 along with Windows NT Server 3.5. This initial release targeted the management of MS-DOS, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Macintosh and OS/2 desktops on Windows NT Server, NetWare, LAN Manager and Pathworks networks.
Systems Management Server 1.1, released in 1995 to help customers migrate to Windows 95.
Systems Management Server 1.2, released in 1996 with new remote-control, SNMP, inventory, and network-monitoring capabilities.
Systems Management Server 2.0, released in 1999 to help with Y2K remediation efforts.
Systems Management Server 2003, released in 2003 with improved stability, reliability, and software-distribution capabilities.
System Center Configuration Manager 2012, released in 2012 with significant changes to application deployment capabilities.
System Center Configuration Manager 1511, released in November 2015 to support Windows 10 and new Windows servicing options.
System Center Configuration Manager 1602, released March 11, 2016. New features include conditional access for PCs, Office 365 Update Management, greater management of mobile devices and of Windows 10.
System Center Configuration Manager 1606, released July 22, 2016. New features include support for managing new Windows 10 features like Windows Information Protection and Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, improved integration with the Windows Store for Business supporting online and offline-licensed apps, and more.
System Center Configuration Manager 1610,released in November 2016
System Center Configuration Manager 1702, released March 2017
System Center Configuration Manager 1706, released July 2017
System Center Configuration Manager 1710, released November 2017
System Center Configuration Manager 1802, released March 2018
System Center Configuration Manager 1806, released July 2018
System Center Configuration Manager 1810, released December 2018
System Center Configuration Manager 1902, released March 2019
System Center Configuration Manager 1906, released July 2019
Endpoint Configuration Manager 1910, released December 2019
Endpoint Configuration Manager 2002, released April 2020
SMS went through three major iterations:
The 1.x versions of the product defined the scope of control of the management server in terms of the NT domain being managed.
With the 2.x versions, that site paradigm switched to a group of subnets to be managed together.
With SMS 2003 the site could also be defined as one or more Active Directory sites.
The most frequently used feature is software deployment, which provides installation and updating of Windows Apps, legacy applications and Operating Systems across a business enterprise. SMS 2003 saw the introduction of the Advanced Client. The Advanced Client communicates with a more scalable management infrastructure, namely the Management Point. Microsoft introduced the Advanced Client to provide a solution to the problem where a managed laptop might connect to a corporate network from multiple locations and thus should not always download content from the same place within the enterprise. When an Advanced Client is within another location, it may use a local distribution point to download or run a program, which can conserve bandwidth across a WAN.
The requirements for Configuration Manager are always changing as the system becomes more and more complex. An up-to-date, detailed dive into the requirements can be found on the Microsoft Website Documentation .
