In Configuration Manager 2007, you had to use collections to identify which devices should install software, such as applications, task sequences, and software updates. In SYSTEM Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you must continue to use collections for task sequences, but for applications, you can now use requirement rules as a method to control which devices install the software. For example, you could deploy an application to the All Desktop and Server Clients collection, but include a requirement rule that specifies that the application should be installed only on computers that run Windows 8. Software updates already have these requirements capability built in, so you do not need to configure this yourself.

Although defining the requirements within the application deployment usually requires more work initially, it has longer term benefits because it reduces the administrative overhead of maintaining, USING, and searching many collections. Additionally, requirements are evaluated by the client at deployment time, whereas query-based collections are evaluated periodically and often depend on the results of hardware inventory collection that might run only once a week. Another consideration when you have many collections with complex query rules is that the collection EVALUATION can result in noticeable CPU processing on the site server.

In summary, we recommend that for most application deployments, you use requirement rules instead of collections. Continue to use collections for task sequences, package and programs, TESTING purposes, and one-off application deployments.

In Configuration Manager 2007, you had to use collections to identify which devices should install software, such as applications, task sequences, and software updates. In System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you must continue to use collections for task sequences, but for applications, you can now use requirement rules as a method to control which devices install the software. For example, you could deploy an application to the All Desktop and Server Clients collection, but include a requirement rule that specifies that the application should be installed only on computers that run Windows 8. Software updates already have these requirements capability built in, so you do not need to configure this yourself.

Although defining the requirements within the application deployment usually requires more work initially, it has longer term benefits because it reduces the administrative overhead of maintaining, using, and searching many collections. Additionally, requirements are evaluated by the client at deployment time, whereas query-based collections are evaluated periodically and often depend on the results of hardware inventory collection that might run only once a week. Another consideration when you have many collections with complex query rules is that the collection evaluation can result in noticeable CPU processing on the site server.

In summary, we recommend that for most application deployments, you use requirement rules instead of collections. Continue to use collections for task sequences, package and programs, testing purposes, and one-off application deployments.