User-Centric Focus :

User-Centric Focus : In previous versions of Configuration Manager it was possible to target a deployment to users, but this ability was not robust and seemed like an afterthought. In Configuration Manager 2012, the user is the focus—or at least can be.

Yes, it is still possible to target deployments to systems, and many administrators will continue to do this because, in many cases such as server management, that is the best approach. Plus, the ability to target users for deployments and to do so with great specificity is a paradigm shift for Configuration Manager. Don’t overlook this feature though, because it offers the ability to significantly enhance a user’s experience with and impression of Configuration Manager.

User-centric focus allows administrators to define deployments that function differently based on the location of the user. Consider, for example, a user who is logged onto and using their main computer (known as a primary device in Configuration Manager terminology). Deployments can be configured to recognize this and, in such cases, install software directly onto the user’s device, including mobile devices managed directly or via Windows Intune— ( Concept in “Mobile Device Management.” ) Conversely, if the user happens to be logged onto a device in another location, such as in a remote office, this can be recognized and the deployment can be delivered automatically as a virtualized application instead, allowing the deployment to be made available quickly and without persisting the installation. This allows the user the same experience regardless of which system they are actually logged onto and using, and it’s all seamless.