Microsoft Security Compliance Manager V2 beta now available on Microsoft Connect

A few weeks ago I told you about the great tool available from Microsoft called Security Configuration Manager. Recently Microsoft has made the beta version of the SCM V2 product available on their connect site. The tool is free, and provides some excellent features (see my previous post at https://dbgriffin.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/microsoft-security-compliance-manager-2/). 

With the version 2 beta, I’ve noticed a few significant enhancements.

• Cool new user interface.
• You no longer are required to download and install SQL Express to run SCM. Instead, you can use an existing SQL Express or SQL server.
• You can import Group Policy Objects into SCM

Alan Burchill has already put together a great article describing many of the new features, as well as instructions for obtaining the tool, you can find his article here.