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Introduction

This will be something completely different and new coming from my end. So please be aware; a lot of strong coffee is potentially needed. That be, because I usually talk about how to do something technically around Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune, or something technically related to those topics, and the typical reader would probably expect content in that context.

This time I’m going beyond that. “Why?” you may ask. Because I felt like giving back with a topic and content that I know that can make a difference. Not just limited to a specific technical topic, but as a whole, make a difference on how one will succeed in general with Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune (and possibly other stuff too).

I believe in helping and promoting others, and as of such, I will give you 5 (and possibly some unique) advice on how you can improve and strengthen your SCCM and Intune knowledge. (No guarantees though, but the bullets mentioned in this post helped me a lot)

Climb the pile of SCCM and Intune knowledge

What can I do?

1. Add SCCM and Intune forums to your startup pages in your browser

Yes! Add your favorite SCCM and Intune forums to start automatically with your browser. The idea here is that you need to visit them regularly, and preferably daily (perhaps even several times a day). Browse all the questions asked, but more importantly, browse the answers. And if you dare and if you know the answer to a question, don’t be afraid to contribute. Remember that sharing is learning. Also, if you find that you don’t know the complete answer to a given question, then try to find the complete answer. It will grow on you and you will learn a lot!

For your convenience, find the URLs to the forums I have starting up with my browser:

Configuration Manager Current Branch on TechNet: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?category=ConfigMgrCB
Configuration Manager 2012 on TechNet: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?category=systemcenter2012configurationmanager
Microsoft Intune on TechNet: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?forum=microsoftintuneprod
windows-noob.com: https://www.windows-noob.com/forums/discover/

2. Add the TechNet profiles of the MVPs as RSS feeds (or add them as startup pages)

Again, make a habit of browsing the replies and answers of the experts on the official TechNet forum. Doing so on a regular basis, will quickly give you some basis knowledge on some of the questions asked most often. Continuing to do so will in return give you knowledge on some of the more technical issues, as well as give you insights on how they troubleshoot and how they think in regards to SCCM and Intune.

For your convenience, find the URLs to some of the experts I track replies and answers of:

Jason Sandys: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Profile/jason%20sandys/activity
Garth Jones: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Profile/garth%20jones/activity
Kerwin Medina: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Profile/Kerwin%20Medina/activity

Get on Twitter and be active on social media

3. Get on Twitter!

New blog posts, news from Microsoft and potential issues concerning all corners of IT are always posted on Twitter. The flow and order in which tweets are presented can seem overwhelming (depending on how many people you follow), but being on Twitter as an IT pro is a must IMO.

Follow people! There are tons of amazing people posting amazing content, not just the MVPs. I solely use Twitter for IT related content, and as of such, when I launch Twitter I’m bound to learn something new or be presented with a topic, I want to know more about.

Are you looking for people to follow for SCCM and Intune related content, then take a peek at who I follow: https://twitter.com/mwbengtsson/following

Finally, if you can manage the stream of tweets incoming, I suggest that you turn on mobile notifications for some of the top experts. Below are some of my suggestions:

4. Join Facebook groups

Same as above. There are some really amazing facebook groups available, which can serve as another source for SCCM and Intune related content. The members of the groups also tend to seek help in the same groups, which again serves as another opportunity to learn something new if paying attention to the questions and answers.

Find below some of the most popular SCCM and Intune groups on facebook:

windows-noob.com: https://facebook.com/groups/windowsnoob/
Tech Konnect: https://facebook.com/groups/techkonnect/
Microsoft Intune Professionals: https://facebook.com/groups/IntuneSCCMDeviceMGMT/
SCCM – ConfigMgr Professionals Group: https://facebook.com/groups/ConfigMgr2012/
SCCM – System Center Configuration Manager: https://facebook.com/groups/SCCM2007support/
Configuration Manager (Configmgr) Updates: https://facebook.com/groups/ConfigMgrUpdates/

Thoughts becomes things. Put your thoughts into words.

5. Start blogging

Sharing is learning! No matter how simple the topic may seem, there are someone out there looking for inspiration and answers. Regardless of how many times a topic may have been blogged or talked about, there are always someone out there looking for your way of describing a particular issue or topic. The phrase “The more you give, the more you have” makes a perfect fit here.

I found that, putting things into writing, made me more thorough. In the beginning I used my blog as a notebook, but it eventually turned into a place where I’d share my findings with the community.

Final words

I know for a fact, if all of above consistently is being done and practiced, your SCCM and Intune knowledge will grow! I put a lot of thoughts into this post, so I do hope that you find at least some of it useful. 🙂

//Martin

5 simple (and perhaps out of the ordinary) advice on how to improve and strengthen your SCCM and Intune knowledge