System Center (ex-Forefront Endpoint Protection): Features, Licensing, and Support

System Center (formerly Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection): Complete OverviewSystem Center, which absorbed what was once known as Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP), is Microsoft’s enterprise-grade suite for endpoint management, security, and operations. Over the years Microsoft folded FEP’s capabilities into the broader System Center family and the Microsoft 365 security ecosystem, creating a more integrated platform for device protection, configuration, monitoring, and lifecycle management. This article provides a comprehensive look at the history, architecture, core features, deployment scenarios, management, migration paths, and best practices for organizations using or transitioning from Forefront Endpoint Protection to System Center and related Microsoft security services.

History and evolution

Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP) was introduced as a replacement for previous Microsoft anti-malware offerings designed to protect enterprise endpoints. FEP combined on-premises management with the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine to deliver centralized malware detection, policy enforcement, and remediation.

Over time, Microsoft shifted strategy toward consolidating endpoint management and security within the System Center suite and, later, into cloud-first services like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Intune. The key transitions:

• Early 2010s: Forefront Endpoint Protection used System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) for deployment and management.
• Mid 2010s: Microsoft phased out standalone Forefront branding, incorporating FEP features into System Center Endpoint Protection (SCEP) and deeper SCCM integration.
• Late 2010s onward: Microsoft moved toward cloud-native security with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and unified device management in Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune + Configuration Manager co-management).

While Forefront as a brand is deprecated, the core goal—protecting endpoints in enterprise environments—continues within System Center and Microsoft’s broader security portfolio.

Where System Center fits today

System Center remains a key on-premises platform for organizations that require local control over device management and operations. Its components (notably Configuration Manager) integrate endpoint protection, patching, software deployment, inventory, and OS deployment duties. For endpoint security specifically, Microsoft’s modern recommendations are:

• Use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for advanced threat protection, EDR (endpoint detection and response), threat analytics, and cloud-driven intelligence.
• Use Configuration Manager (SCCM) as part of System Center for on-premises management, third-party patching, deployment, and legacy workloads.
• Consider co-management or migration to Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune + Configuration Manager) to combine cloud and on-premises capabilities.

Architecture and components

Key components related to endpoint protection and management:

• System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) / Configuration Manager
  • Central to deploying agents, policies, updates, and applications.
  • Historically hosted the System Center Endpoint Protection (SCEP) client and policies.
• System Center Endpoint Protection (SCEP)
  • The on-premises antimalware client derived from Forefront technology.
  • Integrated with Configuration Manager for policy distribution and reporting.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
  • Cloud-native EDR and advanced threat protection platform; integrates with Configuration Manager for device onboarding and co-managed telemetry.
• Microsoft Endpoint Manager
  • Combines Intune and Configuration Manager for unified endpoint management (UEM).
• Update Services and WSUS
  • Provide patch management; Configuration Manager orchestrates patch deployment in many enterprises.

Core features

• Malware detection and remediation
  • Signature-based detection, behavioral heuristics, real-time protection, and remediation actions.
• Centralized policy management
  • Deployable via Configuration Manager for groups, collections, and device types.
• Reporting and compliance
  • Inventory of protected devices, detection statistics, and compliance status.
• Integration with other System Center tools
  • Asset inventory, software deployment, OS provisioning, and scheduled tasks.
• Offline and air-gapped scenarios
  • On-premises deployment suits environments with limited or no cloud connectivity.
• Co-management and hybrid deployment
  • Coexistence with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Intune for gradual migration.

Deployment scenarios

• Fully on-premises enterprises
  • Use Configuration Manager + SCEP/SCEP-like capabilities for environments requiring strict data residency and offline operation.
• Hybrid organizations
  • Co-manage devices between Configuration Manager and Intune; onboard to Defender for Endpoint for cloud telemetry while retaining SCCM for patching and app deployment.
• Cloud-first organizations
  • Move to Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, retiring on-premises SCEP.

Management and operations

• Agent lifecycle
  • Deploy agents through Configuration Manager or Group Policy. Monitor via SCCM console or Defender portal when integrated.
• Policy design
  • Define baseline anti-malware settings (real-time protection, scan schedules, exclusions) and map them to SCCM collections.
• Patch and update workflow
  • Use WSUS and SCCM for update distribution; ensure anti-malware platform and signatures are kept current.
• Monitoring and incident response
  • Configure alerting for detections; use Defender for Endpoint for advanced investigations and EDR workflows.
• Reporting
  • Leverage built-in SCCM reports and create custom SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports for compliance and trends.

Migration and coexistence with modern Microsoft security

Most organizations should evaluate moving to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint + Microsoft Endpoint Manager for stronger cloud-driven threat detection, automated remediation, and simplified management. Migration considerations:

• Inventory and compatibility
  • Audit endpoints, OS versions, and installed applications.
• Phased onboarding
  • Start with pilot groups, enable co-management, and gradually shift workloads (e.g., move security reporting and EDR to Defender while keeping deployment duties in Configuration Manager).
• Licensing
  • Defender for Endpoint requires appropriate Microsoft 365 or standalone licensing—verify Entitlement and feature sets.
• Network and data flow
  • Ensure outbound connectivity and proxy settings permit telemetry to Microsoft cloud services where Defender for Endpoint is used.
• Training and runbook updates
  • Update SOC, helpdesk, and endpoint management runbooks to reflect new consoles and response paths.

Best practices

• Keep signatures and platform components up to date.
• Use layered defenses: endpoint protection, patching, application control, and network segmentation.
• Enable automatic remediation where safe to reduce time to response.
• Maintain an inventory and group devices by role and risk to apply tailored policies.
• Test exclusions carefully to avoid creating blind spots.
• Plan for phased migration with rollback paths and clear milestones.

Limitations and considerations

• On-prem solutions can lag cloud services in telemetry-driven threat intelligence and advanced EDR capabilities.
• SCEP/System Center-based protection is ideal for environments requiring offline operation but may require additional investment to match Defender for Endpoint’s threat hunting and automated remediation.
• Licensing and feature parity: some advanced threat features live only in Defender for Endpoint or Microsoft 365 plan tiers.

Example migration checklist (high-level)

1. Inventory devices and existing antimalware deployments.
2. Assess licensing for Defender for Endpoint and Endpoint Manager.
3. Pilot onboarding to Defender for Endpoint (small, representative groups).
4. Configure co-management (Intune + Configuration Manager) if needed.
5. Validate detection, telemetry, and remediation workflows.
6. Expand rollout in phases; monitor performance and incidents.
7. Decommission legacy SCEP agents once coverage is confirmed.

Conclusion

System Center (and its Configuration Manager component) remains a solid choice for organizations that need on-premises endpoint management and protection, especially in environments with strict data residency or offline requirements. However, Microsoft’s strategic direction favors cloud-native solutions—Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Endpoint Manager—for enhanced telemetry, EDR, and simplified administration. Organizations should weigh operational constraints, compliance needs, and feature requirements when choosing between maintaining System Center-based protection, adopting a hybrid model, or migrating fully to cloud-first services.