Let’s understand what is SCCM pre-release features. Why it’s called pre-release features? Whether it’s ok to enable these pre-released features in production or not.
Pre-release features are features that are in the SCCM CB for early testing in a production environment. These features are fully supported by Microsoft support teams. However, Microsoft thinks these features are not fully developed.
You need to agree and give consent to use prerelease features in SCCM. This is a bit scary step for some of the SCCM admins and organizations. This is why most of the admins are confused about whether this is fully supported to use in production or not.
You can’t turn on the pre-release features until you give your consent. This means you can’t use any new pre-release features included with the latest version of SCCM until you have enabled the consent checkbox explained in the below section of this post.
Let’s see how to fix the issue related to SCCM Pre-Release Features are Grayed Out. The option “Turn On” is grayed out when you try to enable the “Orchestration Group” pre-release feature of SCCM. In this post, we learn how to fix this issue.
Related Post – SCCM List of Full Features Vs Pre-Release Features | 2002
Why Pre-Release Tag for Some SCCM Features
As per Microsoft documentation, the Pre-release features are that are currently for early “testing” in a production environment. However, you can use these features in a production environment and are fully supported.
But then why it’s still called Preview features or Pre-Released Features?
Because those features are still in active development. They might receive changes until they move out of the pre-release category.
SCCM Pre-Release Feature
Configuration Manager Pre-release features are features that are in the current branch for early testing in a production environment. The Pre-release features are fully supported by Microsoft. Why have some features are in still pre-release status for a long time?
The only reason that Microsoft provides for a feature being in the pre-release category is that it’s still in active development. Those features might receive changes until they move out of the pre-release category.
Issues Statement
Let’s see what is the issue or feature we are trying to fix.
- Navigate to \Administration\Overview\Updates and Servicing\Features
- Right-Click on any of the pre-release Features and select Turn on
- But the Turn button is Grayed Out as you can see in the below screen capture
Fix Pre-Release Features are Grayed Out
Turn on option is enabled only if you have already given consent for using pre-release features. So, let’s agree to terms for using pre-release features in your SCCM production environment.
NOTE! – Giving consent is a one-time action per ConfigMgr hierarchy that you can’t undo. And after you turn on a pre-release feature, you can’t turn it off.
- Launch ConfigMgr console
- Go to the Administration workspace, expand Site Configuration, and select the Sites node.
- Click Hierarchy Settings in the ribbon.
- On the General tab of Hierarchy Settings Properties, enable the option to consent to use pre-release features. Click OK.
Turn On – Pre-Release Feature
Let’s turn on the pre-release feature now!
- Navigate to Administration workspace – Updates and Servicing node.
- Click on the Features node.
- Select a feature (orchestration group, Application Group, or Task Sequence as an app model deployment type install method), and then click Turn on in the ribbon.
This feature will now be replicated and turned on on all site servers in your configuration manager hierarchy. After the process is completed the Configuration Manager console will update itself the next time console starts.
Click on Yes to Turn on the feature.
NOTE! – Log File HMAN.log is your friend to check the pre-Release feature-related issues. You need to restart the console to make the new pre-release features VISIBLE in the console (after Turning on activity).
Orchestration Group is missing from the console? Let’s TURN ON the pre-release feature as mentioned above.
Results
After the restart of the SCCM 2002 console, I could see the pre-release feature “Task Sequence as an app model deployment type install method” available in the console.
List of Full Features of SCCM 2002
Let’s check out the list of fully supported or fully developed features of SCCM 2002 as an example here.
Feature | Added as pre-release | Added as a Full Feature |
---|---|---|
Azure Active Directory user group discovery from SCCM | Version 1906 | Version 2002 |
Synchronize collection membership results to Azure AD | Version 1906 | Version 2002 |
CMPivot standalone | Version 1906 | Version 2002 |
SMS Provider administration service | Version 1810 | Version 1906 |
Enhanced HTTP site system | Version 1806 | Version 1810 |
Client apps for co-managed devices (previously known as Mobile apps for co-managed devices) | Version 1806 | Version 2002 |
Package conversion manager | Version 1806 | Version 1810 |
Phased deployments | Version 1802 | Version 1806 |
Windows Defender Application Control management | Version 1702 | Version 1906 |
List of Preview Pre-Release Features
The following is the list of pre-release features of SCCM 2002 (updated on April 2nd, 2020).
Feature | Added as Pre-Release | Added as a Full Feature |
---|---|---|
Orchestration groups | Version 2002 | |
Task sequence deployment type | Version 2002 | |
Remove the central administration site | Version 2002 | |
Task sequence debugger | Version 1906 | |
Application groups | Version 1906 | |
Servicing a cluster-aware collection (Server groups) | Version 1602 |
Resources
- SCCM 2002 Installation Step by step guide
- ConfigMgr 2002 List of New Features Enhancements MEMCM SCCM