SCCM

SCCM (A.K.A ConfigMgr) Explained
SCCM is Microsoft Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager. This solution is used by most of the organizations in the world to manage their enterprise devices. This is the best resource to Learn and troubleshoot on issues.

How is SCCM (A.K.A ConfigMgr) Used?
SCCM solution is mainly used to manage Windows devices. But it has rich capability to manage and Mac OS devices as well. As per Microsoft, this tool is managing more than 75% of enterprise devices of the world. Linux and Unix devices are not supported by MEMCM (A.K.A Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager)

How CAN SCCM Be Applied to Your Organization?
This solution can be used to install the application within your organization. OS deployment is another feature of this solution used within most of the enterprises. Another important use of this solution is to deploy patches across the enterprise and secure those devices.

There are 1000000 devices managed by this solution around the world. And SCCM device management solution is used within organizations to deploy millions of applications.

Server Client Application
This solution is a server-client application. All the managed clients’ inventory is stored in the CM SQL database.

SCCM Core infrastructure, Updates for Configuration Manager, Supported configurations for Configuration Manager, Cloud-attached management of CM, Co-management for Windows 10,
Manage clients on the internet, Windows as a service, CMPivot, Application management.

Other Uses for SCCM

SCCM can used for Manage apps from the Microsoft Store for Business, OS deployment, Introduction to OS deployment, Upgrade to Windows 10, Phased deployments, Software update management, Introduction to software updates management, Manage Office 365 ProPlus updates.

SCCM MVP community group is one of the known community groups in the IT Industry.

SCCM 1802 New Features

SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS

Let us learn about SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS. Microsoft SCCM product group released a new preview version 1802.

I believe SCCM 1802 is the feature-rich version preview version since TP 1706. SCCM TP 1706 had 20 new features, whereas TP 1802 had 21 new features or improvements.

First, this 1802 version is a technical preview (TP) of SCCM. I hope the production SCCM CB 1802 will be released in March. But I don’t expect all the features released in the 1802 TP version will be available in the production version.

The above video explains the new features of the SCCM CB 1802 preview version. You can subscribe to the YouTube channel to learn more about SCCM/Intune/Windows 10. The video tutorial explains most of the features and improvements.

SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS – Video 1

Delivery Optimization (DO) for Enterprises

SCCM integration with Windows 10 DO is one of the best ways to improve enterprises’ caching solutions. I think SCCM peer cache features will also be integrated with Windows DO in the future.

There is no need for two caching solutions, such as SCCM peer cache and Windows 10 DO. I know the SCCM peer cache would be useful for backward compatibility.

In this SCCM 1802 preview release, you have new client settings to configure and control  DO with SCCM boundary group IDs. More details about Delivery Optimisation.

SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM - PXE without WDS - Fig.1
SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS – Fig.1

SCCM CMG Supports Azure Resource Manager (ARM)

The SCCM 1802 (preview) release supports Azure ARM deployment. In previous versions of SCCM, CMG support was available only with cert-based authentication. The SCCM CMG Azure PaaS servers are deployed via Azure Classic Service Deployment.

Azure Resource Manager Deployment is better from a role segregation perspective. You don’t need to use certificate-based authentication for an ARM. Instead, we can use user-based authentication.

The SCCM Cloud Management Gateway wizard still provides a classic service deployment option using an Azure management certificate.

Microsoft recommends using the Azure Resource Manager deployment model for all new CMG instances to simplify resource implementation and management. If possible, redeploy existing CMG instances through Resource Manager.

The Azure AWS Beginners Guide for IT Professionals post will help you understand Azure solutions.

SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM - PXE without WDS - Fig.2
SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS – Fig.2

21 Features and Improvements of SCCM 1802

SCCM is integrating more with Azure Active Directory and other Azure IaaS and PaaS solutions. I recommend that the SCCM admin have basic knowledge of these solutions. 

21 Features and Improvements of SCCM 1802
Transition Endpoint Protection workload to Intune using CO-MGMT
Configure Windows Delivery Optimization (DO) to use SCCM boundary groups
Windows 10 in-place upgrade TS via CMG
Improvements to Windows 10 in-place upgrade TS
Improvements to PXE-enabled DP without WDS
Deployment Templates for TS
Product Lifecycle dashboard
Improvements to Reporting
Hide Installed apps in the Software Center
Jason supports Run Scripts
Boundary group Fallback periods in minutes for MPs
Improved support for CNG certificates
CMG support for Azure Resource Manager
Approve application requests for users per device
Use Software Center to browse & install user-available applications on AADJ devices.
Report on Windows AutoPilot device information
Improvements to SCCM Policies for Windows Device Exploit Guard
Microsoft Edge browser policies
Report for default browser counts
Support for Windows 10 ARM64 devices
Changes to Phased Deployments
SCCM 1802 Preview CMG Supports Azure ARM – PXE without WDS – Table 1

References

Capabilities in Technical Preview 1802 for SCCM

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Author

Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 10 years! He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career etc…

Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments

Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801

Let us learn Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801. Microsoft SCCM product group released SCCM CB preview 1801 with many new features. I think they are getting all set for the big bang SCCM CB 1802 production release with loads of new features.

The video tutorial “Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments” here can give you a visual experience of all of my favorite features of 1801.

This post covers everything you need to know about adjusting the offset days for phased deployments using SCCM 1801.

We will break down how to reassign these settings in simple steps, making it easier to manage your deployment schedule effectively. Whether you are new to SCCM or need a refresher, this guide will help you navigate the process smoothly.

My Favorite Features of SCCM 1801 Preview

Reassign DPs and Phased deployment features are limited to the SCCM admin console experience. The SCCM CB 1801 client side is NOT ready to test these features. The table below provides more details.

My Favorite Features of SCCM 1801 Preview
Reassign DPs
ADR Offset Days schedule
Phased Deployments for Task Sequences
Software Center Live Preview
Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 – Table 1

How to Reassign DPs in SCCM?

Reassigning DPs is my favorite feature of SCCM 1801. I know that SCCM admins have struggled for ages to migrate TBs of content from one DP server to another DP server. In most cases, this could be because of changes or redesigns of SCCM hierarchies.

Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 - Fig.1
Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 – Fig.1

SCCM 1801 has additional functionality to move a distribution point (DP) from a primary site to another primary site or from under a secondary spot to a primary site.

  • \Administration\Overview\Distribution Points

SCCM ADR Challenge of 2nd Tuesday

Creating ADRs when part of Asia and Australia is always a challenge. Microsoft releases patches every second Tuesday, but for some parts of the world (the Asia continent), it won’t be Tuesday.

Hence, a special script of manual intervention is required for patch Tuesday ADR to work correctly.

Offset Days option in custom Automatic Deployment Rule (ADR) schedule. As I mentioned above, improvements to the Automatic Deployment Rule evaluation schedule are helpful. You can now schedule an ADR evaluation to be offset from a base day.

Check if a custom schedule that deploys updates offset from a base day has been created. The video tutorial “Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments” provides more details.

\Software Library\Overview\Software Updates\Automatic Deployment Rules
Custom – Monthly – 2nd Tuesday – Offset (days)

Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 - Fig.2
Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 – Fig.2

Software Center “Live Preview” from SCCM Client Settings

Improvements to Client Settings for the Software Center are really modern stuff from the SCCM team. You don’t need to deploy NEW software center client settings to devices and test changes.

Instead, you can see the live preview on the SCCM console. Thank you for making the SCCM admin’s life easier!!

The video tutorial “Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments” provides more details of the software center customization live experience.

Enabling the ‘Hide unapproved applications in the Software Center’ setting in the new Software Center client settings is another option. 

The client settings for Software Center now have a Customise button where users can preview their customization before deploying them to machines. Users can also hide unapproved applications in the Software Center.

  • \Administration\Overview\Client Settings
Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 - Fig.3
Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments with SCCM 1801 – Fig.3

Phased Deployments for SCCM Task Sequences

SCCM Phased deployments automate a coordinated, sequenced rollout of software without creating multiple implementations. This feature is available only for Task Sequences in this version of SCCM. I hope it will be useful for Windows 10 servicing models.

I assume phased deployments are getting input from status filtering rules. Status filter rules will check the criteria for phased rollout, and if the deployment failure is more than 5% (this % can be customized), it will automatically STOP the deployment.

  • \Software Library\Overview\Operating Systems\Task Sequences

In this Technical Preview version, the phased deployment wizard can be completed for task sequences in the admin console. However, deployments are not created. Following is the example of phased deployment from my lab environment. 

More details are available in the video tutorial “Reassign DPs Offset Days Phased Deployments“.

Phased Deployment Configuration
• Phased Deployment Name: Phase Deployment
• Phased Deployment Description:
Collections in this Phased Deployment
• Collection(s): TP100017
• Collection(s): SMSDM003

Resources

Capabilities in Technical Preview 1801 for System Center Configuration Manager

We are on WhatsApp now. To get the latest step-by-step guides, news, and updates, Join our Channel. Click here. HTMD WhatsApp.

Author

Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 10 years! He is a Workplace Solution Architect with more than 22+ years of experience in Workplace technologies. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM and Intune. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security, Career etc…