Notes from the Mastering ConfigMgr. Current Branch 1602 class, Phoenix April 2016

Websites: 
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ff657840 – Configuration Manager 2012 download
http://innovation.connect.microsoft.com/configmgrbeta/discussions – Configuration Manager 2012 discussion list
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=083f45ca-1ede-4f7a-be74-77854c3a9b01&displaylang=en – SCUP 2011 download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=b64c2029-0f56-4606-ba0c-ea92e03541f5 – FEP2012 beta download http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/en/us/default.aspx – System Center homepage
http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/en/us/configuration-manager/cm-vnext-beta.aspx – Latest info on CM2012
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/systemcenter/cm/gg721914 – CM2012 videos
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/configurationmanager/ – Configuration Manager News groups
http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/configurationmanager/en/us/default.aspx – Config Mgr. homepage
http://www.myitforum.com/ – Great community
http://www.smsexpert.com/ – Information about MOF editing
http://www.1e.com/ – Config Mgr. addons
http://blogs.technet.com/configmgrteam/default.aspx – System Center Config Mgr. team blog
http://blogs.technet.com/b/configurationmgr/archive/2010/11/30/configmgr-2007-antivirus-scan-and-exclusion-recommendations.aspx – ConfigMgr 2007 Antivirus Scan and Exclusion Recommendations
http://wpkg.org/Java – Java install and upgrades
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg699359.aspx#CD_OOBM – New Out of Band Management features in Configuration Manager 2012
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Links.aspx – OS Deployment links
http://www.bdna.com/page/index/sccm-guru-webcast-series – webcasts on SQL, CM2012, CM07 and more
http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/jsandys/archive/2010/12/30/updated-configmgr-startup-script.aspx – CM07 Startup script
http://www.enhansoft.com/index.aspx – Download free reports
http://www.odysseysoftware.com/ – Extend support for mobile devices
http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews – Endpoint Procection and the other ones
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/7075.system-center-2012-configuration-manager-survival-guide.aspx – The System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Survival Guide 
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd334593.aspx – Creating Reports
http://stenby.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/note-to-self-providing-dhcp-to-multiple-vlans-from-one-server/ – Multiple VLANs and PXE
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/one_line_of_code_at_a_time/archive/2012/01/17/microsoft-system-center-configuration-manager-2012-package-conversion-manager-plugin.aspx – Extending the Package Conversion Manager 
http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2012/05/29/deploying-a-great-application-catalog-experience-for-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx – Creating a great catalog experience
http://blogs.technet.com/b/inside_osd/archive/2012/04/30/custom-role-based-administration-for-importing-computers.aspx – Permissions needed to import computer
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steverac/archive/2011/04/10/software-updates-internals-mms-2011-session-part-i.aspx – Deep dive into Software Updates 
http://eicar.org/85-0-Download.html – EICAR test file for Endpoint Protection
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/115/Sizing-your-ConfigMgr-2012-R2-Primary-Site-Server.aspx – Info on IOPS
http://cm12sdk.net/?p=1847 – Export maintenance windows
http://miketerrill.net/2014/09/30/configmgr-2012-r2-osd-create-your-own-ts-templates/ – build custom TS templates
http://blogs.technet.com/b/ouc1too/archive/2014/09/05/patching-office-365-with-configuration-manager-2012-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-click2rclient.aspx – Update Office 365 thru ConfigMgr
Site to site data replication flow in SMS 2003 and – Replication explained
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104 – Download Software Update Agents
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configmgrteam/2015/11/20/issue-with-the-windows-adk-for-windows-10-version-1511/ – Windows 10 ADK issues
https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/rja/dhcp-guide/ – DHCP and PXE guide   

Tools:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/tools/scripto2.mspx – Scriptomatic
http://www.myitforum.com/myITWiki/SCCMTools.ashx – SCCM Right click tools and more
http://www.myitforum.com/inc/upload/12336RegKeyToMOF.zip – Tool from Mark Cochrane to assist you in creating the correct entries in Configuration.MOF and SMS_def.mof
http://www.1e.com/Downloads/FreeTools/Index.aspx – 1E free tools (package migration tool, WMI tool, Service Window tool and more)
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/cstauffer/archive/2009/03/06/sccm-http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=3993 – Adobe Customization Wizard
http://3d2f.com/tags/magic/packet/wol/ – Apps for testing Wake On LAN https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/kea/updating-the-package-source-in-configuration-manager-2007/ – Utility to update the package source in CM2007
http://www.shavlik.com/scupdates.aspx – Shavlik SCUPdates
https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/kea/asset-intelligence-3rd-party-software-utility/ – Asset Intelligence tool
https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/kea/configuration-manager-shutdown-utility/ – Shutdown utility
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Blog/tabid/62/EntryId/49/The-Hydration-Kit-for-ConfigMgr-2012-RC2-is-available-for-download.aspx – The Configuration Manager 2012 RC2 Hydration kit 
http://www.windowstouch.fr/archive/2012/01/29/sccm-2012-mise-224-jour-v0-7-du-stencil-visio-pour-configmgr-2012.aspx . Visio Stencils
http://blogs.technet.com/b/neilp/archive/2012/03/18/long-live-right-click-tools-system-center-2012-configuration-manager-console-extensions.aspx – Learn to build your own right click tools 
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=29265 – ConfigMgr 2012 toolkit
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/iconsext.html – Icon extracter for the Application Catalog
http://patchmypc.net/scup – SCUP catalog
http://secunia.com/products/ – Download PSI and CSI
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39079 – Download Windows Intune Windows Phone 8 POC kit
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-ManageMP-WINPE-6c0ccf0f · ConfigMgr ManageMP for WINPE
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Client-Push-Manager-f57bf581 – ConfigMgr Client Push Manager
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-SwitchMP-87d61073 – ConfigMgr SwitchMP
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/CustomDDR-for-ConfigMgr-831d30d5 – ConfigMgr CustomDDR
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-Inbox-Monitor-77620e1c– ConfigMgr Inbox Monitor
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-Component-Manager-515412d8 – ConfigMgr Component Manager
http://wmug.co.uk/wmug/b/r0b/archive/2012/11/03/osd-device-branding-asset-check.aspx – ConfigMgr AssetCheck
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Cleanup-in-AD-deleted-b80e452d – AD Cleanup tool
https://falckbloggen.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/configuration-manager-2012-and-deploy-agent-to-dmz/ – Runbook to deploy workgroup clients

Other sites:
http://www.truesec.com/news – Sign up for the TrueSec newsletter

Blogs:
http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/default.aspx – The ConfigMgr. support team
http://blogs.technet.com/wemd_ua_-_sms_writing_team/ – The ConfigMgr. writers team

Collection design for Software Update Management

1 Update group pr. month with x-number of deployments (pilot deployment, workstation deployment, server manual and server automatic) The server automatic collection looks like this:

Includes the different maintenance “child” collections and excludes all server that are member of the manual update colleciton.

Inventory files

To prevent software inventory in a certain folder/drive create a hidden file called skpwi.dat and place the file in the root of the folder/drive.

To prevent the Inventory agent from deleting inventory xml files from the client; create a file called archive_reports.sms and place it in the hardware inventory temp folder %systemroot%\system32\ccm\inventory\temp\. This can be very useful when you want to track the size of each inventory file.

Troubleshooting client deployment

Site server log file:

• CCM.log – check for errors related to copying the ccmsetup.exe file to the client

Client log files:

• The installation process
  • ccmseup.log
  • client.msi.log
• The site assignment process
  • clientidmanager.log
  • clientlocation.log
• The policy process
  • policyagent.log
  • policyevaluator.log

WMI related errors

Before you start deleting and rebuilding the WMI repository check this in the listed order. If one step works the repository works

• Perform some basic WMI testing – http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2007/06/22/basic-wmi-testing.aspx
• Check DCOM, WMI permissions and GPO settings
• Open a command prompt with admin rights and type wmic computersystem get model
• Open a command prompt with admin rights and type winmgmt /verifyrepository
• Open a command prompt with admin rights and type winmgmt /Resetrepository

Collections:

Servers that haven’t scanned for hw inventory in 7 days or more:
select * from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_WORKSTATION_STATUS on SMS_G_System_WORKSTATION_STATUS.ResourceId = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_R_System.OperatingSystemNameandVersion like "%server%" and (DateDiff(day, SMS_G_System_WORKSTATION_STATUS.LastHardwareScan, GetDate()) >=7)

Inventory

Flush local inventory data on client:
WMIC /namespace:\\root\ccm\invagt path inventoryActionStatus where InventoryActionID="{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001}" DELETE /NOINTERACTIVE

Reports:

Software installed the last 7 days:

SELECT TOP (100) PERCENT
dbo.v_R_System.Name0,
dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName0,
dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0,
DATEDIFF(Day, CONVERT(date,dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0), GETDATE()) AS [days since installed]

FROM
dbo.v_R_System INNER JOIN
dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS ON
dbo.v_R_System.ResourceID = dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.ResourceID

WHERE
(SELECT ISDATE(dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0)) = 1

GROUP BY
dbo.v_R_System.Name0,
dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName0,
dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0,
DATEDIFF(Day, CONVERT(date,dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0), GETDATE())

HAVING
(
(CASE WHEN (ISDATE(dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0))=1 THEN
(DATEDIFF(Day, CONVERT(date,dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0), GETDATE()))
ELSE 500
END) > 0 AND
(CASE WHEN (ISDATE(dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0))=1 THEN
(DATEDIFF(Day, CONVERT(date,dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.InstallDate0), GETDATE()))
ELSE 500
END) < 7
)

Windows 7 client up time

SELECT os.Caption0 AS ‘Operating System’, cs.Name0 AS Name, DATEDIFF(hour, os.LastBootUpTime0, ws.LastHWScan) AS ‘Uptime (in Hours)’, CONVERT(varchar(20),
os.LastBootUpTime0, 100) AS ‘Last Reboot Date/Time’, CONVERT(varchar(20), ws.LastHWScan, 100) AS ‘Last Hardware Inventory’
FROM v_GS_WORKSTATION_STATUS AS ws LEFT OUTER JOIN
v_GS_OPERATING_SYSTEM AS os ON ws.ResourceID = os.ResourceID INNER JOIN
v_GS_COMPUTER_SYSTEM AS cs ON cs.ResourceID = os.ResourceID
WHERE (os.Caption0 LIKE ‘%Windows 7%’) AND (ws.LastHWScan <> 0) AND (cs.Name0 IS NOT NULL)
ORDER BY Name

Backup

As part of the backup process, Configuration Manager will look for a file called AfterBackup.bat. in the .\Microsoft Configuration Manager\inboxes\smsbkup.box. To copy the backup files to another location, create an new file called AfterBackup.bat with this command:

Robocopy D:\CM2012.bck \\File01\backup\CM01 /MIR

For CM07 servers you can also add this lines to generate a list of install patches:

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Updates\System Center Configuration Manager 2007\SP2" /s > D:\CM2007.bck\CMpatches.txt

This will copy the backup files to another server share.

Speed up the pxe process:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SMS\DP\RamDiskTFTPBlockSize

Type Reg_Dword
Value: 16384 Dec       

Please Google/Bing RamDiskTFTPBlockSize first and check the different issues

SQL

SQL Replication

Uses DRS (data Replication Services), replication method based on the Service Broker. It’s a custom replication method for ConfigMgr. 2012 use the Replication Link Analyzer for troubleshooting.

Checking SQL version

SELECT SERVERPROPERTY(‘productversion’), SERVERPROPERTY (‘productlevel’), SERVERPROPERTY (‘edition’)

10.50. 2811.0 is SQL 2008 R2 SP1 with CU6

Update the statistics

Sp_updatestats – http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms173804.aspx 

Skipping Silverlight as part of the client installation

\\CM04\SMS_PS1\Client\ccmsetup.exe /MP:CM04 /skipprereq:Silverlight.exe