Microsoft has released its latest update for SCCM current branch, version 1806. This upgrade released as an in console upgrade so without many hassles you can upgrade your configuration manager to the latest. 1806 is kind of a special because it contains few new features that most of us waited for. From this article, I’m not going to talk about all the released features, but only the major improvements of the upgrade.
Over the time SCCM has become a critical system for organizations and HA is a most waited feature. With 1806 this HA is addressed to standalone primary site server role. You can install an additional site server in passive mode. The site server in passive mode is in addition to your existing site server that is in active mode. A site server in passive mode is available for immediate use when needed.
Also, Site server HA will facilitate your future goals such as move SCCM to Azure or new hardware, you can build your passive server in Azure and shift from active to passive without any downtime.
To enable HA your SCCM environment should address the following
Administrators require current data to take actions and make changes which are necessary to the organization. They don’t want to wait till the next policy cycle to run, such as software/hardware inventory cycles. But receiving real-time data should not impact your network and performance of the infrastructure. Real-time actions running in a separate channel separated from conventional policy cycles such as software/hardware. When admin requests an action, SCCM sends the request to the client and receive that specific data. CMPivot tool and Run scripts are built in top of it.
CMPivot tool
Starting in version 1806, CMPivot is a new in-console utility that now provides access to real-time state of devices in your environment. It immediately runs a query on all currently connected devices in the target collection and returns the results. Then filter and group this data in the tool. By providing real-time data from online clients, you can more quickly answer business questions, troubleshoot issues, and respond to security incidents.
With 1806, cloud management gateway also acts as a cloud distribution point. So, you can eliminate Cloud DP’s and use CMG for both serving clients from internet and DP function using Azure blob storage. CMG will reduce the management, administration overhead and the number of certificates required to configure. With these new changes following improvements are also introduced.
Cloud Management Gateway Dashboard
CMG dashboard is added to the monitoring node and it consists centralized overview for management of CMG usage, connected users, connections with real-time data.
Cloud distribution point support for Azure Resource Manager
When creating Cloud distribution points, you have an option to select create the DP in Azure Resource Manager in the wizard. This will spin up necessary resources in Azure to support the DP.
Pull-distribution points support cloud distribution points as a source
Now you can use the cloud distribution point in Azure as a source to a pull-distribution point in the local data center. In the example you can use cloud DP in Azure to share contents to a geographically separated remote DP, it will use the Internet to download the content to save bandwidth from your WAN links.
Up to this time, if you want to deploy Operating system deploying distribution point with PXE support it requires Server Operating system because WDS (Windows deployment service) is mandatory to run PXE response. With the release of 1806, this requirement is waved off. You don’t need WDS to run PXE enabled DP. I know its huge because it saves a lot of license cost when you are having multiple remote OSD distribution points.
Software center customization
There is a new setting for the software center in default client settings which you can specify company name, colors, and logo. Also, you can control the software center tabs that you are going to expose to the users. New software center has a custom URL which you can publish your help desk or IT support web page.
Improved application approval process
Third-party software updates
New software updates compliance report - Compliance 9 - Overall health and compliance
CMTrace installed with the client
Autopilot for existing devices
Hope this post is useful
Cheers