SCCM ConfigMgr Current Branch 2002 is available as in-console and baseline version

Microsoft releases the configuration manager production builds 3 times a year. The first production build for this year,which is configuration manager 2002 is released today and is available as an in-console update (fastring only for now) and baseline version.

You can apply this update on sites that run version  1806,1810, 1906 or 1910 from the console. You can also use this build 2002 to install new configuration manager sites.

Before we start upgrading the site to latest build ,some of the interesting features are listed below.

Following are some of the exciting features that we were all waiting to see in the production build.

tenant attach –> Device sync and device actions

Site infrastructure—> Remove a central administration site

Cloud-attached management—>Token-based authentication for cloud management gateway

Desktop Analytics—>Connection Health dashboard sh

Client management—>Client log collection

Application management—>Microsoft Edge management dashboard

OS deployment—>Improvements to Check Readiness task sequence step

Software updates—>Evaluate software updates after a servicing stack update

Reporting—>Integrate with Power BI Report Server

Configuration Manager console—>Show boundary groups for devices

For full of features with description please read https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/configmgr/core/plan-design/changes/whats-new-in-version-2002

For full list of PowerShell cmdlet changes https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/sccm/2002-release-notes?view=sccm-ps

For list of known issues https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/install/release-notes

Now we will look at, how to install the configuration manager build 2002 on the existing sites.

To install this update from the console, you must be running on 1806,1810 ,1902 or 1906 .

For now ,Microsoft has released this update via fastring . What does fastring means ? To get the update in console at this point of time,you need to run the script manually to see 2002 in console. You need to request the updates manually using script.

If you are not in rush and ok to wait for slow ring then you can simply ignore this script and continue to read the blog post.

Installation of this update via in-console is similar to previous build versions but Always review the latest checklist for installing this update. For more information, see Checklist for installing update 1906. After you update a site, also review the Post-update checklist.

For fastring ,download the PowerShell script from TechNet https://download.microsoft.com/download/7/c/4/7c48f2c7-f433-414b-a901-753a61c7956d/EnableEarlyUpdateRing2002.exe and copy it to your SCCM site server.

Extract it and run the script from PowerShell command.

1.      Launch an elevated command prompt

2.      Run PowerShell

3.      Run the EnableEarlyUpdateRing2002.ps1 script (bundled in the exe in the link above)

·         EnableEarlyUpdateRing2002.ps1 <SiteServer_Name | SiteServer_IP> where SiteServer refers to the CAS or standalone primary site server

Script will now force SMS_DP_downloader service to  to check for the update.

You can verify this from the updates and servicing node.

·         Go to \Administration\Overview\Cloud Services\Updates and Servicing and click "Check for Updates".

You will see ‘configuration manager 2002 in the console with downloading state. If it shows as available to download, you can select the update and click on download.

To see the status of the download, you can open dmpdownloader.log from SCCM installation logs folder.

Logs to check for the backend process: Hman.log ,dmpdownloader.log

You can also refer the download location at <Configmgr Install dir:\>easysetuppayload\

Wait for the download to be completed and you will see it the console with state ‘ready to install’

If the download stuck at downloading for some reason ,look at dmpdownloader.log and to start the download again, restart SMS_Executive or dmpdownloader component .

run the prerequisite check to ensure the site server meet all the requirements before the installation start.

Monitor the pre-req check for any errors.

If you don't see any errors that stop you to perform upgrade, right click on the update and select install this update.

choose the new features if you are interested. You can also select them after the installation is completed.

Choose the collection that you want to pre-production the client

we will now monitor the status of the installation using logs and also from console

For monitoring the installation status, refer to ConfigMgrSetup.log that is available at the root of the window drive and cmupdate.log available at configmgr logs folder.

you can monitor the installation status from console . Go to monitoring tab ,click on updates and servicing status node.

After a while, you should see a bar at the top of the console notifying to install.

Client on install new console version

If the above step fail to upgrade the console and you try to launch the console, you will see the image like below.

Click on Ok and it will upgrade the console for you.

Now ,update the client package which is located under packages to all distribution points .

As per your client upgrade schedule that you configured in site hierarchy settings ,it will start sending the client policy and trigger the installation of client using the task scheduler job .

you can monitor the client installation status from monitor node.

If you have used client startup script using GPO http://eskonr.com/2016/09/sccm-configmgr-how-to-implement-jason-sandys-client-startup-script-to-achieve-good-client-success-rate/ ,please update your xml file with 2002 client version else your client will reinstall on every restart.

Finally ,check the version of the site .

Site version:5.0.8968.1000

Client version:5.0.8968.1008

Once the site installation is completed and if you have secondary sites, you must manually initiate the upgrade to bring the secondary sites to the same build version to support the new features.

In the next blog, i will talk about the new features that are released in this update along with SSRS reporting .

Happy exploring new features.

Additional resources:

• What’s New in System Center Configuration Manager
• Get Ready for System Center Configuration Manager
• Evaluate Configuration Manager in a lab
• Upgrade to System Center Configuration Manager
• Documentation for System Center Configuration Manager
• System Center Configuration Manager Forums
• System Center Configuration Manager Support
• Report an issue
• Provide suggestions

In the next couple of blogs, we will explore the new features of configuration manager 2002 build.