SCCM Tools : Collection Context Menu Tools

SCCM/SMS has a very nice feature enabling you to extend its context menu. The first extension that I used was 'SMSSEND.VBS' for SMS 2003, it was a very useful tool kit which encouraged me to learn how to add some tools of my own. Since then many more tools were published on the net, a very good tools pack can be downloaded from Rick Houchins Blog.

My SCCM tool collection (those I collected and those I wrote) were based on VBS,Batch and HTA, so Shay Levy my friend and a PowerShell Guru suggested that I should write a new set of tools based on PowerShell and Windows Forms. I could not say no to such a challenge so I began working on my new project. My tool kit is divided to tree section : Site Tools, Collection Tools and Systems Tools. In this post I will discuss about the collection tools.

Collection tools are divided to three groups :

Client Actions – Remotely initiate actions on SCCM components which are currently installed on the remote system.

Hardware Inventory Cycle
Software Inventory Cycle
Discovery Data Collection Cycle
Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle
Windows Installer Source List Update Cycle
Software Updates Scan Cycle
Software Updates Deployment Evaluation Cycle
Branch Distribution Point Maintenance Task
Software Metering Usage Report Cycle
AMT Auto Provisioning Policy
Software File Collection Cycle
SIDMIF file Collection Cycle
User Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle

Client Tools – Tools which help maintain your clients in a specific collection, for example : enables you to add a list of systems to the selected collection.

Rerun Advertisement
Add Systems To Collection
Restart SMS Agent Host Service
Generate New SCCM GUID
Uninstall SCCM Client

System Tools – Tools that relate to operating system and network maintenance , such as ping command - ping all the system in a given collection.

Ping Collection
Wake on LAN

The Wake on LAN Tool is based on PowerShell GUY script. Follow this check list to enable WOL.

User Interface

All the tools run under the same user interface, which is invoked after right clicking a selected collection and selecting the desired tool :

Collection Name – The name of the selected collection. The tool will run on each computer in this collection

Collection Task – The name of the Task/Tool which will be run against the computer list.

Select Advertisement – Combo box for Advertisement selection. Only Available for "ReRun Advertisement" Task.

Entry structure - AdvertisementName [AdvertisementID] , where xxx = SiteCode

Computer List – List all collection members (System Names). If "Add Systems To Collection" task is selected the computer list is editable, so you can add your own name list.

Succeed List – All the systems that passed the task with success.

Failed List - All the systems that failed to run the task.

Action Button – After task completion ,or after pressing the stop button, the action button is enabled, and you can start/resume the task.

There is a delay of few seconds before execution, giving you enough time to cancel the operation

Action Log [Tab] – Display a detailed task operation log

Status Bar – Displays a brief help for a selected item, and shows short messages during task operation.

Installation

Download SCCM Collection Tool setup file from HERE

Habib JbirSccm Administrator
Habib_jbir@hotmail.fr
+216 97 278 222
Best Regard

 

SCCM management

Improve SCCM management with these five utilities:

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) is a great tool from Microsoft that helps IT organizations gain better control over the variety of assets under their purview. SCCM offers a very good experience out of the box, but when it’s combined with add-ins and complementary utilities, it really shines. Here’s a look at five of the add-ins that I have either used or am using right now for SCCM management.

1: System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit V2

Even Microsoft knows that SCCM has some room for improvement; as such, Microsoft has made available the second version of its conglomeration of 11 useful utilities. Dubbed System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit V2, the download package contains the following utilities:

• Client Spy. Helps SCCM administrators troubleshoot problems related to software distribution, inventory, and other SCCM-based tasks.
• Delete Group Class Tool. Removes inventory group definitions.
• Desired Configuration Management Migration Tool. Migrates Systems Management Server 2003 DCM items to SCCM 2007.
• Desired Configuration Management Model Verification Tool. Validates DCM configuration items and baselines.
• Desired Configuration Management Substitution Variable Tool. Authors desired configuration management configuration items that use chained setting and object discovery.
• Management Point Troubleshooter Tool. Ensures that SCCM management points are in good operational order.
• Policy Spy. Provides SCCM administrators with a way to troubleshoot policies being applied to clients.
• Preload Package Tool. Used to manually install compressed copies of package source files on Configuration Manager 2007 sites.
• Security Configuration Wizard Template for Configuration Manager 2007. Helps administrators reduce the attack surface of Windows Server 2008 R2-based servers.
• Send Schedule Tool. Triggers a client-side evaluation of a DCM baseline.
• Trace32. A log file viewer that no SCCM administrator should try to live without.

In particular, I make regular use of Trace32/SMS Trace, which is installed as the default log file viewer on my SCCM system. In Figure A, you’ll see why Trace32 is so useful. Notice that there is a huge amount of information in each SCCM log file. Trace32 brings order to the chaos and provides additional detail in the window at the bottom of the screen. In Figure B, notice that the Management Point Troubleshooter Tool does a pretty complete job when it comes to making sure that management points are ready for action.
Figure A

Figure B

2: SCCM Autodoc

SCCM infrastructures have a ton of information about existing technology environments, and SCCM itself (once it has been deployed for a while) has a lot of its own information, including client agent details, package information, advertisement configuration, collection information, and more. The SCCM Autodoc tool provides you with a way to fully and completely document the pertinent details of your SCCM infrastructure.

I have used SCCM Autodoc in other environments but have not deployed it yet at Westminster College, so the screenshots below are taken from the sample documentation. The screenshot in Figure C is intended to give you an overview of the sheer breadth of information that is captured with SCCM Autodoc. The screenshot in Figure D gives you a look at some of the details that are captured.
Figure C

Figure D

3: PackageStatusDetailSummarizer

For those of you who are running larger SCCM organizations and need to be made aware when packages are staged and what versions of a package are available on various distribution points, a desktop gadget called PackageStatusDetailSummarizer is just what the CIO ordered. This desktop gadget works on Windows Vista and Windows 7 desktops that support Windows Sidebar and, once you provide the gadget with the package ID that you’d like to watch (Figure E), you get a look at the distribution status of the current package (Figure F). Since my SCCM environment is pretty small, I’ve also included a screenshot from the tool’s documentation (Figure G).

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

4: SCCM Copy and Paste context menu add-on

There may be times when you need to create a bunch of similar collections. Using the default method, this can be a tedious process as you manually create queries for each new collection, even if you just need to change one aspect of the query. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just copy and paste the collection details? With SCCM Copy and Paste, now you can. With this tool, you can copy and paste collections, packages, advertisements, and programs without having to recreate each and every one from scratch (Figure H).

Figure H

5: ForeFront Endpoint Protection 2010

At Westminster College, we’ve standardized our antimalware efforts around Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 (FEP) and we couldn’t be happier. In the latest version of FEP, Microsoft adopted the excellent and lightweight Microsoft Security Essentials and added enterprise management features that are critical in today’s regulated workplace. When FEP is combined with SCCM, magic happens. With the combination, you can take a hands-off maintenance approach with the FEP client, get constant at-a-glance statistics, centralized logging, and centralized management, and you get to leverage your existing management infrastructure to make it all happen.

When you add FEP into SCCM, you can quickly and easily answer a number of important questions, such as:

• What percentages of computers are currently protected?
• Are the latest definitions installed?
• What malware was detected in the organization?
• What computers currently have malware activity? You can get a report on this, too, as you can see in Figure I.

These are critical questions (answered in Figure J) and help IT take more proactive steps in preventing potential outbreaks while maintaining single-pane management.

Figure I

Figure J

Habib Jbir

Sccm Administrator
Habib_jbir@hotmail.fr
+216 97 278 222
Best Regard

System Center Configuration Manager 2012 : Future Version

System Center Configuration Manager v.Next Beta 1

System Center Configuration Manager enables a powerful user-centric approach to client management. This approach addresses the growing reality – people want to move fluidly between multiple devices and networks – by making it easier for IT to support users with configurations tied to their identity instead of to individual systems or devices. As a result, IT can help people work the way they want, practically wherever they want—with a familiar experience across different devices and contexts.

Configuration Manager provides IT a lean, unified infrastructure to deliver these new capabilities and workloads for client management, virtualization, and security. The solution puts IT in control of costs and compliance, providing an evolutionary path to new capabilities that leverage existing, people, processes, and technologies. Configuration Manager reduces the cost and complexity of IT compliance by delivering visibility, discovery, and enhanced, IT-definable remediation capabilities.

It’s all designed to help IT simply and efficiently deliver a user-centric approach to client management. And because it is built by Microsoft engineers who have exceptional knowledge of Windows, Configuration Manager delivers tight interoperability with Windows, for more effective and efficient management.

•Read the datasheet to learn more about Configuration Manager 2012
•Attend the upcoming TechNet Webcast: System Center Configuration Manager 2012 Overview
•Join the Open Beta program on Microsoft Connect to have access to product downloads and on-line labs – and engage with the product team by providing feedback and participating in newsgroup forums.


Download 2012 Beta

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=ffca869c-4a83-434e-acc9-8b2388c0c7f7&displaylang=en

Habib Jbir

Sccm Administrator

Habib_jbir@hotmail.fr

+216 97 278 222

Best Regard

The Configuration Manager Documentation Library Update for October 2010 is now live on the web

Coming from the System Center Configuration Manager documentation team is news that the Configuration Manager documentation library (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680651.aspx) has been updated on the Web with updates from September and R3 content in October. Topics that were updated for September have Updated: September 1, 2010 at the top of the topic and topics that were updated or created for R3 have Updated: October 14, 2010 at the top of the topic.



http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2010/10/20/announcement-configuration-manager-documentation-library-update-for-october-2010.aspx
 
Documents:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/tags/documentation/

Aide d'experts Blogger

System Center Configuration Manager
Habib Jbir

System Center Configuration Manager 2012 : Future Version

System Center Configuration Manager v.Next Beta 1

System Center Configuration Manager enables a powerful user-centric approach to client management. This approach addresses the growing reality – people want to move fluidly between multiple devices and networks – by making it easier for IT to support users with configurations tied to their identity instead of to individual systems or devices. As a result, IT can help people work the way they want, practically wherever they want—with a familiar experience across different devices and contexts.
Configuration Manager provides IT a lean, unified infrastructure to deliver these new capabilities and workloads for client management, virtualization, and security. The solution puts IT in control of costs and compliance, providing an evolutionary path to new capabilities that leverage existing, people, processes, and technologies. Configuration Manager reduces the cost and complexity of IT compliance by delivering visibility, discovery, and enhanced, IT-definable remediation capabilities.

It’s all designed to help IT simply and efficiently deliver a user-centric approach to client management. And because it is built by Microsoft engineers who have exceptional knowledge of Windows, Configuration Manager delivers tight interoperability with Windows, for more effective and efficient management.

•Read the datasheet to learn more about Configuration Manager 2012
•Attend the upcoming TechNet Webcast: System Center Configuration Manager 2012 Overview
•Join the Open Beta program on Microsoft Connect to have access to product downloads and on-line labs – and engage with the product team by providing feedback and participating in newsgroup forums.

Download 2012 Beta

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=ffca869c-4a83-434e-acc9-8b2388c0c7f7&displaylang=en