This is a quick post, to detail how we can install Configuration Manager client updates as a part of Client Deployment within Configuration Manager 2012 R2. There are multiple ways to achieve this task and the below explained method would be the easiest to configure. Problem: Due to multiple Cumulative updates for Configuration Manager 2012. How to Install Configuration Manager 2012 Clients Manually October 25, 2012 seneej Leave a comment Go to comments SCCM client software can be found in the Client folder in the SCCM site server.
- Configuration Manager Client Package
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When working with System Center Configuration Manager 2007, 2012, or 2012 R2, one of your primary tasks is to ensure that the Configuration Manager Client Agent is successfully installed and running properly. The agent must be running to make client configuration changes, to deploy software, to inventory the system, to process compliance audits, etc.
Configuration Manager Client Package
Many folks think they can verify that the Configuration Manager Client Agent is fully installed and functional as soon as the Control Panel item appears as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. The client agent in Control Panel.
Unfortunately that’s not quite correct. The Configuration Manager applet is there because it is installed. That isn’t proof that the client is functional.
The “final” verification usually comes from an administrator clicking the Configuration Manager applet to show the Configuration Manager Agent properties as shown on Figure 2.
Figure 2. The Configuration Manager Agent’s properties.
The administrator sees the client properties, verifies that the Assigned Management Point is indeed the correct SCCM server running as a Management Point, and exclaims, “I’m done!” Often this happens about 10 seconds after installation is complete.
Nope, not quite Q.E.D. based on that data. Seeing the correct information on the General tab is nice but isn’t verification of functionality. The client agent can still be nonfunctional. For example, the client may not be able to communication with the Management Point, or the client’s Site Code may not match the site’s assigned code.
Really Verifying Client Functionality
The easy way to confirm that the client is retrieving and processing SCCM policy is to first look at the Configuration Manager Properties dialog. Especially important is to note the Actions tab and the total number of tabs as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. The important bits.
This client agent is installed but has not yet retrieved or processed policy. I can tell that from the two elements indicated by red arrows:
There is one row of tabs in this dialog box.
There are two actions in the Actions list.
Compare this with a Configuration Manager Properties dialog box that has successfully processed policy at least once as shown in Figure 4.
Installing Configuration Manager Client Agents
Figure 4. A very happy Configuration Manager Client Agent.
This dialog box shows the default SCCM Client Policy applied to the same client as in Figure 3. Two rows of tabs and more than two actions (usually lots more) are confirmation that policy has applied.
How Did The Client Get The Policy
How did I get the client to retrieve and process the policy in this example?
I waited.
I waited just a little more than 2 minutes, and then reopened the dialog box. I did not click Run Now, I did not reboot the computer, I did not defrag the hard drive, run ipconfig/release, install an add-on tool, restart services, or do anything else. In this case I actually refilled my water glass, said a quick hello to a coworker, and then returned to find the client updated and happy.
If the client is deployed correctly it will automatically retrieve the policy after it has been running for a short time. And assuming that the Client Policy is the default, it will retrieve and update policy every 15 minutes thereafter. No action is necessary to make this work.
Enjoy and happy configuring!
Mike Danseglio -CISSP / MCSE / CEH
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor
Mike Danseglio teaches Security classes at Interface Technical Training. His classes can be attended in Phoenix, Arizona or online from anywhere in the world with RemoteLive.
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Configuration Manager, Configuration Manager applet, Configuration Manager client, Configuration Manager Client Agent, Management Point, Microsoft System Center, SCCM, SCCM Client Policy, System Center, System Center Client Install, System Center ConfigMgr
When working with System Center Configuration Manager 2007, 2012, or 2012 R2, one of your primary tasks is to ensure that the Configuration Manager Client Agent is successfully installed and running properly. The agent must be running to make client configuration changes, to deploy software, to inventory the system, to process compliance audits, etc.
If you’re like me, you want to be certain that the client agent is always installed on new computers. You can do that by deploying the client agent in one of many methods including:
- SCCM client push
- Group Policy software deployment
- Runonce registry entry on new images
- Part of a Task Sequence
- Baked into a reference image
- PowerShell script
For this article I’m focusing on the Client Push method. It’s built in to SCCM and is relatively painless to setup.
Automatic Client Agent Deployment with Client Push
To have SCCM do the hard work of finding new clients and then deploying the agent to them automatically, two components are required.
First, you must configure SCCM for one or more Discovery Methods. The details of setting that up are the subject of a separate article, but for now you should verify that at least one Active Directory Discovery method, or the Network Discovery method, shows as Enabled. This is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Plenty of discovery happening here.
The second component is configuring Client Push Installation at the site level. To do this:
Open the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager console.
Installing Configuration Manager Client Agent Slow
Click the Administration node, expand the Site Configuration node, and then click Sites.
Select the site you want to configure for automatic Client Push installations.
On the ribbon, click Settings, click Client Installation Settings, and then click Client Push Installation. This is a bit tricky to find, and is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. The elusive Client Push Installation option.
This will open the Client Push Installation Properties dialog box as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. We’re almost home free!
Now all you need to do is click to select Enable automatic site-wide client push installation. Verify that the other settings are correct for your environment, and then click OK.
Note: Never click Apply and then OK immediately after. It’s bad form. OK includes Apply.
That’s all it takes! Now when clients are added to the SCCM database through a Discovery Method, SCCM will send a Client Push to deploy the agent and begin client management.
Enjoy and happy configuring!
Mike Danseglio -CISSP / MCSE / CEH
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor
Interface Technical Training – Technical Director and Instructor
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TagsConfiguration Manager Resume
Client Push, Configuration Manager Client Agent, Network Discovery, SCCM, SCCM Client, SCCM client push, Site Configuration node, System Center automatic deployment, System Center Configuration Manager