agent

Updating Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Client Package to UR4

When you install UR4 for Configuration Manager 2012 R2 one of the things it doesn’t do is update your base client install package. As a result of this, newly installed agents will still install the out-of-the-box version 5.00.7958.1000 of the agent not the UR4 version 5.00.7958.1501. It goes without saying that we don’t want newly deployed agents to have to install and them straight away afterwards, update to UR4 because it makes sense to incorporate this update at install time.

One of the most common ways to apply an update rollup is using the PATCH MSI parameter in both your Client Push Client Installation Settings and also in your Setup ConfigMgr step in any Operating System Deployment Task Sequences. Not only does this mean updating it in two places at minimum but if you have a number of task sequences, it could be even more.

In this post, I’m covering to explain a great method of getting UR4 installed with a new agent that was posted by a blogger named Matt at http://www.m4ttmcg.com/2013/05/sccm-2012-client-push-including.html. This process is deemed to be not officially supported however using the PATCH parameter isn’t exactly filled with support and joy and with this method being easier, it makes it all the more promising.

The Configuration Manager Client Agent installation by default looks to a sub-folder of the Client directory called ClientPatch and installs any .msp files it finds as part of the installation, installing multiple patches alphabetically in order.

To do this, on your Primary Site Server, navigate to the local file system path where the update patch .msp file is stored. On my server this is located at D:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\hotfix. In the hotfix directory will be a folder for any updates that you have installed which in my case is UR4 or KB3026739 and then there are subsequent subfolders for AdminConsole, Client, SCUP and Server.

Open the Client folder and then you will see more folders for x86 and x64 for the two client architectures.

SCCM Client Hotfix Folder

In another Windows Explorer window, open the folder for the Client Agent in the site which is used by both the Client Package and the path for the Client share on the site server. On my server, the share is located at D:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Client.

In the Client folder are two subfolders for x86 and x64 for the two architectures of the client agent. In each architecture folder (the screenshots herein are all for the x64 architecture but simply repeat for x86) create a folder called ClientPatch.

SCCM Client ClientPatch Folder

In the ClientPatch folder you just created, copy the .msp file for the KB (UR4 in my case) and then repeat this for the other architecture so that both x86 and x64 client folders have a ClientPatch subfolder and the appropriate .msp file to match the architecture.

Once you have updated both of the client folders, head over to your Configuration Manager Admin Console and the Software Library and then navigate your library to locate the Configuration Manager Client Package. Right-click on the software package and select the Update Distribution Points option.

SCCM Client Update Distribution Points

Once your package has been updated on all of your distribution points, you’re set. Your client package now includes the UR4 update .msp file and any new client installations such as Client Push or via an Operating System Deployment Task Sequence will be installed with the UR4 update automatically with no need to update your Installation Parameters with the PATCH option.

Monitoring SQL Server Agent Jobs with SCOM Guide

Late last night, I published a TechNet Guide that I have been working on recently entitled “Monitoring SQL Server Agent Jobs with SCOM”. Here’s the introduction from the document.

All good database administrators (DBAs) create jobs, plans and tasks to keep their SQL servers in tip top shape but a lot of the time, insight as to the status of these jobs is left either unturned like an age old stone or is done by configuring SQL Database Mail on your SQL servers so that email alerts are generated which means you have additional configuration being done on every server to configure this and it’s yet another thing to manage.

In this guide, I am going to walk you through configuring a System Center Operations Manager 2012 R2 environment to extend the monitoring of your SQL Servers to include the health state of your SQL Server Agent Jobs, allowing you to keep an eye on not just the SQL Server platform but also on the jobs that run to make the platform healthy.

You can download the guide from the TechNet Gallery at https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/SQL-Server-Agent-Jobs-with-f2b7d5ce. Please rate the guide to let me know whether you liked it or not using the star system on TechNet. I welcome your feedback in the Q&A.