Writer: Pertti Pellonpoika, FM, MCT, VCI, VCIX, VCAP
https://www.linkedin.com/in/perttipellonpoika/
@PPellonpoika
My selection of tools is based on what I have used, my customers have used and what they have asked for (need of customer). Some new but some so old that we, who have been working with SCCM over 10 year do not remember to tell about these to newbies. Some from Microsoft but mostly from 3rd party Sources. Some from steady companies, but many from (clever) individualist. So, I do not take any responsibility (I do not take SCCM Base product neither). And credit to makers not for me (‘Stealing with Pride’).
Learning, trying, testing
- Minimal Guide for building your lab:https://docs.microsoft.com/fi-fi/sccm/core/get-started/set-up-your-lab & https://docs.microsoft.com/fi-fi/windows/deployment/windows-10-poc-sc-config-mgr#install-system-center-configuration-manager
- Hydration Kit for Building your own Lab environment
- Building your Lab at Azure
- Prerequisites Tool (Nickolaj Andersen) It’s easy, but I recommend to do it yourself
- Ready to use Lab Kit
Part (or almost) of the product
- CMtrace …
- CCMEval …
- PowerShell (ConfigurationManager.psd1) …
- ADK
- Used by SCCM and tools for you to make customized unattended file etc.
- MDT
- Task Sequence additions and specially UDI
Part (or almost) of the product
Included Old ClientTools
Deployment Monitoring Tool – troubleshooting deployments
Client Spy – software distribution, inventory, and software metering
Policy Spy – viewing and troubleshooting the policy
Included Old ServerTools
Content Library Explorer – Detailed view of every file in Distribution Point
Client Support Center
Replaces Client Spy & Policy Spy, Includes LogViewer
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=42645
Now included in Tech Preview
SCCM SQL Database management
Client objects in SCCM
- Config Mgr Inactive Computer Remover (Zeki Yardim)
- Only if you don’t have working process for it
- AD Disabled computer remover (Mick Pletcher)
- Only if you don’t have working process for it
- Remove computers from SCCM that are no longer in a SCCM AD discovery container (Mike Steinke)
Client Install and Repair
- Client Push Manager (Robert Marshall)
- To Manage Push installations
ConfigMgr Client Health (Anders Rodland)
- https://www.andersrodland.com/configmgr-client-health/
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-Client-Health-ccd00bd7
- Only if you really feel that you need it
- Client Startup Script (Jason Sandys)
Client Management
- Client Center
- https://github.com/rzander/sccmclictr
- http://sccmclictr.azurewebsites.net/ClickOnce/
- Direct Client Management
- Needs winrm quickconfig in targets
- Now Micro Right Click Tools
- http://www.nowmicro.com/recast/
- More and more in SCCM base product
and can be made with SCCM Client
Notification+Script+CMPivot but still nice to have - Requires: Connection from Console, DNS,
Firewall exceptions, Admin Rights to target
Collections & Queries
- Set of Operational SCCM Collections (Benoit Lacours)
- Ultimate SCCM Query Collection List (Anders Rodland)
- Creating dynamic Collections
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/SCCM-Creating-Collections-cf9b6f1c
- https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/powershell/tan/create-user-collections-based-on-ad-department-with-powershell/
- http://www.nowconfig.com/threads/sql-query-builder-to-convert-o365-version-to-build.165/
- (Good examples of making dynamic Collections for your own need)
- Collection Direct Membership User interface (Add2Collection)
Inventory extensions
Inventory
It is easy to browse WMI Classes, beyond that:
There are dozens of examples of extending hardware inventory
To help extending inventory to collect of whatever machine registry information – use – old (updated) – and still valuable tool is RegKeyToMof
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/RegKeyToMof-28e84c28
Reporting 1
SUG Compliance Dashboard (Free rdl) (Simon Bouillard)
Reporting 2
SCCM Dashboard (Free rdl) (Cordos Octavian)
Reporting 3
Yet Another Software Update Dashboard (Free rdl) (Bryan Dam)
Reporting 4
Collections (Free and not free)
- https://sccmf12twice.com/reports/
- https://www.systemcenterdudes.com/products-list/
- https://www.enhansoft.com/product/enhansoft-reporting
- https://larsenconfigmgr.blogspot.com/
Guides to make your own reports
- https://thedesktopteam.com/raphael/sccm-reporting/
- https://www.systemcenterdudes.com/sccm-report-creation-report-builder/
- Or learn to make your own reports
Power BI
- First download and install Power BI: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/solution-templates/sccm/
- Then download and install SCCM template: https://appsource.microsoft.com/fi/product/web-apps/microsoft-powerbi.pbisolntemplate_sccm
- Guide: https://microsoft.github.io/BusinessPlatformApps/appdoc.html?file=Source/Apps/Microsoft/Released/Microsoft-SCCMTemplate/README.MD
- And then user ready samples or learn: MOC 20778 Analyzing Data with Power BI
Power BI Reporting 1
- Patch Compliance Reporting in Configuration Manager with PowerBI (Jordan Benzing)
Power BI Reporting 2
- SCConfigMgr OSD Dashboard (Jordan Benzing)
Power BI Reporting 3
- SCCM Client Health PowerBI Report (Jeff Bolduan)
Application Deployment
PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit (PSADT)
Custom notifications and actions before setup, during setup, after setup, ‘Deferrals’.
Application Content DL Settings
Application Deployment
- SCCM Multiple Applications Deployment (SMAD) (Teppo Vanhatalo)
- SCConfigMgr Idle Notification – Log of user etc, (Zeng Yinghua (Sandy))
Application Management
Application Installation Automation 1
Sources of solutions
- Search silent switch from a) program manufacturer, b) whole Internet or c): https://www.itninja.com/software/browse
Tool for small modifications to MSI
- ORCA https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/windows-10-sdk
- InstEd (OECA with steroids) http://www.instedit.com
Application Installation Automation 2
And for real (re) packing tools to MSI or MISX
- Flexera Adminstudio 2018
- https://www.flexera.com/products/application-readiness/adminstudio.html
- Advanced Installer
- https://www.advancedinstaller.com/
- Microsoft MSIX Packing Tool
- https://www.microsoft.com/store/r/9N5LW3JBCXKF
- Information also at:
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/desktop-to-uwp-root
And for light tools to MSI:
- Exemsi MSI Wrapper
- https://www.exemsi.com/download/
- Emco Software MSI Package Builder
- https://emcosoftware.com/msi-package-builder
Software Update Management
PatchMaster (Robert Marshall)
- Another GUI for SUM
- http://configmgr2012.com/patchmaster-v1-3-guide/
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/PatchMaster-51716e13
3rd Party updates with SCCM SUM
- Source from 3rd party software vendor is needed, like Adobe: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/sccm.html
- When software vendor don’t provide solution is ‘4rd’ party source:
- Centro Software Manager
- Patch My PC
- Flexera Software Vulnerability Manager (formerly CSI)
- ManageEngine Patch Connect Plus
- Solarwinds Patch Manager
- Ivanti Patch for SCCM
WSUS Server & DB
SCCM Build in cleaner is getting better (1806-), but still additional cleanup or script may be needed
The are tens of blogs and scripts, but the most important are:
- The complete guide to Microsoft WSUS and Configuration Manager SUP maintenance https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configurationmgr/2016/01/26/the-complete-guide-to-microsoft-wsus-and-configuration-manager-sup-maintenance/
- https://insights.adaptiva.com/2018/wsus-configuration-manager/
- https://stevethompsonmvp.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/enhancing-wsus-database-cleanup-performance-sql-script/
- https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/Post/665/Fixing-WSUS-When-the-Best-Defense-is-a-Good-Offense
- https://github.com/DeploymentBunny/Files/tree/master/Tools/Invoke-WSUSMaint
Windows Update Agent (repair tools)
Windows 10 Build In Troubleshooter
Settings .. Troubleshoot .. Windows Update
Or
>DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
>sfc /scannow
Or
Stop services and remove folders etx.
Ready CMD for it – Reset Windows Update Agent (Manuel F.Gil)
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Reset-Windows-Update-Agent-d824badc
OSD Front Ends (UIs)
ConfigMgr OSD FrontEnd (Nickolaj Andersen)
http://www.scconfigmgr.com/configmgr-osd-frontend/
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-OSD-FrontEnd-100-55209031
TsGui (Mike Pohatu)
https://www.20road.com/tsgui-custom-guis-in-sccm/
https://github.com/MikePohatu/TsGui
UI++ (Jason Sandys)
https://home.configmgrftw.com/uiplusplus/
AppTreeBuilder for UI++ (Teppo Vanhatalo)
http://www.vanhatalo.eu/projects/AppTreeBuilder/
MDT UDI
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/mdt/user-driven-installation-guide
Next year maybe Autopilo
OSD Upgrade UI
- Windows 10 Upgrade Tools (Johan Schrewelius)
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Windows-10-Upgrade-Tools-431094ca
- Windows 10 Upgrade Splash Screen (Trevor Jones)
- https://smsagent.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/create-a-custom-splash-screen-for-a-windows-10-in-place-upgrade/
- https://github.com/SMSAgentSoftware/CustomW10UpgradeSplashScreen
OSD Driver Management
- Driver Automation Tool – Modern Driver Management (Maurice Daly ja Nickolaj Andersen)
- http://www.scconfigmgr.com/modern-driver-management/
- https://www.scconfigmgr.com/2018/08/28/driver-automation-tool-6-1-0-released/
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Driver-Tool-Automate-9ddcc010
OSD Monitoring
- ConfigMgr Task Sequence Monitor (Trevor Jones)
- https://smsagent.wordpress.com/tools/configmgr-task-sequence-monitor/
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ConfigMgr-Task-Sequence-fefdc532
OSD Image Management
DISM .. DISM .. DISM
Add Features (like DotNet), Add Language Packs, Add Packages, Add Drivers, Add Files, Pick only one index (Enterprise) from WIM, Cleanup …
Removing Build-in Apps from Windows 10 WIM (Andre Picker)
Can be made with DISM /Remove-ProvisionedAppsPackage or PS> Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage, but it’s easier with:
- https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Removing-Built-in-apps-65dc387b
- https://www.clientmgmt.de/it/windows-10-removing-built-in-apps-mit-powershell-wim/
Updating WIM – Automating Windows 10 Servicing
https://thesystemsmonkey.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/automating-windows-10-servicing/
Update WIM (& Custom Setup) – OSDeploy
Compliance Baselines / Configuration Packs
- Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=51948
- Bitlocker, etx (Michael Davis)
- https://github.com/mdavis332/powershell/tree/master/SCCM_CI
- ConfigMgr CI Config Packs
- http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/
Total SCCM wrappers
- SoftwareCentral
- https://www.softwarecentral.com/
- Cireson SCCM Control Center
- https://cireson.com/sccm-control-center/
- (Almost) Full Web Portal to manage SCCM
Documentation
- DocumentCMCB (Paul Wetter (and David O’Brien)
- http://blog.cyberadvisors.com/export-all-those-sccm-settings-with-this-easy-script
- https://github.com/paulwetter/DocumentConfigMgrCB
- https://carlwebster.com/downloads/download-info/configuration-manager-2012-r2/
Tons of Tools
- System Center Store (Robert Marshall) (Old)
- ConfigMgr Community Tools Downloader (Anders Rodland) (Old)
- ConfigMgrSDK PowerShell samples (Kaido Järvemets)
- TechNet Gallery ~1300 SCCM Tools
About using Tools
Use 3rd Party Tools only if you really need it
Remember:
- Test tool in separate lab environment
- Do you have 100% trust for source?
- To give SCCM Full Admin Right to the tool …
- If tools works (as they usually do) without installing in Site Server – Do not install it to Site Server
- Remember that when you have integrated Tool or bigger product you must always confirm that tool is working (or not destroying) when you update your SCCM
- Remember that usually 3rd party tools are not tested as widely as SCCM base product. The combination of Server OS + SQL version + SCCM version + Client OS + Client SCCM Version -> Can be crucial
- Source web site may not be available next week ..
Recommended SCCM training:
- MOC 20703-1 Administering System Center Configuration Manager
- System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) -jatkokurssi – uudet ja vaativat ominaisuudet
- Everything about SCCM customized for client need
- SCCM consulting: empowering server and client management with help of SCCM, other products and processes