Monthly Archives: June 2014

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Discovery Methods and Boundaries

This guide is the 3rd in our deployment of System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, originally starting with this guide here.

Definitions

Discovery Methods - Discovery identifies computer and user resources that you can manage by using Configuration Manager. It can also discover the network infrastructure in your environment. Discovery creates a discovery data record (DDR) for each discovered object and stores this information in the Configuration Manager database.  These can be through Active Directory Forest, Active Directory Group Discovery, Active Directory System Discovery, Active Directory User Discovery, Heartbeat Discovery, and Network Discovery.  You can find more information from the official technet article here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712308.aspx

  • Active Directory Forest Discovery
    • Can discover Active Directory sites and subnets, and then create Configuration Manager boundaries for each site and subnet from the forests that you have configured for discovery. When Active Directory Forest Discovery identifies a supernet that is assigned to an Active Directory site, Configuration Manager converts the supernet into an IP address range boundary.
  • Active Directory Group Discvoery
    • Discovers local, global, and universal security groups, the membership within these groups, and the membership within distribution groups from the specified locations in Active directory Domain Services. Distribution groups are not discovered as group resources.
  • Active Directory System Discovery
    • Discovers computers from the specified locations in Active Directory Domain Services.
  • Active Directory User Discvoery
    • Discovers user accounts from the specified locations in Active Directory Domain Services.

Boundaries - A boundary is a network location on the intranet that can contain one or more devices that you want to manage. Boundaries can be an IP subnet, Active Directory site name, IPv6 Prefix, or an IP address range, and the hierarchy can include any combination of these boundary types. To use a boundary, you must add the boundary to one or more boundary groups. Boundary groups are collections of boundaries. By using boundary groups, clients on the intranet can find an assigned site and locate content when they have to install software, such as applications, software updates, and operating system images.  You can find more information from the official technet article here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712679.aspx

 Enabling Discovery

  1. Launch the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager console
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Console - Task Bar
  2. Click on Administration in the bottom left corner
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration
  3. Expand Hierarchy Configuration and select Discovery Methods
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods
  4. Configure Active Directory Forest Discovery
    1. Right click on Active Directory Forest Discovery and select Properties
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory Forest Discovery - Properties
    2. Check Enable Active Directory Forest Discovery and Automatically create IP address range boundaries for IP subnets when they are discovered
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Active Directory Forest Discveory Properties

      1. NOTE: Reasons on why we did not select Automatically create Active Directory site boundaries when they are discovered can be found in this blog post: IP Subnet Boundaries are EVIL
    3. Click Yes when prompted to run a full discvoery as soon as possible
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Do you want to run full discovery as soon as possible
  5. Configure Active Directory Group Discovery
    1. Right click on Active Directory Group Discovery and select Properties
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory Group Discovery - Properties.png
    2. Check Enable Active Directory Group Discovery and then click the Add button and select Locations...
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory Group Discovery - Properties - General Tab

      1. Add Location - This will recursively search a container (most often an Organizational Unit) in Active Directory for Groups
      2. Add Group - This will recursively search a group in Active Directory for additional Groups
    3. Enter in a Name to describe what we are searching and hit Browse... next to Location to select the container containing the groups you want.  Once done, click OK on the Add Active Directory Location screen
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory Group Discovery - Add Active Directory Location
    4. Select the Options tab and check the options applicable to you
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory Group Discovery - Properties - Options Tab
    5. Click OK on the Active Directory Group Discovery Properties window and select Yes if prompted to run a full discovery as soon as possible
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Do you want to run full discovery as soon as possible
  6. Configure Active Directory System Discovery
    1. Right click on Active Directory System Discovery and select Properties
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory System Discovery - Properties
    2. Check Enable Active Directory System Discovery and click the Yellow star to add an Active Directory container
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory System Discovery - Properties - General Tab
    3. Click the Browse button and select a container containing your machines
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory System Discovery - Properties - Active Directory Container
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory System Discovery - Properties - Select New Container

      1. Most production environments will probably have a custom OU defined to place their computer objects.  If in doubt, select the Computers container and click OK
    4. Click on the Options tab, check both options, and click OK
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory System Discovery - Properties - Options Tab
    5. Click Yes to do a full discovery as soon as possible
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Do you want to run full discovery as soon as possible
  7. Configure Active Directory User Discovery
    1. Right click on Active Directory User Discovery and select Properties
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory User Discovery - Properties
    2. Check Enable Active Directory User Discovery and click the Yellow star icon to add an Active Directory container
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory User Discovery - General Tab
    3. Click on the Browse... button and select the container holding your users.  Click OK.
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory User Discovery - Properties - Active Directory Container
    4. Click OK on the Active Directory User Discovery Properties window
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Discovery Methods - Active Directory User Discovery - Properties - General Tab - LDAP Path
    5. Click Yes if prompted to run a full discovery as soon as possible
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Do you want to run full discovery as soon as possible

Enabling a Network Boundary/Group

  1. Click on Boundary Groups
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups
  2. Right click and select Create Boundary Group
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group
  3. Enter a Name and Description of the Group
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group - Name-Description

    1. NOTE: This group should be used grouping related subnets in a geographic area that will receive patches/update/software from a specific server.
  4. Click the Add... button and select any networks you want to assign to this Boundary Group
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group - Add Boundaries

    1. By default, if you enabled the Active Directory Forest Discovery, you should have a network called Default-First-Site-Name in the list.  If you are in a larger enterprise, select the subnets relating to the boundary group.
  5. Click on the References tab, check Use this boundary group for site assignment, and click the Add... button
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group - References Tab
  6. Check your site and click OK
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group - References Tab - Add Site Systems
  7. Click OK
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Hierarchy Configuration - Boundary Groups - Create Boundary Group - References Tab - Site system servers

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Adding a Software Update Point to a Standalone Server

This guide is in continuation to my guide on deploying system center 2012 r2 configuration manager, as found here.

Definition
SUP (Software Update Point) - The software update point interacts with the WSUS services to configure update settings, to request synchronization to the upstream update source, and on the central site, to synchronize software updates from the WSUS database to the site server database.  More details on this can be found from the following technet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632674.aspx
WDS (Windows Deployment Services) - Will be used for Operating System deployment.

  1. Launch the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager console
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Console - Task Bar
  2. Click on Administration in the bottom left corner
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration
  3. Expand Site Configuration and select Servers and Site System Roles
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Servers and Site System Roles
  4. Right click on your SCCM server and select Add Site System Role
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Administration - Servers and Site System Roles - Add Site System Roles
  5. Click Next > on the General section of the wizard
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - General
  6. Click Next > on the Proxy section of the wizard
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - Proxy
  7. Check Software update point and click Next > on the System Role Selection section of the wizard
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection -Software update point
  8. Check WSUS is configured to use ports 8530 and 8531 for client communications and click Next > on the Software Update Point screen
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Software Update Point

      1. NOTE: If you have a PKI environment and want everything to be encapsulated by SSL, you can go ahead and check Require SSL communication to the WSUS server to ensure all traffic is encryptioned.
  9. Click Next > on the Proxy and Account Settings screen
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Proxy and Account Settings
  10. Click Next > on the Synchronization Source screen
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Synchronization Source
  11. Check Enable Synchronization on a schedule to set how often the check should run.  Click Next > on the Synchronization Schedule screen
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Synchronization Schedule

    1. Optionally, check Alert when synchronization fails on any site in the hierarchy to be notified if a synchronization with Microsoft fails.
  12. Click Next > on the Supersedence Rules screen
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Supersedence Rules
  13. If you will be deploying System Center Endpoint Protection (SCEP) (Microsoft's Antivirus Solution), check Definition Updates for WSUS to download those. If you wish to have more frequent updates, check Critical Updates to have those pulled down from Microsoft as well.  Click Next >
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Classifications
  14. Expand All Products, Microsoft, on the Products page and check the products you wish to download updates for.  Click Next > once done.
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Products
  15. On the languages page, select which languages you want to sync and then click Next >
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - System Role Selection - Languages
  16. Click Next > on the Summary page if everything looks correct
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - Summary
  17. Click Close if the settings have successfully applied
    System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Add Site System Roles Wizard - Completion

Change Office 365 DirSync Synchronization Frequency/Schedule

By default, you have probably noticed it can take up to 3 hours for a change to be in your on-premise environment to be replicated to your Office 365 environment.  In organizations that have a smaller amount of users, you can change the frequency of the synchronization schedule to replicate the changes to Office 365 more quickly.

  1. Login to the server with the DirSync application (Windows Azure Active Directory Sync)
  2. Open up Notepad as an Administrator
    Notepad - Run as Administrator
  3. Open the folllowing file
    1. C:\Program Files\Windows Azure Active Directory Sync\Microsoft.Online.DirSync.Scheduler.exe.config
      Microsoft_Online_DirSync_Scheduler_exe_config
  4. Change the SyncTimeInterval to how often you want the tool to be run.  The time is in hh:mm:ss
    1. For example, to change a sync frequency to every 15 minutes
      1. Change <add key=”SyncTimeInterval” value=”3:0:0″ /> to <add key=”SyncTimeInterval” value=”0:15:0″ />
        Microsoft_Online_DirSync_Scheduler_exe_config - 15 minutes
  5. Save and Close Notepad
  6. Restart the Windows Azure Active Directory Sync Service
    Windows Azure Active Directory Sync Service - Restart

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Error - Event ID 4912 - component SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER on computer X cannot update the already existing object

Symptom: Inside of Event Viewer, you see the following Error entry.

On 06/27/14 07:29:39, component SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER on computer sccm.mydomain.local reported: Configuration Manager cannot update the already existing object "cn=SMS-MP-LAX-sccm.mydomain.LOCAL" in Active Directory (mydomain.local).

Possible cause: The site server's machine account may not have full control rights for the "System Management" container in Active Directory
Solution: Give the site server's machine account full control rights to the "System Management" container, and all child objects in Active Directory.

Possible cause: The Active Directory object "cn=SMS-MP-LAX-sccm.mydomain.LOCAL" has been moved to a location outside of the "System Management" container, or has been lost.
Solution: Delete the object from its current location, and let the site create a new object.

Possible cause: The Active Directory schema has not been extended with the correct ConfigMgr Active Directory classes and attributes.
Solution: Turn off Active Directory publishing for each site in the forest, until the schema can be extended. The schema can be extended with the tool "extadsch.exe" from the installation media.

Event Viewer - Event ID 4912 - SMS Server - Error

Solution: Complete the steps below to ensure that the SCCM computer account has the ability to write to Active Directory.

  1. Add Permission to the System Management Container
    1. From the following technet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb633169.aspx
      After you have created the System Management container in Active Directory Domain Services, you must grant the site server’s computer account the permissions that are required to publish site information to the container.

      1. On your domain controller navigate to Server Manager -> Tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers
        Server Manager - Active Directory Users and Computers
      2. Click View and select Advanced Features
        Active Directory Users and Computers - View - Advanced Features
      3. Expand your site, SystemSystem Management and select Properties
        Active Directory Users and Computers - System - System Management - Properties
      4. On the System Management Properties dialog box select the Security Tab
        System Management Properties - General Tab
      5. Click Add.. on the Security Tab
        System Management Properties - Security Tab - Add
      6. Click the Object Types… button, check Computers, and click OK
        Select Active Directory Object - Object Types
      7. Type in the computer’s name and click OK
        Select Active Directory Object - SCCM
      8. Check Full Control on the Security Permissions for your SCCM machine
        System Management Properties - Security Tab - Full Control - SCCM
      9. Click the Advanced button, select the computer account, and click Edit
        Advanced Security Settings for System Management - SCCM
      10. Select This object and all descendant objects in the Applies to section and click OK
        Permission Entry for System Management - Advanced - SCCM
      11. Restart the SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER and service
        Servers - SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER

 

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2 (SCCM 2012 R2) Standalone Deployment

Recently, I had to install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2.  I have had no prior experience using this product up to this point, so I thought I would document my notes and findings while giving the installation a whirl.

Prerequisites

  • Domain Controller
    • DNS Role (could be on a seperate machine)
    • DHCP Role (could be on a seperate machine)
  • Server 2012 R2 instance for SCCM
    • Should be joined to the domain
    • 200GB HDD
      • 40-50GB for OS
      • 150GB for SCCM
  • Windows 7 Client for Testing
    • Should be joined to the domain

If you wish to use a different Operating System version for your server or client, you can find a list of supported configurations from the following technet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx

Here are my tutorials on deploying System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Standalone

  1. Deploying System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
  2. Adding a Software Update Point
  3. Discovery Methods and Boundaries
  4. Client Web Service Point and Deploying the SCCM Agent
  5. Deploying Endpoint Protection

Tutorial

  1. Manually create the System Management Container in Active Directory Domain Services
    1. From the following technet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632591.aspx
      Configuration Manager does not automatically create the System Management container in Active Directory Domain Services when the schema is extended. The container must be created one time for each domain that includes a Configuration Manager primary site server or secondary site server that publishes site information to Active Directory Domain Services.

      1. Log on to one of your domain controllers
      2. From Server Manager, select Tools -> ADSI Edit
        Server Manager - ADSI Edit
      3. Right click ADSI Edit and select Connect to...
        ADSI Edit - Connect To
      4. Ensure the Connection Point is set as Default naming Context and click OK
        ADSI Edit - Connection Settings - Default naming context
      5. Expand Default naming context <FQDN>, expand <distinguished name>, right-click CN=System, click New, and then click Object
        ADSI Edit - System - New - Object
      6. In the Create Object dialog box, select Container, and then click Next
        ADSI Edit - Create Object - Container
      7. In the Value box, type System Management, and then click Next
        ADSI Edit - Create Object - System Management
      8. Click Finish
        ADSI Edit - Create Object - Finish
  2. Add Permission to the System Management Container
    1. From the following technet article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb633169.aspx
      After you have created the System Management container in Active Directory Domain Services, you must grant the site server's computer account the permissions that are required to publish site information to the container.

      1. On your domain controller navigate to Server Manager -> Tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers
        Server Manager - Active Directory Users and Computers
      2. Click View and select Advanced Features
        Active Directory Users and Computers - View - Advanced Features
      3. Expand your site, System, System Management and select Properties
        Active Directory Users and Computers - System - System Management - Properties
      4. On the System Management Properties dialog box select the Security Tab
        System Management Properties - General Tab
      5. Click Add.. on the Security Tab
        System Management Properties - Security Tab - Add
      6. Click the Object Types... button, check Computers, and click OK
        Select Active Directory Object - Object Types
      7. Type in the computer's name and click OK
        Select Active Directory Object - SCCM
      8. Check Full Control on the Security Permissions for your SCCM machine
        System Management Properties - Security Tab - Full Control - SCCM
      9. Click the Advanced button, select the computer account, and click Edit
        Advanced Security Settings for System Management - SCCM
      10. Select This object and all descendant objects in the Applies to section and click OK
        Permission Entry for System Management - Advanced - SCCM
  3. Create Service Accounts for System Center in Active Directory
    1. SCCMDJ
      1. This service account is actually defined as the Task Sequence Editor Domain Joining Account.  The account is used in a task sequence to join a newly imaged computer to a domain. This account is required if you add the step Join Domain or Workgroup to a task sequence, and then select Join a domain. This account can also be configured if you add the step Apply Network Settings to a task sequence, but it is not required.
    2. SCCMCP
      1. The Client Push Installation Account is used to connect to computers and install the Configuration Manager client software if you deploy clients by using client push installation. If this account is not specified, the site server account is used to try to install the client software.  This account will need to be a local administrator on the machine we want to push software to.
    3. SCCMNA
      1. The Network Access Account is used by client computers when they cannot use their local computer account to access content on distribution points. For example, this applies to workgroup clients and computers from untrusted domains. This account might also be used during operating system deployment when the computer installing the operating system does not yet have a computer account on the domain.
    4. SCCMRA
      1. The Reporting Services Point Account is used by SQL Server Reporting Services to retrieve the data for Configuration Manager reports from the site database. The Windows user account and password that you specify are encrypted and stored in the SQL Server Reporting Services database.
    5. NOTE: There are other service accounts that can be created for SCCM other than these as well.  You can see a full listing from the following technet article (additional note, descriptions for the service accounts above were copied from this same article): http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427337
  4. Download a copy of Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager and Endpoint Protection from the Volume Licensing Center or the Technet Evaluation Center
    1. This is called System Center 2012 R2 Config Mgr Client Mgmt License in the Volume Licensing Center
    2. The evaluation copy can be found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dn205297.aspx
    3. NOTE: In this tutorial, I will be using the ISO distributed from the volume licensing center
  5. Extend the Active Directory schema for Configuration Manager
    1. Mount/extract the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager media to your SCCM machine
    2. Navigate to D:\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64 (or where ever your installation media is).  Right click on a file called extadsch.exe and right click, Run as Administrator
      extadsch_exe - Run as administrator
    3. You will notice a black command prompt popup and then dissappear.  Once it has dissappeared, open the following text document: c:\ExtADSch.txt
      ExtADSch - Extended Schema Results
    4. Verify the schema has been successfully extended
      ExtADSch - Successfully extended the Active Directory Schema
  6. Install Pre-requisits to System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2
    1. Execute the following powershell command
      1. Add-WindowsFeature Web-Windows-Auth,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Metabase,Web-WMI,BITS,RDC,NET-Framework-Features,Web-Asp-Net,Web-Asp-Net45,NET-HTTP-Activation,NET-Non-HTTP-Activ,Web-Static-Content,Web-Default-Doc,Web-Dir-Browsing,Web-Http-Errors,Web-Http-Redirect,Web-App-Dev,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Net-Ext45,Web-ISAPI-Filter,Web-Health,Web-Http-Logging,Web-Log-Libraries,Web-Request-Monitor,Web-HTTP-Tracing,Web-Security,Web-Filtering,Web-Performance,Web-Stat-Compression,Web-Mgmt-Console,Web-Scripting-Tools,Web-Mgmt-Compat -Restart
        Add-WindowsFeature - SCCM Prerequisites
    2. Execute the following command
      1. C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\aspnet_regiis.exe -r
        aspnet_regiis_exe - PowerShell
      2. NOTE: Apparently there was/is? a bug in the .NET framework which causes an error later on.  Although optional, I would run this just be sure the .NET framework works properly with two different versions installed.  You can read more about this command here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/k6h9cz8h(v=vs.80).ASPX
    3. Install Windows Server Update Services
      1. Execute the following commands (ensure you change the values to where you want the WSUS definitions and SQL server locations reside)
        1. Install-WindowsFeature -Name UpdateServices-Services,UpdateServices-DB -IncludeManagementToolsInstall-WindowsFeature -Name UpdateServices_UpdateServices-DB -IncludeManagementTools
        2. cd "c:\Program Files\Update Services\Tools"
        3. ./wsusutil.exe postinstall CONTENT_DIR=E:\WSUS sql_instance_name=SQLSERVERNAME
          wsusutil postinstall content_dir sql_instance_name
    4. Install User State Migration Tool (USMT)
      1. Download a copy of the User State Migration Tool (USMT) from Microsoft's website: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=301570
      2. Right click and run adksetup.exe as an administrator (Click Yes if prompted by UAC)
        adksetup_exe - Run as administrator
      3. Click Next on the Specify Location screen
        Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1 - Specify Location
      4. Click Next on the Join the Customer Experience Imporovement Program (CEIP) screen
        Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1 - Join the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP)
      5. Click Accept on the License Agreenment screen
        Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1 - License Agreement
      6. Check Deployment Tools, Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), and User State Migration Tool (USMT), and then click Install
        Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1 - Select the features you want to install - Deployemnt Tools - Windows PE - USMT
      7. Click Close on the Welcome to Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8.1
        Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1 - Welcome to the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8_1
    5. Run Windows Updates to ensure you are fully patched
      Latest Windows Updates
  7. Install and Configure SQL Server
    1. Install SQL Server
      1. This step can vary on how you want to deploy SQL server.  In this particular environment, a SQL cluster had already been deployed in the organization, so I will take advantage of that.  However, in smaller environments, you can install the SQL Service on the same machine.  You can find a compatibility matrix and which versions of SQL Server can be installed: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx#BKMK_SupConfigSQLDBconfig
    2. If you have a remote SQL server, make sure you add the SCCM computer account as a local administrator of the SQL server.  More information on how to do that can be found in this guide: http://jackstromberg.com/2014/06/sccm-2012-r2-site-server-computer-account-administrative-rights-failed/
  8. Install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2
    1. Navigate to your installation media and double click on splash.hta to launch the installer
      SCCMSCEP - splash_hta

      1. NOTE: If you are doing an offline install (no internet), run the setupdl.exe installer from your installation media (example: D:\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\setupdl.exe)
    2. Click on Install (Click Yes if prompted by UAC)
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Install
    3. Click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Before You Begin
    4. Ensure Install a Configuration Manager primary site is checked and click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Getting Started - Install a Configuration Manager primary site
    5. Enter your license key or hit Install the evaluation edition of this product and click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Install the licensed edition of this product
    6. Accept the license agreemt for the Microsoft Software License Terms
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Microsoft Software License Terms
    7. Accept the license agreements for SQL Server 2012 Express, SQL Server 2012 Native Client, and Silverlight, then click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Prerequisite Licenses
    8. Check Download required files and put them on your desktop
      1. This will grab the latest copy of SCCM.  If you need to do an offline installation, you can manually run the offline installer from your installation media (in my case: D:\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\setupdl.exe).
        System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Prerequisite Downloads
    9. Select your language to run System Center server in and then click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Server Language Selection
    10. Select your languages to support on your client devices and click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Client Language Selection
    11. Set a site code (I would use an airport code if you only have one office in each office location), enter your site name, and then change the installation folder to use your second partition.  Once done, click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Site and Installation Settings
    12. Check Install the primary site as a stand-alone site and click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Primary Site Installation - Install the primary site as a stand-alone site
    13. Click Yes on the Configuration Manager dialog box that explains you can configure SCCM to be in a heirrachy to scale at a later time
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Primary Site Installation - Install the primary site as a stand-alone site - Dialog Confirm
    14. Enter in the SQL Server Name (FQDN) to your database server and click Next >
      1. If you installed the SQL Server service on this same machine, it should be the FQDN to your SCCM machine.  If you have a SQL Server you would like to point to, enter in the FQDN of that server.
        System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Database Information
    15. Click Next > on the Database Information screen
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Database Information
    16. Click Next > on the SMS Provider Settings
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - SMS Provider Settings
    17. Check Configure the communication method on each site system role and then click Next > if you do not have  PKI setup.  If you have a PKI implemented in your environment, you may go ahead and choose All site system roles accept only HTTPS communication from clients.
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Client Computer Communication Settings

      1. Click Yes to continue if you selected All site system roles accept only HTTPS communication from clients
        System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Client Computer Communication Settings - Confirmation Dialog
    18. Ensure Install a management point and Install a distribution point are checked and click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Site System Roles
    19. Click Next > on the Customer Experience Improvement Program
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Customer Experience Improvement Program
    20. Verify the settings you chose on the Settings Summary and then click Next >
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Settings Summary
    21. Click Begin Install on the Prerequisite Check once you have passed all of the potential issues.  In this case, I have a few that are false possitives, so I am going to go ahead with the install.
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Prerequisite Check
    22. Once done installing, hit Close
      System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager Setup - Install Completed

Try opening up the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration manager console.  If it opens, congrats on your newly deployed System Center! 🙂

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager - Overview

SCCM 2012 R2 - Warning - IIS HTTPS Configuration for management point

Symptom: When installing System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager and requiring all communications to be secure via HTTPS you receive the following Warning on the Prerequisite Check screen of the installation wizard.

Warning: IIS HTTPS Configuration for managment point
Warning: IIS HTTPS Configuration for distribution point

Internet Information Services (IIS) website bindings for HTTPS communication protocol is required for some site roles.  If you have selected to install site roles requiring HTTPS, please configure IIS website bindings on the specified server with a valid PKI server certificate.

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Setup Wizard - Prerequisite Check - Warning IIS HTTPS Configuration for managment point

 

Solution: You need to add bindings for HTTPS to the Default Website inside of IIS Manager.

  1. Open up Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager
    Server 2008 R2 - Start - Administrative Tools - Internet Information Services IIS Manager
  2. Expand your server and select Default Web Site
    IIS - Default Web Site
  3. Select Bindings... on the right side
    IIS - Bindings
  4. Click the Add... button
    IIS - Site Bindings
  5. Select https as the connection type and then select the SSL certificate you wish to use
    IIS - Site Bindings - Add Site Binding - SCCM
  6. Click OK
    IIS - Site Bindings - SCCM

SCCM 2012 R2 - Site server computer account administrative rights failed

Symptom: When trying to deploy System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2, you receive the following status under the Prerequisite Check of the deployment.

Configuration Manager Setup requires that the site server computer has administrative rights on the SQL Server and management point computers.

System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Setup Wizard - Site server computer account administrative rights failed

Solution: You will need to add the computer account as a local administrator of the SQL server.  Follow the steps below to accomplish this task.

  1. Login to the SQL server
  2. Open up Server Manager
    Server Manager
  3. Select Configuration and double click on Local Users and Groups
    Server Manager - Configuration
  4. Double click on Groups
  5. Server Manager - Configuration - Local Users and Groups
  6. Double click on Administrators
    Server Manager - Configuration - Local Users and Groups - Administrators
  7. Click the Add... button
    Server Manager - Configuration - Local Users and Groups - Administrators - Add
  8. Click on the Object Types... button
    Server 2008 - Select Users - Computers - Service Accounts - Groups
  9. Check Computers and click OK
    Server 2008 - Select Users - Computers - Service Accounts - Groups - Object Typers - Computers
  10. Type in the name of your SCCM server and click OK
    Server 2008 - Select Users - Computers - Service Accounts - Groups - SCCM
  11. Click OK
    Server Manager - Configuration - Local Users and Groups - Administrators - SCCM

Configure call forwarding on unassigned number ranges in Lync

One of the new features introduced in Lync Server 2010 and kept in 2013 is the ability to assign a block of numbers to Lync and have Lync handle a call made to an unassigned number a specific way rather than just have a fast-busy signal.

While it is easy to configure a call to be handled by a simple announcement (a sound file saying you have reached a number that has not been assigned to an individual at your corporation or a text-to-speech version translated by Lync), there is really no easy way to configure the call to be routed a specific way via the CSCP (Lync GUI control panel).  In this tutorial, we will cover some of the powershell commands to create an announcement to forward the call to an operator or response group and then assign the announcement to an unassigned number range.

  1. Open up the Lync Server Management Shell as an administrator on one of your Front End servers
    Lync Server Management Shell - Run as administrator
    Lync Server Management Shell - Running as Administrator
  2. Execute the following powershell command to configure how the call should be handled
    1. To route to a response group or user
      New-CsAnnouncement -Identity ApplicationServer:lyncpool.mydomain.com -Name "Forward Announcement" -TextToSpeechPrompt "Thank you for calling my company, please wait while we redirect your call." -Language "en-US" -TargetUri sip:[email protected]
    2. To route to a specific phone number (make sure you specify ;user=phone)
      New-CsAnnouncement -Identity ApplicationServer:lyncpool.mydomain.com -Name "Forward Announcement" -TextToSpeechPrompt "Thank you for calling my company, please wait while we redirect your call." -Language "en-US" -TargetUri "sip:+[email protected];user=phone"
    3. Alternatively, you can use your own recording in a .wav format rather than use the robotic Lync voice by specifying using either of the following commands:
      New-CsAnnouncement -Identity ApplicationServer:lyncpool.mydomain.com -Name "Forward Announcement" -AudioFilePrompt "WelcomeMessage.wav" -TargetUri sip:[email protected]
      New-CsAnnouncement -Identity ApplicationServer:lyncpool.mydomain.com -Name "Forward Announcement" -AudioFilePrompt "WelcomeMessage.wav" -TargetUri "sip:+[email protected];user=phone"
      New-CsAnnouncement -TextToSpeech - forward to user
  3. Execute the following powershell command to create the unassigned number range and assign our announcement/forward to the unassigned number range
    1. New-CsUnassignedNumber -Identity "Unassigned Number Range" -NumberRangeStart "+15555555000" -NumberRangeEnd "+15555559000" -AnnouncementName "Forward Announcement" -AnnouncementService ApplicationServer:lyncpool.mydomain.com
      New-CsUnassignedNumber Range - Forward Annoucnement
  4. At this point, once you call a number that has not been assigned to a response group, user, dial-in access number, etc in the 15555555000-9000 range, you should receive your message and in my particiular case, the call should be forwarded to a particular user.  Hope this helps!

Notes: Official technet article on how the New-CsAnnouncement command can be found here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg398522.aspx