We are happy to announce that our first update for the current branch of System Center Configuration Manager has been released! The latest version of Configuration Manager is now 1602.

This update includes the following improvements:

• Client Online Status: You can now view the online status of devices in Assets and Compliance. New icons indicate the status of a device as online or offline.
• Support for SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups: Configuration Manager now supports using SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups to host the site database.
• Windows 10 Device Health Attestation Reporting: You can now view the status of Windows 10 Device Health Attestation in the Configuration Manager console to ensure that the client computers have a trustworthy BIOS, TPM, and boot software.
• Office 365 Update Management: You can now natively manage Office 365 desktop client updates using the Configuration Manager Software Update Management (SUM) workflow. You can manage Office 365 desktop client updates just like you manage any other Microsoft Update.
• New Antimalware Policy Settings: New antimalware settings that can now be configured include protection against potentially unwanted applications, user control of automatic sample submission, and scanning of network drives during a full scan.

This update also includes new features for customers using System Center Configuration Manager integrated with Microsoft Intune and much much more. For all the details see the following:

Now Available: Update 1602 for System Center Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

Troubleshooting Software Updates in Configuration Manager can be a difficult process, however we have a new guide available that walk you through the entire process from beginning to end. It covers client software update scanning, synchronization issues and detection problems with specific updates as well as everything in between. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602) so it should cover just about any version you might be running.

To get more details about the new guide, please see the following:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We are excited to announce an update to System Center Monitoring Pack for System Center Configuration Manager. This update extends the capabilities to monitor availability, performance and health of the Microsoft Intune connector site system role for companies who integrate Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune in a hybrid environment. For a summary of the new features, the prerequisites as well as a download link, please see the following:

Announcement – System Center Monitoring Pack Update for System Center Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

ConfigMgr 2012 R2 ConfigMgr 1602

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know about a new hotfix that we released for ConfigMgr 2012 SP2, ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1 and ConfigMgr 1511. The hotfix addresses the following problem:

In a Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager environment in which the Microsoft Exchange Server connector is configured for use with Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, mobile devices aren’t listed as expected in the All Mobile Devices node of the administrator console. Additionally, errors that resemble the following are recorded in the EasDisc.log file on the Configuration Manager site server:

ERROR: [MANAGED] Invoking cmdlet Get-Recipient failed. Exception: System.Management.Automation.RemoteException: Cannot bind parameter ‘Filter’ to the target. Exception setting “Filter”: “The value “$true” could not be converted to type System.Boolean….
STATMSG: ID=8817 SEV=W LEV=M SOURCE=”SMS Server” COMP=”SMS_EXCHANGE_CONNECTOR” …
ERROR: [MANAGED] Exception: Cannot bind parameter ‘Filter’ to the target. Exception setting “Filter”: “The value “$true” could not be converted to type System.Boolean.”
ERROR: Failed to check status of discovery thread of managed COM. error = Unknown error 0x80131501

This issue applies to the following versions of System Center Configuration Manager:

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager version 1511
• Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 2
• Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1

For complete details as well as a download link and installation instructions, please see the following:

3122637 – FIX: Mobile devices aren’t listed in System Center Configuration Manager (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3122637)

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

Hi everyone, Cumulative Update 3 (CU3) for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2 and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1 is now available. There are a bunch of fixes in this release so I won’t list them all here, but for the details regarding the problems that were addressed and the functionality that is updated, please see the following:

3135680 – Description of Cumulative Update 3 for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2 and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3135680)

Note that this update applies to both releases: Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 2 (SP2) and System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

J.C. Hornbeck, Sr. Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new hotfix for ConfigMgr 1511 that fixes the following issue:

When you use a task sequence to install applications, you experience one of the following symptoms:

• A task sequence tries to reinstall applications that are already installed by using a dynamic variable list if one of the applications is configured to restart the computer. For example, if the third in a list of three applications requires a restart, the task sequence tries to reinstall the first and second applications in the list after the restart.
• A task sequence continues if there’s an application installation failure, even if the Continue on error option is not selected in the task sequence properties. This applies to task sequences that use a dynamic variable list to install applications.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft to address this problem. For complete details and a download link, please see the following:

3122677 – Task sequence that uses a dynamic variable list continues if an application installation fails, or it reinstalls applications that are already installed (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3122677)

J.C. Hornbeck | Solution Asset PM | Microsoft

Our Blogs

• Configuration Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/
• Data Protection Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/dpm/
• Orchestrator: http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/
• Operations Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/
• Operations Management Suite: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msoms/
• Service Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager
• Virtual Machine Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/scvmm
• Microsoft Intune: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/intunesupport/
• WSUS: http://blogs.technet.com/sus/
• AD and Azure RMS: http://blogs.technet.com/b/rms/
• Application Virtualization: http://blogs.technet.com/appv/
• MED-V: http://blogs.technet.com/medv/
• Application Proxy: http://blogs.technet.com/b/applicationproxyblog/
• Forefront Endpoint Protection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/clientsecurity/
• Forefront Identity Manager: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ms-identity-support/
• Forefront TMG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/isablog/
• Forefront UAG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/edgeaccessblog/

Hi everyone, I just wanted to post a quick note about a new hotfix we published.

In Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager version 1511, the device management point generates an exception after a mobile client synchronizes a policy that contains Terms and Conditions compliance settings. Additionally, errors messages that resemble the following are logged in the SMS_DM.log file on the device management point:

ProxyEngineHttpHandler.Process Request exception noticed, Id = GUID:{GUID}
Except = System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.Mobile.ProxyEngine.Common.CommonDefinitions.ScheduleToken..ctor(String tokenString)
at Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.Mobile.ProxyEngine.Common.CommonDefinitions.ScheduleData.set_EvaluationSchedule(String_value)

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft to address this problem. For complete details and a download link, please see the following:

3139572 – Terms and Conditions compliance settings generate errors in System Center Configuration Manager (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3139572)

J.C. Hornbeck | Solution Asset PM | Microsoft

Our Blogs

• Configuration Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/
• Data Protection Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/dpm/
• Orchestrator: http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/
• Operations Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/
• Operations Management Suite: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msoms/
• Service Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager
• Virtual Machine Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/scvmm
• Microsoft Intune: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/intunesupport/
• WSUS: http://blogs.technet.com/sus/
• AD and Azure RMS: http://blogs.technet.com/b/rms/
• Application Virtualization: http://blogs.technet.com/appv/
• MED-V: http://blogs.technet.com/medv/
• Application Proxy: http://blogs.technet.com/b/applicationproxyblog/
• Forefront Endpoint Protection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/clientsecurity/
• Forefront Identity Manager: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ms-identity-support/
• Forefront TMG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/isablog/
• Forefront UAG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/edgeaccessblog/

Troubleshooting Software Updates in Configuration Manager can be a difficult process, however we have a new guide available that walk you through the entire process from beginning to end. It covers client software update scanning, synchronization issues and detection problems with specific updates as well as everything in between. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602) so it should cover just about any version you might be running.

To get more details about the new guide, please see the following:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We are excited to announce an update to System Center Monitoring Pack for System Center Configuration Manager. This update extends the capabilities to monitor availability, performance and health of the Microsoft Intune connector site system role for companies who integrate Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune in a hybrid environment. For a summary of the new features, the prerequisites as well as a download link, please see the following:

Announcement – System Center Monitoring Pack Update for System Center Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

ConfigMgr 2012 R2 ConfigMgr 1602

We have a new hotfix for ConfigMgr 1511 that fixes the following issue:

When you use a task sequence to install applications, you experience one of the following symptoms:

• A task sequence tries to reinstall applications that are already installed by using a dynamic variable list if one of the applications is configured to restart the computer. For example, if the third in a list of three applications requires a restart, the task sequence tries to reinstall the first and second applications in the list after the restart.
• A task sequence continues if there’s an application installation failure, even if the Continue on error option is not selected in the task sequence properties. This applies to task sequences that use a dynamic variable list to install applications.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft to address this problem. For complete details and a download link, please see the following:

3122677 – Task sequence that uses a dynamic variable list continues if an application installation fails, or it reinstalls applications that are already installed (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3122677)

J.C. Hornbeck | Solution Asset PM | Microsoft

Our Blogs

• Configuration Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/
• Data Protection Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/dpm/
• Orchestrator: http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/
• Operations Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/
• Operations Management Suite: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msoms/
• Service Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager
• Virtual Machine Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/scvmm
• Microsoft Intune: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/intunesupport/
• WSUS: http://blogs.technet.com/sus/
• AD and Azure RMS: http://blogs.technet.com/b/rms/
• Application Virtualization: http://blogs.technet.com/appv/
• MED-V: http://blogs.technet.com/medv/
• Application Proxy: http://blogs.technet.com/b/applicationproxyblog/
• Forefront Endpoint Protection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/clientsecurity/
• Forefront Identity Manager: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ms-identity-support/
• Forefront TMG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/isablog/
• Forefront UAG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/edgeaccessblog/

Hi everyone, I just wanted to post a quick note about a new hotfix we published.

In Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager version 1511, the device management point generates an exception after a mobile client synchronizes a policy that contains Terms and Conditions compliance settings. Additionally, errors messages that resemble the following are logged in the SMS_DM.log file on the device management point:

ProxyEngineHttpHandler.Process Request exception noticed, Id = GUID:{GUID}
Except = System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.Mobile.ProxyEngine.Common.CommonDefinitions.ScheduleToken..ctor(String tokenString)
at Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.Mobile.ProxyEngine.Common.CommonDefinitions.ScheduleData.set_EvaluationSchedule(String_value)

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft to address this problem. For complete details and a download link, please see the following:

3139572 – Terms and Conditions compliance settings generate errors in System Center Configuration Manager (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3139572)

J.C. Hornbeck | Solution Asset PM | Microsoft

Our Blogs

• Configuration Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/
• Data Protection Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/dpm/
• Orchestrator: http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/
• Operations Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/momteam/
• Operations Management Suite: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msoms/
• Service Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager
• Virtual Machine Manager: http://blogs.technet.com/scvmm
• Microsoft Intune: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/intunesupport/
• WSUS: http://blogs.technet.com/sus/
• AD and Azure RMS: http://blogs.technet.com/b/rms/
• Application Virtualization: http://blogs.technet.com/appv/
• MED-V: http://blogs.technet.com/medv/
• Application Proxy: http://blogs.technet.com/b/applicationproxyblog/
• Forefront Endpoint Protection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/clientsecurity/
• Forefront Identity Manager: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ms-identity-support/
• Forefront TMG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/isablog/
• Forefront UAG: http://blogs.technet.com/b/edgeaccessblog/

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know about a new hotfix that we released for ConfigMgr 2012 SP2, ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1 and ConfigMgr 1511. The hotfix addresses the following problem:

In a Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager environment in which the Microsoft Exchange Server connector is configured for use with Microsoft Exchange Server 2013, mobile devices aren’t listed as expected in the All Mobile Devices node of the administrator console. Additionally, errors that resemble the following are recorded in the EasDisc.log file on the Configuration Manager site server:

ERROR: [MANAGED] Invoking cmdlet Get-Recipient failed. Exception: System.Management.Automation.RemoteException: Cannot bind parameter ‘Filter’ to the target. Exception setting “Filter”: “The value “$true” could not be converted to type System.Boolean….
STATMSG: ID=8817 SEV=W LEV=M SOURCE=”SMS Server” COMP=”SMS_EXCHANGE_CONNECTOR” …
ERROR: [MANAGED] Exception: Cannot bind parameter ‘Filter’ to the target. Exception setting “Filter”: “The value “$true” could not be converted to type System.Boolean.”
ERROR: Failed to check status of discovery thread of managed COM. error = Unknown error 0x80131501

This issue applies to the following versions of System Center Configuration Manager:

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager version 1511
• Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 2
• Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1

For complete details as well as a download link and installation instructions, please see the following:

3122637 – FIX: Mobile devices aren’t listed in System Center Configuration Manager (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3122637)

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

Hi everyone, Cumulative Update 3 (CU3) for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2 and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1 is now available. There are a bunch of fixes in this release so I won’t list them all here, but for the details regarding the problems that were addressed and the functionality that is updated, please see the following:

3135680 – Description of Cumulative Update 3 for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2 and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3135680)

Note that this update applies to both releases: Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 2 (SP2) and System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

J.C. Hornbeck, Sr. Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

Troubleshooting Software Updates in Configuration Manager can be a difficult process, however we have a new guide available that walk you through the entire process from beginning to end. It covers client software update scanning, synchronization issues and detection problems with specific updates as well as everything in between. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602) so it should cover just about any version you might be running.

To get more details about the new guide, please see the following:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group

We have a new guide available that helps troubleshoot the software update management process in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, including client software update scanning, synchronization issues, as well as detection problems with specific updates. The information in the guide applies to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012), System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr 2012 R2) and all versions of Configuration Manager in the current branch (e.g. Configuration Manager 1511 and Configuration Manager 1602). It’s designed for IT professionals who need to understand, diagnose and troubleshoot the Software Update Management process and covers all aspects from beginning to end. You can find the troubleshooter here:

Software Update Management Troubleshooting in Configuration Manager

J.C. Hornbeck, Solution Asset PM
Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Group