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The Power of Task Sequences

The Power of Task Sequences. Nick Moseley Senior Consultant 3/28/2012. Agenda. Welcome : Rod Trent, CEO, myITforum Overview : BDNA & myITforum Nick Moseley The Power of Task Sequences Wrap Up : Rod Trent, CEO, myITforum. Google+ Hangouts & Forums.

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The Power of Task Sequences

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  1. The Power of Task Sequences Nick Moseley Senior Consultant 3/28/2012

  2. Agenda • Welcome: Rod Trent, CEO, myITforum • Overview: BDNA & myITforum • Nick Moseley • The Power of Task Sequences • Wrap Up: Rod Trent, CEO, myITforum

  3. Google+ Hangouts & Forums • Reed Porter’s Hangout: http://tinychat.com/reedracer password: welcome • myITforum SCCM GURU webcast live forum http://myITforum.com/SCCMguru • #sccmguruhashtag on twitter

  4. BDNA Normalize for ConfigMgr™ • NEW PRODUCT: BDNA Normalize CM™ • Extracts ConfigMgr inventory data • New native classes to use in console • Create queries, collections and reports • Demo on website: http://sccm.bdna.com • Download trial version, free for 60 days • Come see us at MMS at Booth 551 Pradeep Bhanot Product Marketing BDNA Normalize for ConfigMgr™

  5. myITforum • Ron Crumbaker, myITforum • All things “System Center” • Since 1999 • Large and growing community (over 120,000 visitors a day) • Huge storehouse of System Center knowledge • Noobies to experts

  6. About Nick • Began working with SMS/SCCM in 2004 • Involved in various aspects of the systems management community and forums • Blogging at http://t3chn1ck.wordpress.com • Recently joined the great team at Catapult Systems, consulting in SCCM and Windows 7 Upgrades

  7. The Power of Task Sequences • Task sequences: • Versatile, robust, and flexible • Not limited to OS deployment • Today’s presentation: • The fundamentals of task sequences • Various demonstrations • Example scenarios

  8. Fundamentals Setting a foundation • Task sequence steps • Task sequence variables • Task sequence conditions

  9. Task Sequence Steps • Task sequence steps are the basic components that take action within the task sequence • 27 total steps • Covering five today

  10. Task Sequence Steps Run Command Line

  11. Task Sequence Steps Install Software • Single app • Multiple apps

  12. Task Sequence Steps Install Software Updates • Independent oftask sequences • Scripts to resolveproblem of notall updatesinstalling duringa task sequence

  13. Task Sequence Steps Restart Computer

  14. Task Sequence Steps Task Sequence Variables

  15. Task Sequence Steps Live Demo! Demo 1: three ways to run an install • Run Command Line – Local System • Run Command Line – Package • Install Software – Package/Program

  16. Task Sequence Variables Live Demo! Demo 2: Multi-application install • Set two task sequence variables • Install Software step for multiple apps

  17. Task Sequence Steps Success/Failure Exit Codes • Success: 0 or 3010 • Failures: all else! • Can workaround installers that do not have a standard success exit code • Custom wrapper • Use Run Command Line step

  18. Task Sequence Steps Live Demo! • Demo 3: Example that causes the TS to fail with custom exit code 68 • Demo 4: Example that causes the TS to succeed with custom exit code 68

  19. Task Sequence Variables • Mechanism to configure/customize steps • 154 built-in task sequence variables!! • Can create your own custom variables • Many possibilities: configuration of settings/actions, custom values, arguments, override defaults, generalize conditions, evaluate actions, etc.

  20. Task Sequence Variables Built-in Variables Read only begin with an underscore (_) _SMSTSInWinPE _SMSTSMachineName _SMSTSPackageName

  21. Task Sequence Variables Built-in Variables (continued) SMSRebootMessage SMSRebootTimeout OSDDomainOUName OSDComputerName

  22. Task Sequence Variables Custom Variables • The sky is the limit! • “Disappear” after the task sequence quits Collection Variables • Alternate option • If blank/empty, dialog will be presented • Good for computer name entry • Local admin password

  23. Task Sequence Variables Scripts to get and set variables • VB Script Set oTsEnv = CreateObject ("Microsoft.SMS.TSEnvironment") sName= oTsEnv(“_SMSTSMachineName “) oTsEnv (“OSDComputerName”) = sName • PowerShell $tsenv = New-Object -COMObjectMicrosoft.SMS.TSEnvironment Write-Host $tsenv.Value ("_SMSTSMachineName")

  24. Task Sequence Variables Live Demo! Demo 5: VB Script for Variables • Get/output read only variable • Set custom variable • Get/output custom variable

  25. Task Sequence Variables Live Demo! Demo 6: custom single collection variable • “RodsMMSTwiterArmyApp” = “Sign me up!”

  26. Task Sequence Variables Live Demo! Demo 7: custom sub-collection variables • Set custom variable on a sub-collection • “TwitterBlocker” = “What is Twitter?” • Task sequence is assigned to the parent collection, but configured to apply to the child (sub) collections

  27. Task Sequence Conditions Task sequence conditions • Optional • Evaluated at runtimeof a step • Further conditional“if” statements

  28. Task Sequence Conditions Live Demo! Demo 8: Example of each condition Demo 9: How to use the “if” statements

  29. Non-OS Deployments Non-OS Deployments • Automating tasks • Chaining installs • Configuring Windows • Decision Logic • Etc!

  30. Non-OS Deployments Chaining Steps • Linking programs to other programs • Has limitations and other challenges • A failure halts the rest of the chain • If rerun, it started from the very beginning • Task sequences • Make the linking of programs a thing of the past! • Can account for errors • Do not need to rerun if previously failed

  31. Non-OS Deployments Live Demo! Demo 10: Upgrade MS Office 2003 to 2010 • Change the restart behavior • Restart Windows • Uninstall old Office tools, such as 2007 Compatibility Pack, incompatible add-ins, etc. • Install Office 2010 • Install security updates • Defrag the disk

  32. Non-OS Deployments Scenario: miscellaneous admin tasks • Delete temporary files • Purge SCCM cached files • Flush/register DNS • Cleanup the local admins group • Run a WMI health script • Force a group policy update • Restart Windows just because!

  33. Non-OS Deployments Scenario: multiple ways to accomplish a software installation • Use the standard Install Software step • Use the Run Command Line • Setup files in a package • Setup files on the local disk • Connect to network folder to run the setup • Use Software Updates • Setup files published in software updates • Setup files published in SCUP

  34. Non-OS Deployments Live Demo!Demo 11: Operations within Windows PE This is our 7th inning stretch in the presentation!

  35. OS Deployments Don’t forget about OS Deployments! Consolidation of task sequences • Core Image Build and Capture • Unique image only necessary for different architecture (x86 or x64) • Should only need Windows, Office, and other core MS software such as .NET Framework or MSXML • Core Image Deployment • One task sequence to do the rest!

  36. OS Deployments Last Demo! Demo 12: single deployment task sequence • Custom HTA to prompt for the PC specific configuration items • Applying drivers to a specific PC model • Software only for desktops or laptops • Department specific software

  37. Summary and Closing • Fundamentals • Steps • Variables (built-in, custom) • Conditions • Examples for non-OS deployments • Chaining steps • Miscellaneous admin tasks • OS Deployments • Simplifying to a single TS • Expanding functionality

  38. Wrap Up with Rod Trent Next SCCM GURU Webcasts: • April 10th Johan Arwidmark • May 2nd Brad Anderson  www.bdna.com/sccm-guru

  39. Wear your GURU T-shirt to MMS Wear your SCCM GURU t-shirt to MMS, stop by the BDNA booth (yes you must be *wearing* your t-shirt), and register to win something super cool – we haven’t decided what yet. We’re going to raffle something at the end of each day so you’ll have 4 chances to win! Find out how to get a t-shirt at the end of this webcast!

  40. SCCM GURU Community Group http://myitforum.com/myitforumwp/groups/bdna/

  41. iTunes Podcasts & Videos SCCM Guru Webcast Series under Technology – Software How-To http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sccm-guru-webcast-series/id491938468

  42. SCCM GURU YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/BDNAcorp All SCCM GURU webcast replays posted here!

  43. SCCM GURU Swag Store http://www.cafepress.com/BDNA

  44. Thanks for attending! To thank you for participating in our SCCM GURU webcast, we’d like to offer EVERYONE on the webcast a super cool SCCM GURU Webcast T-shirt. Please register here:  www.bdna.com/nick

  45. Questions, Contact Info For more information… BDNA Normalize for ConfigMgr™ http://sccm.bdna.com sccm@bdna.com myITforum Rod Trent rodtrent@myitforum.com +1 (513) 217-7122

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