Application Portfolio Management – TIME (Tolerate, Invest, Migrate, Eliminate)

Great article on creating an application portfolio management. Which applications are worth the investment versus those that might not be.

TIME (Tolerate, Invest, Migrate, and Eliminate) analysis has proven to be useful tool for structuring the sorting of applications in a company’s portfolio. After all the applications are divided into four categories, a deeper analysis of the application portfolio can be performed.

Tolerate – applications that are creating enough business value and have manageable costs but should be maintained for various reasons.

Invest – ideally we need to strive to place all existing portfolio of application under this category. These are the most lucrative and investment-worthy applications that bring enough revenue and help streamline operations.

Migrate – applications that need modernization and no are no longer worth the investment.

Eliminate – this category consists of applications that have low business value and even high risks. Therefore, they are of no real value to the organization and need to be eliminated.

https://blog.planview.com/driving-transparency-time-analysis-apm/

Why a Windows 10 upgrade was unsuccessful? Use SetupDiag to find out.

SetupDiag is a standalone diagnostic tool that can be used to obtain details about why a Windows 10 upgrade was unsuccessful.

SetupDiag works by examining Windows Setup log files. It attempts to parse these log files to determine the root cause of a failure to update or upgrade the computer to Windows 10. SetupDiag can be run on the computer that failed to update, or you can export logs from the computer to another location and run SetupDiag in offline mode.

To quickly use SetupDiag on your current computer:

1. Verify that your system meets the requirements described below. If needed, install the .NET framework 4.6.
2. Download SetupDiag.
3. If your web browser asks what to do with the file, choose Save. By default, the file will be saved to your Downloads folder. You can also save it to a different location if desired by using Save As.
4. When SetupDiag has finished downloading, open the folder where you downloaded the file. As mentioned above, by default this is your Downloads folder which is displayed in File Explorer under Quick access in the left navigation pane.
5. Double-click the SetupDiag file to run it. Click Yes if you are asked to approve running the program.
   • Double-clicking the file to run it will automatically close the command window when SetupDiag has completed its analysis. If you wish to keep this window open instead, and review the messages that you see, run the program by typing SetupDiag at the command prompt instead of double-clicking it. You will need to change directories to the location of SetupDiag to run it this way.
6. A command window will open while SetupDiag diagnoses your computer. Wait for this to finish.
7. When SetupDiag finishes, two files will be created in the same folder where you double-clicked SetupDiag. One is a configuration file, the other is a log file.
8. Use Notepad to open the log file: SetupDiagResults.log.
9. Review the information that is displayed. If a rule was matched this can tell you why the computer failed to upgrade, and potentially how to fix the problem.

Finding that GPO Setting

Even needed to find one group policy setting but couldn’t remember where it was? Have a look at the Group Policy Administrative Templates Catalog. Search everything from Microsoft, Citrix, Adobe and Chrome.

https://getadmx.com/

WEBINAR – Simplify your Windows 10 servicing with Upgrade Readiness

Accelerate upgrades to new releases

Windows Analytics Upgrade Readiness is a free Windows Analytics service (included with Windows 10 Pro and above) that helps you upgrade to and service Windows 10, end to end. With powerful, data-driven insights and guided workflows, it allows you to adopt new releases more quickly and easily.

Join this webinar to:

• Get a detailed walk-through and see demos of how Upgrade Readiness works.
• Find out how Upgrade Readiness offers insight into update progress, driver issues, and feedback from end users.
• Learn how you can use this tool to export data to commonly-used software deployment tools, including System Center Configuration Manager.

Link to view the on-demand version of the webinar for your future reference: Click here to join the webinar >

Reusing the same USB to Ethernet adapter for multiple deployments

MAC Addresses are unique identifiers of network interfaces but when reusing the same USB to Ethernet adapter for multiple deployments, your MAC Address is not unique. SCCM think that’s the same device and your device don’t receive the Task Sequence.

Beginning with SCCM 1610, you can provide a list of hardware IDs that SCCM will ignore when using PXE boot and client registration. You can now exclude the MAC address and SMBIOS GUID in the console so that same adapters can easily be reused.

1. In the SCCM console, go to Administration / Site Configuration / Sites
2. On the top ribbon, click Hierarchy Settings
3. SCCM Duplicate Hardware Identifiers
4. In the Client Approval and Conflicting Records tab
5. In the Duplicate hardware identifiers section, click Add and enter your MAC Address or SMBIOS GUID to exclude

Microsoft Ignite – Configuration Manager What’s Next?

System Center Configuration Manager Overview and Roadmap

Learn about the latest developments in System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr), watch demos, and understand what is coming next.

Windows has evolved. Simplify Windows 10 management and lower the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) with the Microsoft Cloud. See how Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) and Windows 10 can be used together to ease procurement, simplify provisioning and lower TCO through modern management & security, and deliver cloud-based updates without the need for an on-premises infrastructure.

Identity-Driven UEM with Microsoft EMS

This webinar illustrates how Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) provides an identity-driven unified endpoint management solution that can help you manage and secure user identities, devices, apps, and data across all of your iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows devices.

https://resources.office.com/ww-thankyou-M365PD-Identity-Driven-UEM-with-EMS-Video.html?LCID=EN-US

Demystifying Windows as a Service – Wake Up!

Great article on WaaS. It is a changed mindset on how Windows 10 is feed and water by all users. Yes, Windows 10 needs to be upgraded more frequently, but the total management time is reduced compared to the traditional operating systems.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/daviddasneves/2017/06/18/demystifying-windows-as-a-service-wake-up-please

DHCP Policies and Custom Vendor Classes

Many organisations still have legacy BIOS devices that do not support UEFI boot. So setup DHCP to provide both BIOS or UEFI boot files depending on what the device BIOS uses.

By using DHCP policies and custom vendor classes for the following DHCP Options:

Option 60
Option 66
Option 67

Assume that you have CM configured with a PXE enabled distribution point and a valid and configured DHCP server. You should therefore be at a configured state where you are able to PXE boot BIOS based devices.

Create Custom Vendor Classes for Use with your DHCP Policy

Think Custom Vendor Classes as Detection Method’s used to determine how devices are requesting a boot image from the DHCP server.

Open the DHCP Console and expand the IPv4 Node
Right-Click on ‘IPv4 Node’ and select ‘Define Vendor Classes’
Click ‘Add’
Create the UEFI 64-Bit Vendor class first by entering the following information
Enter the following information for the respective fields:
DisplayName: PXEClient (UEFI x64)
Description: PXEClient:Arch:00007
ASCII: PXEClient:Arch:00007
Click ‘OK’
Click ‘Add’
DisplayName: PXEClient (UEFI x86)
Description: PXEClient:Arch:00006
ASCII: PXEClient:Arch:00006
Click ‘OK’
Click ‘Add’
DisplayName: PXEClient (BIOS x86 & x64)
Description: PXEClient:Arch:00000
ASCII: PXEClient:Arch:00000
Click ‘OK’

Creating Custom DHCP Policies

UEFI 64-Bit DHCP Policy

Right-Click ‘Policies’ and click ‘New Policy’
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the your vendor class naming scheme:
PolicyName: PXEClient (UEFI x64)
Description: Delivers the correct bootfile for (UEFI x64)
Click ‘Next’
On the ‘Configure Conditions for the policy’ page click ‘add’
Select the ‘Value’ drop-down box and select the PXEClient (UEFI x64) vendor class that you created in previous steps
Ensure that you check the box ‘Append wildcard(*)’
Select ‘Add’
Select ‘Ok’
Click ‘Next’
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range within your scope configure it, otherwise select no and click ‘next’
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ‘DHCP Standard Options’ is selected from the drop down box
Configure the following scope options:
060: PXEClient
066: IP Address of the SCCM or WDS Service
067: smsboot\x64\wdsmgfw.efi
Cick ‘Next’
On the Summary page click ‘Finish’

BIOS 32-Bit & 64-Bit DHCP Policy

Right-Click ‘Policies’ and click ‘New Policy’
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the your vendor class naming scheme:
PolicyName: PXEClient (BIOS x86 & x64)
Description: Delivers the correct bootfile for BIOS machines
Click ‘Next’
On the ‘Configure Conditions for the policy’ page click ‘add’
Select the ‘Value’ drop-down box and select the PXEClient (BIOS x86 & x64) vendor class that you created in previous steps
Ensure that you check the box ‘Append wildcard(*)’
Select ‘Add’
Select ‘Ok’
Click ‘Next’
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range within your scope configure it, otherwise select no and click ‘next’
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ‘DHCP Standard Options’ is selected from the drop down box
Configure the following scope options:
060: PXEClient
066: IP Address of the SCCM or WDS Service
067: smsboot\x64\wdsnbp.com
Cick ‘Next’
On the Summary page click ‘Finish’

UEFI 32-Bit DHCP Policy

Right-Click ‘Policies’ and click ‘New Policy’
Give the policy a friendly name that coincides with the your vendor class naming scheme:
PolicyName: PXEClient (UEFI x86)
Description: Delivers the correct bootfile for (UEFI x86) machines
Click ‘Next’
On the ‘Configure Conditions for the policy’ page click ‘add’
Select the ‘Value’ drop-down box and select the PXEClient (UEFI x86) vendor class that you created in previous steps
Ensure that you check the box ‘Append wildcard(*)’
Select ‘Add’
Select ‘Ok’
Click ‘Next’
If you want the policy to affect only a specific range within your scope configure it, otherwise select no and click ‘next’
On the Configure settings for the policy page ensure that ‘DHCP Standard Options’ is selected from the drop down box
Configure the following scope options:
060: PXEClient
066: IP Address of the SCCM or WDS Service
067: smsboot\x86\wdsmgfw.efi
Cick ‘Next’
On the Summary page click ‘Finish’

Remove Default PXE Options

Ensure that you have removed the 067, 066, 060 options from the default scope options to ensure that the Policies take precedence otherwise you will end up with conflict

As long as you have configured everything correctly you should now have the ability to boot machines from  BIOS or UEFI.

Windows AutoPilot Deployment

Microsoft has announced that Windows AutoPilot Deployment – a new cloud service that enables IT professionals and partners to customize the Windows 10 out of box setup experience. It used cloud configuration, delivering a self-service deployment experience with new Windows 10 Pro devices. It is now available through CSP.https://blogs.windows.com/business/2017/06/29/delivering-modern-promise-windows-10/#7Y0FQE61FUq42yKb.97

For Windows AutoPilot Deployment feature overviews and demos please see below:

• Windows for IT Pros blog “Modernizing Windows deployment with Windows AutoPilot”
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsitpro/2017/06/29/modernizing-windows-deployment-with-windows-autopilot/
• Windows AutoPilot Deployment animated overview and demo
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrEU84KK2lQ&feature=youtu.be
• To participate in a live online question-and-answer event hosted by the Windows 10 engineering and product teams there will be an “Ask Microsoft Anything” on July 25, 2017 where Windows AutoPilot Deployment will be a covered topic.
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-10-management/bd-p/Windows10Management