Now Available: Update 1802 for System Center Configuration Manager

22nd March 2018 Anthony Mashford 0 Comments

We are delighted to announce that we have released version 1802 for the Current Branch (CB) of System Center Configuration Manager that includes new features and product enhancements!

In this release we continue to build on the co-management capabilities we introduced in 1710. Weve enabled new workloads and improved reporting to better support your transition to modern management.

In addition, another key feature in the 1802 release is the ability to take real-time actions within your environment, using the Run Scripts feature. This feature allows you to quickly determine the current state of 100,000s of clients letting you diagnose issues and take actions on them in real-time.

Weve also continued to streamline Configuration Manager’s infrastructure requirements, with better Delivery Optimization integration and improved Internet management capabilities enabling better and easier management of your systems anywhere, anytime.

As always, 1802 has also been tested at scale by real customers, in real production environments with over 1 million clients already being managed by our early adopters.

Here are some of the enhancements that are available in this update:

Modern Management

Endpoint Protection workload transition in co-management – You can now transition the Endpoint Protection workload from Configuration Manager to Intune when co-management is enabled.

Co-management reporting – You can now view a dashboard with information about co-management in your environment.

Management insights – Gain valuable insights into the current state of your environment based on analysis of data in the site database.

Microsoft 365 Adoption

Phased deployments – Phased deployments automate a coordinated, sequenced rollout of software without creating multiple deployments.

Windows AutoPilot Device Information report – You can now use this new report to collect device information that’s needed to create a Windows AutoPilot deployment profile.

Support for Windows 10 ARM64 devices Starting with this release, the Configuration Manager client is supported on Windows 10 ARM64 devices.

Surface Device Dashboard – You can now use the Surface Device Dashboard to view information about the model and firmware version of your Surface.

Microsoft Edge browser policies You can now set Microsoft Edge browser policies and control it in your enterprise.

Report to show default browser for client machines You can now run a report that shows the default browser for client machines.

Windows 10 Servicing for a specific collection report – This report displays general information about the Windows 10 servicing in the organization (a request from UserVoice, thanks!).

Improvements to Office 365 client management dashboard – The Office 365 client management dashboard now displays a list of relevant devices when graph sections are selected.

Improvements for Windows Defender Exploit Guard Additional policy settings for the Attack Surface Reduction and Controlled folder access components have been added for Windows Defender Exploit Guard in Configuration Manager.

New settings for Windows Defender Application Guard – For Windows 10 version 1709 and later devices, there are two new host interaction settings for Windows Defender Application Guard. Websites can be given access to the hosts virtual graphics processor and files downloaded inside the container can be persisted on the host.

Streamlined Infrastructure

Configure Windows 10 Delivery Optimization to use Configuration Manager boundary groups You can now configure Delivery Optimization to leverage your boundary groups when sharing content among peers.

Add management points to your boundary group fallback relationships – When a fallback relationship is defined, and a client fails to talk to the management point in current boundary group, it will fall back to the management point defined in the fallback boundary group.

Moving Distribution Points between sites – You can now move an eligible distribution point from one primary site to another primary site or from under a secondary site to a primary site.

Improvements in Cloud Management Gateway

Cloud management gateway support for Azure Resource Manager – When you deploy CMG with Azure Resource Manager, Azure AD is used to authenticate and create the cloud resources and does not require the classic Azure management certificate.

Install user-available applications on Azure AD-joined devices You can now browse and install user-available applications from Software Center on Azure AD-joined devices.

Windows 10 in-place upgrade task sequence over the Internet – A Windows 10 in-place upgrade task sequence now works for clients via the Cloud Management Gateway and Cloud Distribution Point.

Improvements in Software Center

Approve application requests for users per device – User-based application requests are now approved only for the device from where the user submitted the request.

Improvements to client settings for Software Center – Client settings for Software Center now has a customize button where you can preview your customizations before deploying them to machines. You can also hide unapproved applications in Software Center.

Improvements in OSD

Improvements to Windows 10 in-place upgrade task sequence – The default task sequence template for Windows 10 in-place upgrade now includes additional groups with recommended actions to add before and after the upgrade process.

Deployment Template for Task Sequences Using the Deployment wizard for Task Sequence you can now create a Deployment Template which can be saved and applied to an existing or new Task Sequence to create a TS deployment.

Miscellaneous Improvements

Run scripts – Create and run signed or unsigned scripts and with structured JSON formatted output.

Support for hardware inventory strings greater than 255 characters in length – For newly added classes, you can specify string lengths greater than 255 characters for hardware inventory properties that are not keys.

This release also includes the following improvements based on your feedback from UserVoice

Do not automatically upgrade superseded applications – In this release, you now have the option to configure an application deployment to not automatically upgrade any superseded version

Allow user interaction when installing applications as system – Now users can interact with an application installation user interface in system context even during a task sequence.

Install multiple applications in Software Center – Click the multi-select icon on the Applications tab in Software Center. In this mode, select multiple applications and then install all together using the Install Selected button.

Renamed collections display in existing collection membership rules – When a collection is a member of another collection and it is renamed, the new name is updated under membership rules.

Improvements to Automatic Deployment Rule evaluation schedule – You can now schedule Automatic Deployment Rule evaluation to be offset from a base day.

Hide Installed Applications in Software Center – When this option is enabled under Software Center customization, installed applications will be hidden in the Applications tab.

For more details and to view the full list of new features in this update, check out our Whats new in version 1802 of System Center Configuration Manager documentation.

Note: As the update is rolled out globally in the coming weeks, it will be automatically downloaded, and you will be notified when it is ready to install from the Updates and Servicing node in your Configuration Manager console. If you cant wait to try these new features, this PowerShell script can be used to ensure that you are in the first wave of customers getting the update. By running this script, you will see the update available in your console right away.

For assistance with the upgrade process please post your questions in the Site and Client Deployment forum. Send us your Configuration Manager feedback through theFeedback Hub appbuilt-in to Windows 10. When youAdd new feedbackbe sure to select theEnterprise Managementcategory and then choose from one of the following subcategories: