Overview

• In this video guide, we will be performing a deep dive in the software updates feature in Microsoft SCCM. This will include client and server-side components. Some topics covered are client policy, scanning, WMI, StateMessages, StateMgr, Summarization and more!

Topics in Video

• Start the Client Used to Run Updates Against – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=92
• Force Client Policy and Review Download of Policy and Deployment in WMI – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=166
• Initiate an Evaluate Software Updates Deployment – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=369
• Review Client Scanning of Updates – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=460
• Review Update Compliance for Targeted Updates in the Scan – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=506
• Review Software Updates Classes in WMI – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=559
• Review the StateMessages on the Client and How It Sends to MP – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=723
• Show the State Message XML on the Site Server – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=776
• Show Software Update Summarization – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=1060
• Review Software Update Content Request  – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=1299
• Review Software Update Installation Components – https://youtu.be/_tz2rTARzvw?t=1371

Notes From Justin

• Helpful Logs for Software Updates
  • PolicyAgent.log – Records requests for policies made by using the Data Transfer Service.
  • PolicyEvaluator.log – Records details about the evaluation of policies on client computers, including policies from software updates.
  • LocationServices.log – Records the client activity for locating management points, software update points, and distribution points.
  • UpdatesHandler.log – Records details about software update compliance scanning and about the download and installation of software updates on the client.
  • RebootCoordinator.log – Records details about the coordination of system restarts on client computers after software update installations.
  • WUAHandler.log – Records details about the Windows Update Agent on the client when it searches for software updates.
  • UpdatesStore.log – Records details about compliance status for the software updates that were assessed during the compliance scan cycle.
  • ScanAgent.log – Records details about scan requests for software updates, the WSUS location, and related actions.
  • StateMessage.log – Records details about software update state messages that are created and sent to the management point.
  • UpdatesDeployment.log – Records details about deployments on the client, including software update activation, evaluation, and enforcement. Verbose logging shows additional information about the interaction with the client user interface.
  • statesys.log – Records the processing of state system messages. This log also shows the software update summarization task that run.
• Helpful WMI Namespace and Classes
  • ROOT\ccm\Policy\Machine\ActualConfig:CCM_UpdateCIAssignment – This shows that we have the policy for the SUG Deployment ID
  • ROOT\ccm\ScanAgent:CCM_SUPLocationList – Shows SUP SCCM is set to use for scanning
  • ROOT\ccm\SoftwareUpdates\DeploymentAgent:CCM_TargetedUpdateEx1 – Shows all software updates targetting the device and the relevant information about the updates
  • ROOT\ccm\SoftwareUpdates\DeploymentAgent:CCM_AssignmentCompliance – Shows the different software update group deployments targetting the device and their compliance
  • ROOT\ccm\StateMsg:CCM_StateMsg – Shows all the state messages logged in WMI
• Windows Update Log File PowerShell CMDlet
  • get-windowsupdatelog

Helpful Resources:

• Software Updates Log Files in SCCM – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/plan-design/hierarchy/log-files#BKMK_SU_NAPLog
• Windows Update Agent Log – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/plan-design/hierarchy/log-files#BKMK_WULog
• WMIExplorer Download – https://git.io/wmie2
• Scan for software updates compliance process – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/sum/understand/software-updates-introduction#scan-for-software-updates-compliance-process
• Software update deployment process – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/sum/understand/software-updates-introduction#BKMK_DeploymentProcess
• Capacity planning recommendations for software updates – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/sum/plan-design/plan-for-software-updates#capacity-planning-recommendations-for-software-updates
• Restart options for Windows 10 clients after software update installation – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/sum/plan-design/plan-for-software-updates#BKMK_RestartOptions