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System Center Configuration Manager (or SCCM) is the program by which all Specialists can 'push' software to be installed on supported machines. 

✰ The term 'pushing' is colloquially used by ITaP instead of just 'installing' due to how the Specialists are directing the SCCM program to 'push' or direct a piece of software to a workstation connected to the Software Center environment, and given permission to install through that platform. It's not like remoting in yourself and approving an entire installation process manually through an admin password. SCCM handles the installation of all programs that 'flow' through it, having been pre-approved by the Security team, and not requiring admin interference.

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✰ It is also incredibly important to not understate how much weight a misuse of SCCM carries against Purdue's computing systems, and how uninformed operation of the program can potentially result in a work stoppage across the entire University.

Please read over this article carefully, and ask a Desktop Support Specialist or your supervisor if you have any questions as to any part of using this program.

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• NOTE: If the selected program is already installed, it will give you the option to Uninstall or Reinstall instead of the Install button, as shown below.

The program's status on the end user's machine is listed below the Install/Reinstall/Uninstall button; this includes the status of the program, the version, if a restart is required post-installation, the download's size and the estimated time for it to install.

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• ... that the software is packaged and available for installation by a CSC or CSDS representative by searching in their copy of SCCM for the correct program name.
  • Follow-up: the Specialist will also need to ensure it is a program that the CSC is authorized to install. If it is denoted "Cooperative Services-Desktop Support" in the "Limiting Collection" column, do not proceed with the installation yourself. You are expected to send the request to the Technical Coordinator through cc: before escalating the ticket to CSDS_SUPPORT. This cuts down on response time and better serves the end user and the CSC's metrics.
• ... that their departmental Technical Coordinator has authorized the installation by a documented affirmative response to a request email, attached to the Footprints ticket via cc:.
• ... that they have the correct computer information in the ticket. Footprints uses an asset management program that ties into what populates in the Asset Information tab. The user may request software, printers, or drivers to be deployed to a machine that is not listed in their Asset Management tab; ensure that they have listed and confirmed the requested machine to which to push the software.

Software Requests, Updates, and Unpackaged Programs

Unscheduled Program Updates

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You may also receive ticketed requests to install software that does not show up as approved and pre-packaged in Software CenterSCCM.

✰ If a user requests unapproved (non-packaged) software, they are to be given the option to continue with the process by which software is requested for packaging. ✰

Inform the user through the Customer Note that the software they want is not currently available for installation through SCCM. The ticket can then be sent to their Technical Coordinator requesting that the system administrators review the requested software, and package it for installation through SCCM. This entire process can take up to 30 days. If the user wants to continue forward with the packaging request, you will need to cc: the user's Technical Coordinator for initial approval, and if it passes, the request is then sent onto to the SCCM system administrators for review. Most users will move to dismiss their request, once they are informed of the time involved and processes required. Some requests will be automatically turned down due to incompatibility with existing programs, existing pre-packaged programs already serving a need despite not being preferential to users, or looming security and stability concerns. Inform the user if the TC or administrators reply in the negative, and mark the ticket as Resolved.

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Finding Requested Packages in SCCM

The process of pushing software to an existing CSDS machine is entirely exacted within your administrative System Center Configuration Manager program, in the Configuration Manager Console.After you have written TC approval and the correct machine name, and have ensured that the program, printer or driver is denoted as "CSDS All Systems - Help Desk", you may proceed with the software push.

• Locate the CSDS - XXXX folder that you need to open, as listed above; CSDS Applications - Install, CSDS Applications - Uninstall, CSDS Drivers - Install, CSDS Drivers - Uninstall, CSDS Fonts, CSDS Printers - Install, and CSDS Printers - Uninstall.
• If the ticket requests software, look in the folder Applications - Install.
• If the ticket requests drivers for a peripheral, look in the folder Drivers - Install.
• If the ticket requests a font package, look in the folder Fonts.
• If the ticket requests a CSDS managed printer, look in the folder Printers - Install.

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✰ VERY IMPORTANT: ✰ The CSC only has permission privileges to install software anything (applications, drivers, fonts or printers) that is denoted "CSDS All Systems - Help Desk" in the "Limiting Collection" column of SCCM. If you receive a ticket that has a software request (even if it's been preemptively signed off on by a Technical Coordinator) that is denoted "Cooperative Services-Desktop Support" in the "Limiting Collection" column when located within SCCM, do not push this software yourself. These programs installations may require privileges or permissions that Service Desk Specialists or Desktop Support Specialists do not have. 

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• NOTE: This is your last culpable chance to ensure that you have the correct program package selected to push to a requested computer. Double-check the name each time you use SCCM to push a program, font package, driver or printer.

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If the box doesn't show up as an overlay a pop-up box over the SCCM window, it can be found by clicking the blue box with a white arrow and underscored line icon in your toolbar., as shown below:

Click into the Computer List box, and enter the designated name of the machine on which the software is to be installed. 

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The bottom rectangular portion of the Add Direct Rules box will begin to populate with information as it attempts to attach the listed computer to the software group. This is SCCM running and looking through the computer's listed properties, and checking to see if the computer has already been added to this software's deployment list. If it has not, the completed message (with timestamps) will appear in the bottom portion of the Add Direct Rules box. The results of the push attempt will also appear in the topmost secondhand right-side box, the Results area. This is useful for tracking results when attempting to add multiple computers to the same software group.

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✰  Urgent or Rushed Requests ✰ 

If a user has vehemently requested a program to be installed within a short time frame, and the overnight window is too long to wait for its installation, a Specialist can remote into the user's PC and attempt to force a quicker installation by running Actions.

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• NOTE: If the program, driver, printer or font collection does not appear in SCCM's CSDS Applications- Install, the ticket will need to be escalated to CSDS_SUPPORT for investigation as to why the asset was manually installed on a computer in what is meant to be a closed computing environment.
• NOTE: There will be some programs, fonts, printers or drivers in SCCM that have Install collections, but no Uninstall collections (e.g., iTunes). You will need to reach out to a CSDS Specialist (to be safe, a Spec at least one tier above you) for confirmation of approval to uninstall the program manually (while remotely connected into the machine in question, with an admin sign-in into Control Panel > Add or Remove a Program). Copy and paste any email correspondence, Slack or Skype conversations relevant to the inquiry into the ticket's Issue Information (tech notes).
• NOTE: If the program in question is licensed, the user's Relationship Manager will need to be contacted to have the computer removed from any licensing agreements or information, if necessary.

✰ IMPORTANT ✰ - After 24 hours, SCCM is intended to run a script to automatically remove an added computer from the Uninstall collection; however, you may have to return to the Uninstall collection of the program and remove the added machine from the group if any technical issues occur, or the user reopens the ticket.

In the Assets and Compliance tab, open the Device Collections expanding menu, scroll down to and expand Cooperative Services-Desktop Support, and then scroll down to and expand CSDS Applications - Uninstall.

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• NOTE: If an uninstall requires an escalation, be sure to include in the Issue Information (tech notes) field that the software to be uninstalled is located in the Cooperative Services-Desktop Support collection, and needs escalation, before sending the ticket to CSDS_SUPPORT.

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• • This process is followed exactly how you would add a CSDS-machine to an installation collection, including adding the name of the machine(s) in the first column of the Powershell scripted box (Add Direct Rules) that appears when right-clicking and selecting Client Tools on Collection and then Add Computers to Collection.
  • Copy and paste the results of the uninstall attempt in the Add Direct Rules pop-up (the box with the three separate boxes, displayed in detail in the How to Push Software Using SCCM section) into the Issue Information (tech notes).
    
  • NOTE: Just like installing a program through SCCM for installation, it will often take an overnight maintenance cycle for the changes to appear. Users will not typically be in such a rush as someone requesting an installation, but performing Actions on the user's Control Panel > Configuration Manager is still an option for a faster resolution attempt.
    
    
• ... or, manually remote into the user's machine using Remote Control Viewer, access their Control Panel > Programs and Features / Add or Remove Programs with an administrative sign-in, and uninstall the program yourself.

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✰ IMPORTANT ✰ - After 24 hours, SCCM is intended to run a script to automatically remove an added computer from the Uninstall collection; however, you may have to return to the Uninstall collection of the program and remove the added machine from the group if any technical issues occur, or the user reopens the ticket.

Removing from the Installation Collection

Open the CSDS Applications - Install folder, then search for the program you want to have removed. Double-click on the correct iteration of the program - it will take a moment to load, but it will pull up a list of all computers within that program's collection.

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Installing a CSDS Printer on a CSDS-Managed Computer

Installing a requested printer through SCCM is, again, much like adding a computer to the list of assets available in the console. You will find the asset first, then add the computer to its collection.

• Ensure you have the correct printer name. Users will often call in, requesting access to 'that printer down the hall' or attempt to give a vague name or location in a Footprints ticket. Each CSDS printer has a very direct naming convention to make them able to be found for troubleshooting in their physical locations and to be added through SCCM.
  • CSDS printer names will start with "CSDS (underscore)...". e.g., CSDS_STEW_31_HP_4700_PCL. You can provide an estimate of where this printer is located by its naming convention - it's a CSDS managed printer, in Stewart Center, likely in room 31, or, serving room 31, with the make and model listed. It is important to have the full name of the requested printer, due to the request requiring Technical Coordinator approval; they will need to know exactly which printer is being added. If the user has called in a request, ask them to read out the full name of the requested printer, including underscores, for clarity.
• Ensure that you have the user's Technical Coordinator's approval. As always, there There needs to be a written indication in the corresponding Footprints ticket that they have a TC has approved the installation of anything on a machine that the TC managesthey manage.

Open the Device Collections drop-down menu in the Assets and Compliance tab, then scroll to Cooperative Services-Desktop Support. Look for and click to open the CSDS Printers - Install folder, highlighted below in red.

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There will be a bar at the bottom of the search page that has the name of the selected printer. If you need to expand it to view its information, click the bar.

What it looks like when the bar is minimized (note that the computer bordered in red is also selected in the box below:

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What it looks like when this bar is opened (note that CSDS Printer 1074-PRNT1847 is selected):

The information box will grow upwards from the bottom of your screen.

This expanded box will contain a Comment that typically has the name of the printer that is visible to the end user. Performing (e.g., performing a search in SCCM with either "PRNT1847" or  or "PMU_268" should bring up this printer in particular.)

To add the requested printer to a CSDS machine, right click on the listed asset, mouse over to Client Tools on Collection, then click Add Computers to Collection.

This will bring up the an Add Direct Rules box, which is more fully covered in the How to Push Software Using SCCM section. Confirm that you have the correct printer selected, listed at the top center of the Rules box.

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Removing Printers From CSDS Machines

If the printer in question to be removed has an Uninstall collection, it is necessary that you add the CSDS computer to that collection before removing the CSDS managed computer from the printer's Install collection, or SCCM will denote the printer not being installed (when it's "supposed to be") and push it again automatically during the next maintenance cycle. This can cause user frustration and elongated ticket resolution times.

Unlike the majority of the process processes used for uninstalling software, which could be uninstalled manually, you should be able to find the partner uninstall deployment in the corresponding CSDS Printers - Uninstall collection folder.

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Open the Assets and Compliance tab, then scroll to Cooperative Services-Desktop Support. Look for the CSDS Fonts folder.

• NOTE: Unlike the Applications, Drivers, and Printers deployments, there is no "CSDS Fonts - Uninstall" collection.

Search for the name of the requested font using the Search feature, located at the top of the SCCM console window.

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Uninstalling a Font from a CSDS-Managed Computer

• NOTE: Unlike the Applications, Drivers, and Printers deployments, there is no "CSDS Fonts - Uninstall" collection.

If a user or VPPA_MARKETING_CONTENT requests for a font to be removed from a CSDS-managed machine, the Specialist will have to remove the computer from the font collection list through the SCCM console prior to manually removing the font from the machine by remote access, otherwise it will continually push the font to the machine by SCCM's design. Many fonts, as listed above, are licensed and paid for on a user-by-user basis, and if a user leaves their department, the font can be removed from their machine as it is no longer in use.

Follow the same conventional steps as you would to add a CSDS-managed machine to a program or printer collection. You may also want to reach out to the user's Relationship Manager or Technical Coordinator to ensure the licensing information is taken care of; the CSC does not handle updating licensing information.

Due to licensing issues and restrictions, screenshots are not available of this exact process, but you can glean the information by the screenshots listed for removing programs and printers.

• Search for the font's name in CSDS Fonts. If it is under the Limiting Collection for "Cooperative Services-Desktop Support", do not proceed; escalate the ticket to CSDS_SUPPORT.
• Double-click on the font's name. It will bring up a list of all machines that have that font installed through SCCM.
• Find the name of the requested machine. Right-click on it to bring up a menu; look for the option "Remove from Collection". It should have a blue minus symbol to its left.
• You will receive a confirmation window to remove the selected font. Click "OK".