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Table of Contents

Introduction

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

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Please read over this article carefully, and ask a Desktop Support Specialist or a supervisor if any questions arise as to any part of using these programs.

Viewing SCCM as a Specialist

All Specialist workplace machines should have a copy of what is bundled in a file folder as Microsoft System Center already installed.

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• Configuration Manager Console - This is the main program by which a Specialist will 'push' software to approved machines within the CSDS environment.
  
  
• Remote Control Viewer - This program is how a Specialist is able to remotely connect to, view, and control approved CSDS-XXXXX and Ag-IT supported machines. Of the three listed, it will be used most often throughout a Specialist's workday, and likely involves issues unrelated to using SCCM, including remotely accessing a computer in to view a user's described issue, approve software installations and guide users through generalized technical support.
  
  
• Software Center - This program is used to push software through SCCM onto a Specialist's own computer; it is how updates to existing programs and new software is installed, and is also the only client-facing program.

Configuration Manager Console

This program's UI can appear imposing on first use for new Specialists who may be unfamiliar with its appearance. It lists the computing environments, software installations, device collections, compliance settings, Endpoint protection settings, and all users within the ONEPURDUE domain for every supported IT department within the University. However, CSC and CSDS team members will only use clearly defined boundaries of SCCM.

This section of the article is meant to point directly to these boundaries that the CSC will be utilizing during a ticketed response, or, if required, support team escalation.

As of February 28January 24th, 20192020, the SCCM environment should look like the image below when opened with the Overview tab selected by default.

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Once the Cooperative Services-Desktop Support folder has been expanded, the Specialist can begin working on the contents of the requested ticket; the initial software (or font, or driver) request.

Remote Control Viewer

Utilizing this program is a part of a Specialist's daily operations. It is used to remote into, view and interact with a 1074 CSDS-XXXXX (or, an Ag-IT managed) computer from the user's perspective.

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There will be four options in the top left corner; File, View, Action and Help.

File

When the Specialist has confirmed the name of the machine, and is ready to connect to an end user's computer, they need to click on File, and then Connect.

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When the Specialist is connected to a user's machine, it will display a primary monitor-spanning green bar stating their username and that they are remotely connected. At any time, the user can (often accidentally) close the X button on this green bar and disconnect the Specialist from the computer. If the Specialist attempts to connect to the same machine again immediately, it will kick them out, stating that there is already someone connected. Disconnecting from a Remote Control Viewer accessed machine can impede the repair process, as it takes several minutes for the remote server to 'realize' that there is nobody connected to the computer. It will not let the Specialist reconnect during this 'realization' period. The same sense of timing applies after a user has restarted their machine; the server responsible for the remote access will have to 'realize' that the user's computer is back online and is available for connectivity through Remote Control Viewer (even if the user's computer can connect to the internet or access Outlook).

Action

The Action menu is used primarily for digitally sending the CTRL+ALT+DEL command to the machine as needed (logging users in with presumably a broken keyboard, showing them the password change option, bringing up Task Manager, etc.) It can also be used to disable an end user's keyboard and mouse through the function of the same name, however, this is not recommended, as users will still need to input credentials as necessary and guide Specialists to the problem areas of their issue.

• NOTE: As a courtesy, when the troubleshooting or issue that requires remote access into the machine has been completed, the Specialist should inform the user that they are disconnecting so that they aren't under the impression the CSC is still connected when the support call has ended.
• NOTE: Unrelated to SCCM, but when assisting a user with issues related to their password or BoilerKey, they may be under the impression that a Specialist can see their password or keystrokes when entering sensitive information. Reassure them that remote access only displays what is visible on screen and that passwords are still shown as ••••••s for their privacy where applicable.
  
• NOTE: When attempting connections to Ag-IT managed computers, there will be scenarios where attempting to connect with the given name will result in failure. Attempt connection with the computer's IP address before forwarding the call to Ag-IT.
  

Software Center - Customer-Facing

As administrators, Specialists will have access to both SCCM and Software Center. 

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• Available Software shows a list of software that has been pushed, either automatically or purposefully through a package, to the user's machine.
  • Software will state it is ready for installation when fully downloaded and awaiting the next maintenance cycle.
  • Most users will have a list of software on their CSDS or Ag-IT machines that has been mass-licensed or approved, and pushed to their machines that can be installed on request.
    
    
• Installation Status will display a pending list of programs that have progress bars as to their current installation status on the user's machine.
  
  
  
  Once a program is selected in the Available Software list and the Install button is selected, it will move from the Available Software tab and to the Installation Status tab.
  
  
• Installation Status will show a list of programs that have been installed, are downloading, or are pending installation. This is given further detail below.
  
  
• Options displays configuration settings for the particular computer on which it's installed. These settings can include work information - changing the active hours that the user typically uses the computer, to allow installation of programs outside of business hours, and days of the week that they utilize the computer. By default, the business hours settings are 5:00AM through 10:00PM, Monday through Friday.
  
  • NOTE: The Options menu contains sensitive settings for CSDS, such as power management, maintenance and remote control options. Dissuade users from making changes to these options themselves; CSDS manages these settings.

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

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The program's status is listed below the Install/Reinstall/Uninstall button; this includes the installation 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.

Technical Coordinator Approval

All computers within Purdue's structure are grouped and managed by Technical Coordinators. Often abbreviated in ITaP as a "TC", Coordinators are responsible for their users' digital environments - signing off on approved software to be installed, communicating with service managers, working with end users as a tier of contact or support, facilitating purchase requests, and generally acting as a liaison between other departments and Purdue employees to secure a more unified computing environment. Each department within Purdue will have its own TC; multiple TCs for one department are not uncommon, and are contacted as points of reference for approvals and servicing user requests. If a Specialist is attempting to contact a user, and cannot reach them, they are encouraged to try reaching out to their Coordinator. TCs often put in Footprints tickets at the request of their users. They are an incredibly useful resource for any ITaP employee, regardless of position or management authority.

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These requests for permission permissions are arranged through Footprints at all times, for record-keeping and ticket tracking; do not communicate with the TC or the user using only your personal Purdue email.

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Managing Software Requests

Pushing software to a CSDS supported computer begins by receiving a Footprints ticket from an end user that is requesting specific software to be installed on their workplace machine. It will likely mention attempts to install it themselves, and how they encountered a UAC dialogue box that did not accept their CAS or BoilerKey password, and as a result, did not let them install anything. This is intentional. The software environment on CSDS-managed machines is carefully curated to ensure that nothing is installed that could potentially harm the computer or the security of the Purdue computing environment, or interfere with pre-approved programs already on the machine.

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• ... that the software is pre-packaged and available for installation by a CSC or CSDS representative by searching in their updated 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. The Specialist working the ticket is 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 appropriate 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 Non-Packaged Programs

Unscheduled Program Updates

You may occasionally receive ticketed requests or support calls from users asking you to manually approve the UAC-prompted installation of an update to a program that appears in SCCM.

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Bypassing this rule and manually installing updates by user request ("... because 'that pop up box' won't go away when I try to use (program) ...") for installed programs such as Chrome, Firefox and other procedural updates may break the automatic update cycle that SCCM utilizes to update software during Purdue's "inactive" hours (after normal business hours and during scheduled maintenance periods). This can be particularly aggravating for end users when a browser such as Firefox or Chrome releases an update that pesters them through an unprompted UAC approval to authorize an update when attempting to use it. The SCCM administrators are ideally kept up to date when these and other critical programs are updated, and can react accordingly through SCCM-dispersed updates during inactive hours.

Installation Requests for Non-Packaged Software

Specialists may occasionally receive ticketed requests or support calls from users to install software that does not show up as approved and pre-packaged in SCCM.

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Inform the end-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, the Specialist will need to cc: the user's Technical Coordinator for initial approval, and if it passes, the request is then sent to the SCCM system administrators for review. Most end-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 before they reach the system administrators due to incompatibility with existing programs, pre-packaged programs already serving a need despite not being preferential to users, or security and stability concerns. Inform the user if the TC or administrators reply in the negative, and mark the ticket as Resolved. If the customer reopens the ticket, direct them to contact their Technical Coordinator for follow-up.

How to Read SCCM Asset and Installation Information

The process of pushing software to an existing CSDS machine takes place entirely within the administrative System Center Configuration Manager program, in the Configuration Manager Console.

• The Specialist will first need to locate the CSDS - XXXX folder that they will need to work within. 

  • Open the Assets and Compliance tab, then expand Device Collections, and scroll to Cooperative Services-Desktop Support.

    • If the ticket requests pre-packaged software, double-click the folder Applications - Install.
    • If the ticket requests drivers for a peripheral, double-click the folder Drivers - Install.
    • If the ticket requests a font package installation, double-click the folder Fonts.
    • If the ticket requests that the CSC add a CSDS managed printer, double-click the folder Printers - Install.

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• The search bar, outlined in Black, is at the top of each navigational window when the drop-down folders are expanded. 
  • The Specialist will use this search bar to look up the name of a requested program.
• The program's full name, outlined in Red, is part of the search results narrowed down to the CSDS Applications - Install folder. 
  • It will contain the name, denotes that it is supported by CSDS, and the version number (for update tracking).
• The Limiting Collection column is outlined in Green. This will inform the Specialist as to whether or not the software request ticket needs to be immediately escalated to CSDS_SUPPORT. 
  • For this example, the desktop version of Skype is a CSDS All Systems - Help Desk designated installation, which means that, with TC approval, a CSC Specialist may push it to the machine it and mark the request ticket Resolved.
• The member count, outlined in Orange, indicates how many computers within the CSDS environment have this program assigned to be installed.
• When fully expanded, the bottom center portion of the SCCM window has all of the above information condensed for easy viewing, along with the update time - the last time the installation files have been updated by the system administrators. Ideally, it is the most recent version, but the service managers have to ensure that an update of a program will not affect the installation of other computers, or have vulnerabilities for Purdue's computing environment. 
  • This process may take time following the release of a program update.

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• NOTE: General and Variables provide information that most CSC Specialists will not need to track; service support groups will know how to decipher and apply this window's information if an escalation is necessary.

"Limiting Collection" - Immediate Escalation to CSDS_SUPPORT

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A given example of what the difference between CSDS All Systems - Help Desk and Cooperative Services-Desktop Support designation looks like in the SCCM console is noted below. Note the Limiting Collection header.

How to Push Software With SCCM

Installing software, drivers or printers through SCCM may seem like a backwards process - finding the desired deployment and adding the CSDS-XXXXX computer to it, instead of finding the computer and then adding the deployment.

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It will display the name of the intended program in the top center, and is divided into three empty white boxes.

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

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After the successful results have been pasted into the Issue Information tab of the Footprints ticket, the Specialist may return to the Customer Note section and inform the user (preferably with a customized Quick Customer Note) that the program, printer or driver has been pushed, and will install on their computer without interrupting their work day or requiring further effort on their end. 

Possible Failure

Attempting to push a program through the Add Direct Rules box when the computer is already marked as added to that software group through SCCM will result in an error, noted below:

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• NOTE: Users will typically expect the pushed program to appear on their machine instantly once they receive a confirmation through a Resolved ticket stating it has been sent through Software Center. Keep in mind to not over-promise to the end user; SCCM can take up to a business day to push a program, driver or printer to the intended machine, and sometimes won't even show up as available until an overnight maintenance cycle has completed. The user typically replies to the Resolved ticket and states that it hasn't installed. If the requested program still has not shown up in the user's Software Center, a Specialist will need to remote in and troubleshoot as to why or why not, or escalate it to the correct service group.

Now Micro Right Click Tools

Follow the same processes as listed above, however, in lieu of "Client Tools on Collection", click "Now Micro Right Click Tools", then click "Client Tools on Collection".

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Copy the log results into the ticket's tech notes, as dictated above.

Urgent or Rushed Requests 

If a user has 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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• Highlight and click "Run Now" on at the very least the Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle, Software Inventory Cycle, Software Updates Scan Cycle, and Software Updates Deployment Evaluation Cycle options.
• NOTE: The intended software, driver or font package must have already been pushed to the user's computer before enacting this procedure.

Uninstalling Software With SCCM

Uninstalling software on CSDS-managed machines operates much like installing it, however, the program must be removed from the installation collection, and also placed into an uninstall collection; this is where the "CSDS Applications - Uninstall" section is used.

Unlike a software installation, a Specialist will not need Technical Coordinator approval to remove a program, font, printer or driver from a CSDS computer. A user can request that an installed program be removed without incident.

Adding to the Uninstall Collection

If a program is listed as having an Uninstall collection in SCCM, the machine(s) listed in the ticket can be added to that collection to facilitate easy removal of the unwanted program from the machine(s).

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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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• NOTE: If the computer has not been removed from the CSDS Applications - Install listed program, Software Center will consistently attempt to reinstall the program onto the listed machine during any overnight maintenance cycle, due to it registering as not installed as intended within the computing environment. Placing a program in the Installation collection tells SCCM to maintain a constant installation of the program regardless of what the user has manually requested. It is important for ticket resolution and user satisfaction that the computer in question is removed from the listed program in the Install folder, regardless of how the program is removed from the machine.

Administrative Access Without Forcing a User to Log Out

Manually uninstalling a program on a CSDS-managed machine usually requires the Specialist to remote into the computer, have the user log out, log in themselves with Specialist credentials, wait for the desktop to prepare, then pull up Control Panel and initiate an uninstall.

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Installing CSDS-Managed Printers With SCCM

Installing a CSDS Printer on a CSDS-Managed Computer

• Ensure the full printer and machine names have been given. 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. The user 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 or near 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. 
    • The Specialist can always have the end-user find the printer's full name in a coworker's Printers and Scanners menu, if they happen to already have it added.
• Ensure that the Technical Coordinator has signed off on the addition of the printer. There needs to be written indication in the corresponding Footprints ticket that a TC has approved the installation of anything on a machine that they manage.

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• NOTE: As with all installations using SCCM, it may take an overnight maintenance cycle for the requested printer(s) to show up in their Available Software tabs.
  

Removing Printers From CSDS Machines

If the printer to be removed has an Uninstall collection, it is necessary that the Specialist adds 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.

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If it's successful, copy and paste the results (listed as shown in the third bottom-most box) into the Issue Information (tech notes) and mark the ticket as Resolved with an appropriate Customer Note.

SCCM and Fonts

All Purdue-owned machines have a curated list of typeface fonts for end-users that are allowed to be installed and used on all Purdue computers, not just those managed by CSDS. Fonts are not allowed to be freely installed by end users due to misappropriation of licensing; many, if not most fonts, like those acquired from well-known communally uploaded websites, are uploaded with disclaimers by the author or creator that they are free for personal use, but not commercial use - meaning that anything created at Purdue or with Purdue-owned machines using a specific font is subject to licensing that Purdue would have to pay for in order to publish, whether the font was used on an internal project or a public-facing one. Because of this, end-users must adhere to the fonts for which the University has purchased licenses and made available for use.

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• Do not fulfill an end-user request for a font without it having been processed by Marketing and Media for licensing information.
• If the University computer with the fonts installed is transferred to another Purdue user, the customer/department must contact Purdue Marketing and Media via e-mail at contentmarketinghelp@purdue.edu to arrange an end-user transfer.

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• NOTE: The confirmation window may appear to be broken, as it does not show the intended printer, regardless of what computer number is entered; this is a documented error. Proceed with the installation by clicking 'OK'.

Uninstalling a Font from a CSDS-Managed Computer

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

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