Microsoft has announced the release of update 1701 for Technical Preview Branch of SCCM in its Enterprise Mobility and Security blog.
Update 1701 introduces seven new features, including the support of Express files for the Windows 10 Cumulative Update. This service is only supported in Windows 10 version 1607 that also has the Windows Update Agent update featured in the updates released earlier this January.
The newest SCCM update brings UEFI inventory data to the software, meaning that hardware inventory can now determine whether the device is UEFI-enabled.
OMS now supports Azure Government
Thanks to update 1701 the Operations Manager Suite (OMS) Connector feature now supports Microsoft Azure Government. Users now have the ability to configure an OMS connector for the OMS workspace on Azure Government cloud.
Microsoft makes sure to constantly update its SCCM software. The company added iOS 10 support to the Software Center Configuration Manager last September and a few days ago introduced the software for Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM). Microsoft has optimized SCCM for Windows 10 with update 1511, also transitioning to the Software as a Service (SaaS) model.
Update 1701 is available in the Configuration Manager console of version 1610.
Here is a full list of the new features:
- “UEFI inventory data – Hardware inventory can now determine whether the device is UEFI-enabled.
- Express files support for Windows 10 Cumulative Update – Configuration Manager can support Windows 10 Cumulative Update using Express files. This functionality is only supported in Windows 10 version 1607 with a Windows Update Agent update included with the updates released on January 10, 2017 (Patch Tuesday). For more information see https://docs.microsoft.com/sccm/core/get-started/capabilities-in-technical-preview-1612#express-installation-files-support-for-windows-10-updates.
- Validate Device Health Attestation Data via Management Point – You can now configure management points to validate health attestation reporting data for cloud or on-premises health attestation service.
- Updated Content Library Cleanup Tool – The command line tool (ContentLibraryCleanup.exe) used to remove content that is no longer associated with any package or application from a distribution point (orphaned content) has been updated with fixes for known issues.
- Host software updates on cloud-based distribution points – Beginning with this preview version, you can use a cloud-based distribution point to host a software update package.
- Support for Microsoft Azure Government cloud added to Operations Management Suite (OMS) Connector feature – You can now configure an OMS connector for the OMS workspace on Microsoft Azure Government cloud.
- Additional boundary groups improvements – Clients now find software update points using Boundary Group associations.”
In addition to the new features, Microsoft has announced several improvements to operating system deployment:
- “Support for more applications for the Install Applications task sequence step
- Expire standalone media
- Support for additional content in stand-alone media
- Configurable timeout for Auto Apply Driver task sequence step
- Package ID is now displayed in task sequence steps
- Windows 10 ADK tracked by build version
- Default boot image source path can no longer be changed”
