Wally Mead

Upgrading to System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

Infrastructure Changes in Configuration Manager 2012 R2• All site system roles supported on Windows Server

2012 R2• Distribution point role is supported on Windows 8.1

• SQL Server updates:• Ability to designate database and transaction log location

during Setup• Ability to recover to a different SQL Server computer and

instance• Version of SQL Server must be the same as backup

was from

Infrastructure Changes in Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (2)• One new site system – Certificate registration

point• Used for Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol for

certificate management

Preparing to Upgrade to Configuration Manager 2012 R2• How do you get to Configuration Manager 2012 R2?

• You can install a brand new CAS or primary site from the media• Just like you did for Configuration Manager 2007 or

Configuration Manager 2012

• You can migrate from Configuration Manager 2007 SP2• Just like you did for Configuration Manager 2007 to

Configuration Manager 2012• No migration from any other version of Configuration Manager

other than ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 or ConfigMgr 2012 R2

Preparing to Upgrade to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (2)

• How do you get to Configuration Manager 2012 R2?• You can also do an in-place upgrade from Configuration

Manager 2012 SP1• No upgrade from any other version will work

• You must manually uninstall the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8• Configuration Manager Setup won’t remove the

existing ADK version

Preparing to Upgrade to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (3)

• You must manually download and install the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8.1• No automation of the ‘update’ of the ADK, nor

integrated deployment of it• Configuration Manager Setup won’t install the new

ADK

Preparing to Upgrade to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (4)

• Once you’ve updated the ADK, the rest of the system requirements are all the same• Same versions of the operating system and SQL Server are

supported• Of course we now support Windows Server 2012 R2

Upgrading to Configuration Manager 2012 R2

• First you backup your current site/hierarchy• Always have a backup before you do anything new

• Next, you run a database upgrade test• Should always be run before any upgrade• Run ‘Setup.exe /testdbupgrade database’

• On a different SQL Server instance

• This validates you can safely upgrade the site database to the new version

Upgrading to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (2)

• Then you run a manual prerequite check• Easy to run a “Prereqchk.exe” from the R2 Setup media• This validates you meet the requirements of the new

version

• If you are using multicast on your distribution points it is recommended to be at CU3 prior to the upgrade• Otherwise distribution points may fail to upgrade and

function successfully

Upgrading to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (3)

• Upgrading to Configuration Manager 2012 R2• Finally you run “Splash.hta” from the installation media

• This will walk you through the “Upgrade this Configuration Manager site” Setup action

• You will need to download a new set of prerequisite files• Updated versions from Configuration Manager 2012 SP1

• Setup will upgrade the site server, and all remote site systems

Verifying the Upgrade• Verify the upgrade was successful

• Verify Configuration Manager Console starts• Have seen it fail to upgrade due to a ‘race condition’

• Verify no unexpected site system or component failures• Should expect a few errors due to upgrade in system

components

• Verify reports function• Have seen the ReportViewer.exe not get run on upgrade

• Upgrade any remote Configuration Manager admin consoles• Only support the same console version as the site version

Upgrading Clients to Configuration Manager 2012 R2• You then upgrade clients through whatever

client deployment method you want to use• Very common to use software distribution – most

popular method historically• Software update client install works great also• The “Automated client upgrade” feature is a great way

to upgrade clients!

• Use the “Count of Configuration Manager clients by client version” report to track upgrades

Summary• It is a pretty easy upgrade process!• Backup the site/hierarchy• Replace the ADK• Verify the database can be upgraded• Upgrade the site• Verify the site upgrade• Upgrade remote admin consoles• Upgrade clients

http://www.microsoft.com/workstylehttp://www.microsoft.com/server-cloud/user-device-management

More Resources:

System Center 2012 Configuration Managerhttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh667640.aspx?wt.mc_id=TEC_105_1_33

Windows Intunehttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windowsintune/try-and-buy

Windows Server 2012 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server

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