SCCM 2012 R2 Environment Preparation Requirements

This article covers the installation on a SCCM 2012 R2 environment for Computer management (OS Deployment and Inventory). There are:

• One server for SQL and Reporting services
  
• One server for SCCM Primary Site
  
• One server for a secondary SCCM Management and Deployment Point (it will be used later for SUP roles and Application Catalog).
  

 

All servers are installed with Windows Server 2012 R2.

This article not covers a SCCM CAS (Central Administration Site) Server deployment (need if you plan to deploy multiple Primary Sites).

 

Article Parts:

• Part 1: SCCM 2012 R2 Environment Preparation / Requirements
• Part 2: SCCM 2012 R2 SQL Server Installation-Configuration
• Part 3: SCCM 2012 R2 Primary Site Installation

 

SCCM 2012 R2 – Design Guide

This part is not cover in this article. For more information see TechNet:

 

• Fundamentals of Configuration Manager
  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682106.aspx
  

• Planning for Configuration Manager Sites and Hierarchy
  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682075.aspx
  

• Site and Site System Role Scalability
  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx#BKMK_SiteAndRoleScale
  

 

 

SQL – Design Guide

There are a lot of constraints for SQL on a SCCM environment.

 

High Availability:

• Configuration not supported:
  

 

• Configuration supported:

 

SQL Database Engine:

 

For Secondary Site:

 

Configuration:

 

TCP Port (Instance):

I’m currently testing to force the TCP port in the “SQL Server Native client” configuration, SCCM server can connect to the database but I have not tested whether there were other impacts (in addition, if it works, I’m not sure it is supported by Microsoft..). The solution of the alias is not working.

 

TCP Port (Broker):

 

SQL Server Memory:

 

SCCM Reporting Service Point (SSRS Instance):

 

Components Requirements

 

Notes: Internet Information Services (IIS)

SCCM Site Systems roles which require IIS:

• Application Catalog web service point
• Application Catalog website point
• Distribution point
• Enrollment point
• Enrollment proxy point
• Fallback status point
• Management point
• Software update point

 

Note: IIS must be enabled before SCCM Components installation

 

Components

 

 

(*) On a Deployment Point, WDS feature is automatically installed when PXE option is enabled. But if you want to specify a custom path for “RemoteInstall” folder you have to install and configure feature before enabling PXE.

 

Preparation

Sources needed:

• ISO – WS2012 R2 Standard or Enterprise
  
• ISO – SQL Server 2012 Enterprise with SP1
  
• ISO – SCCM 2012 R2
  
• FILES – SQL Server 2012 SP1 Update(s) (Actually CU7)
  
• FILES – ADK 8.1 (download offline files)
  
• FILES – SCCM Prerequisite files (see below)
  

 

Download SCCM Prerequisites

From a computer (x64) with Internet Connection:

• Navigate to SCCM 2012 R2 ISO source: .\smssetup\bin\X64
• Run SetupDL.exe <targetdir> (Example SetupDL.exe E:\CM2012PR)
  

 

This download .Net 4.0, SQL Express (not needed but you can skip this step), etc…

Build an ISO with this source and copy it on Hyper-V/SCVMM.

 

Download ADK Prerequisites

Download “adksetup.exe” file:

Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) for Windows 8.1 Update – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39982

For more information about ADK tools, see TechNet article – “Windows Deployment Tools Technical Reference“: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825039.aspx

 

Select “Download the Windows Assessment….” and specify a path

Build an ISO with the sources:

 

Extend Active Directory Schema for SCCM

Extend the AD schema is not mandatory for SCCM. However it facilitates client administration, especially for the following points (TechNet extract):

 

For more information, see TechNet article “Determine Whether to Extend the Active Directory Schema for Configuration Manager” – https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712272.aspx

Four actions are required to successfully enable Configuration Manager Clients to query AD DS to locate site resources:

• Extend the Active Directory schema.
• Create the System Management container.
• Set security permissions on the System Management container.
• Enable Active Directory publishing for the Configuration Manager site

 

For more information, see TechNet article “Prepare the Windows Environment for Configuration Manager” – https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712264.aspx#BKMK_PrepAD

 

Note about previous versions:

The SCCM 2012 R2 AD Schema Extensions are the same as SCCM 2007, 2012 or 2012 SP1. So if you have already extended the schema for a previous mentioned above, you do not have to extend it again to install SCCM 2012 R2.

 

Extend the Active Directory schema

Create a checkpoint of your Domain Controller (I have only one DC):

Logon a server with an account that is a member of “Schema Admins” security group.

From SCCM ISO run .\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\extadsch.exe

Check schema extension result, open extadsch.log located in the root of the system drive.

 

Create the System Management Container

Configuration Manager does not automatically create the System Management container in Active Directory Domain Services when the schema is extended. The container must be created one time for each domain that includes a Configuration Manager primary site server or secondary site server that publishes site information to Active Directory Domain Services

Start ADSI Edit, go to the “System” containter and create a new Object:

Select “container”:

Enter “System Management”:

 

Set Security Permissions on the System Management Container

 

 

Open properties of the container “System Management” created previously.

In the “Security” tab, add the site server computer account and Grant the “Full Control” permissions.

Click Advanced, select the site server’s computer account, and then click Edit.

In the “Applies to” list, select “This object and all descendant objects“.

Click OK and close the ADSIEdit console.