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Software Deployment

The following plugins are used to simplify, manage and automate software distribution in SCCM: 

Example: Software distribution process with SCCM Manager

  1. User requests software

    This is a familiar process in which the user requests software for installation from the help desk or their assigned administrator.

  2. Software assignment with the SCCM Manager

    The IT staff with access to SCCM Manager picks the computer name and assigns it to an installation collection (e.g. via  Software Assignment Plugin). Installation collections are completely ready-made units in SCCM that are associated with automatic execution to install software. Only software that is approved can be distributed. Accordingly, pre-filtering is configured in the respective plugin.

  3. SCCM Manager Web Service Processing

    The web service processes this request and communicates directly with the SCCM server. This now processes the information in the background. Since SCCM is a policy-based and queue-oriented system, the processing takes a few minutes.

  4. SCCM Agent Request

    The SCCM agent is set to send a request to the assigned SCCM site server (primary site) at intervals (e.g. every 60 min). The server responds and sends the client a new set of information about what to do, depending on how up-to-date it is. This includes the processing of inventory tasks, the execution of software installations or the processing of software updates (patch management).


  5. SCCM Agent Evaluation

    If the interval takes place, the received policy set is evaluated and processed by the site server. In this case, the system would detect that new software is available and download it from the distribution point.

  6. Software from the „Distributions Point“ (DP)

    Depending on the configuration, one or more "distribution points" are located in the sites. The assignment of which server is responsible for a client takes place exclusively via an "IP network" to "DP assignment". This information is requested by the client and the site server then reports from which DP the software can be downloaded. If the client changes its location (roaming), the software is downloaded from another DP. This request is always made before any software installation is performed. The SCCM agent stores all downloaded files in the directory: "C:\Windows\ccmcache". This cache can be emptied if necessary or adjusted per computer via the SCCM Manager if the storage space is not sufficient. After the successful download the software installation is executed. Faulty installations are repeated after one day.

  7. Feedback to the system

    After an installation (successful or failed), this information is reported back to the SCCM Site Server. The server processes this data and writes it to the database. A short time later, the information can be retrieved via the SCCM Manager.

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