The D-Spot (The Deployment Spot)

Most of us consider the use of Task Sequences in SCCM to be meant only for the OSD part of SCCM.

to some extent, they are right !  but, there are more scenarios when this can be used, such as: managing the order how software will be installed and even handling required reboots between those installs.

In the following example, I have described the steps to upgrade from RTM OCS client to OCS R2 client:

- all required packages that will be run in the task sequence must be created first

- prepare a collection to target the advertisement on

- Create a new Task Sequence under the OSD tree (go for the create a new custom task sequence option)

- provide the task sequence with a clear and descriptive name

- open the task sequence editor for the newly created task sequence

- insert as many install software lines into the task sequence as the number of applications that will be installed

TS editor

- for each install software line you have to specify the package and program to be used

- In the Options section where you have to be careful with the continue on error field, you can specify some conditions if you want to do some more advanced manipulation.

- once the editing of the task sequence is complete, you can create an advertisement out of it by simply rightclicking on it.  Most of the options you see will not be new, in the distribution points and interaction part of the wizard you will encounter a few items that you might not have seen already.  Continue on with the advertisement as you would do otherwise.

- Most of the work is done already.  In the advertisements node, you will now see the difference between a standard program and your task sequence based one:

advertisements

Note: on the client itself you will see that the advertisement ID that corresponds to your task sequence will be there a couple of times (in fact once for every program that you entered in it)