MECM Upgrade with an offline Service connection point

In this post let's see how we can upgrade MECM with an offline service connection point.

As we already know how to perform in-place upgrade in the CB versions of configuration manager. This type is called using "Online Service Connection Point"

With Offline service connection point we can't download the latest version of MECM CB directly from Microsoft Cloud.

Service connection point can support two types of modes:-

1. Online Mode :- It automatically checks every 24 hrs for updates and then download new updates that are available for current infrastructure and product version to make them available in MECM Console.

2. Offline Mode :- It doesn't connect to Microsoft cloud service and you must manually Use the service connection point tool for SCCM to import available updates.

Service Connection Tool:- It supports a single instance of this role. This role can only be installed at the top site of your hierarchy i.e., CAS or standalone primary site server

Change Service connection point from Online to Offline.

• Launch MECM Console --> Administration --> Site Configuration --> Servers and site System Roles --> Select the server where service connection point role installed --> right click on role and select properties --> change Online to offline .

Here we need to use the serviceconnectiontool.exe tool download the configuration manager updates into the console

We can get service connection tool in %Baselinemedia%\smssetup\tools\serviceconnectiontool

Use Service Connection Tool

There are three steps to use the service connection point

1. Prepare - Run on the computer that hosts the service connection point

2. Connect - Run the tool on a remote computer/mecm server that connects to the internet

3. Import - Run on the computer that hosts the service connection point.

Prepare:-

So we will prepare the usagedata.cab with our telemetry data. Open an administrative command prompt window.

• Create Folder called as USB on E drive

• In the USB folder create a file called usagedata.cab

• Run the below command and press Enter

• Verify .CAB file is more than

Command :- ServiceConnectionTool.exe -prepare -usagedatadest e:\USB\usagedata.cab

Connect:-

Copy the USB directory containing your usagedata.cab and copy the service connection tool to a machine which has internet access. Open the command prompt as administrative mode.

• Create folder called UpdatePacks in USB folder where usagedata.cab resides.

• The service connection tool has option to control which files we want to download.

  • -Downloadall :- It downloads everything, including updates and hotfixes regardless of the site version.

  • -Downloadhotfix :- It downloads all hotfixes regardless of the site version.

  • -Downloadsiteversion :- It downloads updates & hotfixes that have a version that is higher than the version of your site

• Run the below command to upload the datafile and download the configuration manger updates:

Command:- ServiceConnectionTool.exe -connect -usagedatasrc E:\USB -updatepackdest E:\USB\UpdatePacks.

• The MECM version which is going to Upgrade package Guid files will be downloaded into the Updatepacks folder.

Import:-

• If you have run the tool on remote machine and copies the files into the MECM server.

• We will be running below command line to import the update packagers into configuration manager.

Command :- ServiceConnectionTool.exe -import -updatepacksrc E:\USB\UpdatePacks

Now we should able to see the available updates in the console. Goto Administration Tab

--> Updates & servicing

Perform Upgrade

• Now I am upgrading 2103 is ready to install and we are going to run a prerequisite check

• Once prerequisite check is completed and we will select the Install update pack option and will show it as ready to install.

• On the first page of the wizard the "Ignore any perquisite checks warnings and install this update regardless of missing requirements" and click Next

• Enables features that are included in this update packs and click Next

• Select the option for how to upgrade the clients in your environment. Here I am selecting I do not have a pre-production collection and click Next

• Accept the license and click Next and Close.

• When the update process is complete open the configuration manager and verify you are now on version 2103.

Logs to Monitor:-

1. ServiceconnectionTool.log - Each time you run the service connection tool a log file generated in the same location call serviceconnectiontool.log

2. Configmgrsetup.log - This log will provide us with more detailed information what files are downloaded, extracted and hash check are successful.

3. CMupdate.log - Service that installs update

4. DMPDownloader.log -Responsible for downloading new servicing updates to top-level site server

5. Hman.log- Records site configuration changes, and publishes site information in Active Directory Domain Services