Howdy Folks, it’s that time again! As presented at HASMUG on October 24th we have below, System Center News and Updates for 2013 Q3.

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System Center News and Updates Q3

System Center

•          System Center 2012 R2 General Availability
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/system-center/system-center-2012-r2.aspx

•          System Center 2012 R2 Evaluation VHD’s now available
http://ccmexec.com/2013/10/system-center-2012-r2-evaluations-vhds-now-available/

•          UR4 for System Center 2012 SP1 was released yesterday 10/23 (Does not include Orchestrator and ConfigMan)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2879276

•          PowerShell Deployment Toolkit Updated for R2
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/PowerShell-Deployment-f20bb605

•          TechNet Library documentation updated

App Controller

•          Update

–      UR4 resolves 4 issues
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2879276

•          Community

–      App Controller 2012 R2 – QuickStart Deployment Guide
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/app-controller-2012-r2-quickstart-deployment-guide.aspx

–      Connecting on premise to Windows Azure
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/sc-app-controller-connecting-on-premise-to-windows-azure.aspx

•          KB

–      None

Configuration Manager

•          Updates

–       Cumulative Update 3 Released
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2882125

–       Post-CU3 Hotfix released
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2894539

–       Windows ADK 8.1 re-released
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/114/Windows-ADK-8-1-re-released.aspx

•          Community

–       Delete Behavior for Devices in ConfigMgr 2012 (It’s not deleted it’s decommissioned!)
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steverac/archive/2013/10/03/delete-behavior-for-devices-in-configmgr-2012.aspx

–       Hydration Kit for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 is available for download
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/113/The-Hydration-Kit-for-ConfigMgr-2012-R2-is-available-for-download.aspx

–       Finding Lenovo drivers and certify hardware, control freak style!
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/104/Back-to-basics-Finding-Lenovo-drivers-and-certify-hardware-control-freak-style.aspx

–       ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 – Prerequisites installation tool
http://www.scconfigmgr.com/2013/10/03/configmgr-2012-sp1-prerequisites-installation-tool/

–        2012 R2 Console issue with Windows 8.1
http://sccmfaq.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/sccm-2012-r2-console-on-windows-8-1-cant-connect-to-sms-provider/

•          KB

–       Add-CMStateMigrationPoint cmdlet sets an incorrect ServerRemoteName value
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2891764/

–       Task sequence fails in Configuration Manager if software updates require multiple restarts
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2894518

–       List of published KB articles and hotfixes for Configuration Manager
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/9539.list-of-public-microsoft-support-knowledge-base-kb-articles-for-system-center-2012-configuration-manager-configmgr-2012.aspx

Data Protection Manager

•         Update

–     Windwows Azure Backup GA
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dpm/archive/2013/10/23/windows-azure-backup-is-now-at-general-available.aspx

–     UR3 Re-released to fix a protection group flow and connected agent flow issue. New version will be 4.1.3417.0 after applying the re-released UR3.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dpm/archive/2013/05/22/how-to-setup-dpm-2012-to-protect-sharepoint-2010.aspx

•          Community

–    Optimizations in protecting SQL databases with high churn by DPM
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dpm/archive/2013/08/21/optimizations-in-protecting-sql-databases-with-high-churn-by-dpm.aspx

–    Mounted volumes within mounted volumes cannot be backed up in DPM
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dpm/archive/2013/08/13/support-tip-mounted-volumes-within-mounted-volumes-cannot-be-backed-up-in-dpm.aspx

–    Share your feedback on DPM with MVP Robert Hedblom
[email protected] / http://robertanddpm.blogspot.com

–    New book on System Center Data Protection Manager
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-System-Center-Protection-Manager/dp/1849686300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382569505&sr=8-1&keywords=Microsoft+System+Center+Data+Protection+Manager+2012+SP1

•          KB

–      None

Operations Manager

•          Update

–       UR4 resolves 20 issues and adds support for Debian GNU/Linux 7, and Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) Application servers: IBM WebSphere 8.0, IBM Websphere 8.5 and Oracle Weblogic 12c.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2879276

–       Many Microsoft Management Packs Updated (Mostly Windows Server and Azure)
http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/cfuller/archive/2013/10/22/updated-management-packs-released-including-the-windows-server-operating-system-management-pack.aspx

–       SharePoint 2013 MP updated. Resolves a reporting issue
http://www.bictt.com/blogs/bictt.php/2013/10/10/new-version-sharepoint-2013-management

•          Community

–       Microsoft Management Packs release status
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/16174.microsoft-management-packs.aspx

–       OpsMgr 2012 R2 – QuickStart Deployment Guide
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/opsmgr-2012-r2-quickstart-deployment-guide.aspx

–       • Issue upgrading SCOM Agent from 2007 R2 to 2012 SP1 UR3
http://www.bictt.com/blogs/bictt.php/2013/10/22/the-case-of-not-being

•          KB

–       None

Orchestrator

•          Update

–       UR3 Introduces OpsMgr Integration pack fix
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2836751

•          Community

–       The Orchestrator Integration Pack for PowerShell Script Execution 1.2 is now available. – Allows execution of 64-bit PowerShell scripts
http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/archive/2013/10/02/the-orchestrator-integration-pack-for-powershell-script-execution-1-2-is-now-available.aspx

–       Export and document your Runbook details in Visio and Word 2013
http://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/archive/2013/10/07/export-and-document-your-runbook-details-in-visio-and-word-2013.aspx

–       Orchestrator 2012 R2 – QuickStart deployment guide
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/orchestrator-2012-r2-quickstart-deployment-guide.aspx

–       Restart ANY Windows Service (on SCOM Alert) From a Single Orchestrator Runbook
http://www.systemcentercentral.com/how-to-restart-any-windows-service-on-scom-alert-from-a-single-orchestrator-runbook/

–       Two System Center 2012 Orchestrator books are now available on Amazon.
System Center 2012 Orchestrator Unleashed
Microsoft System Center 2012 Orchestrator Cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/System-Center-2012-Orchestrator-Unleashed/dp/0672336103
       http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-System-Center-Orchestrator-Cookbook/dp/1849688508/

•          KB

–       None

Service Manager

•          Updates

–       UR4 resolves 16 known issues, however Release has been pulled. Per Microsoft, Nothing should be broken, it’s just that Microsoft cannot attach a debugger to look into the execution and identify problems.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager/archive/2013/10/22/service-manager-2012sp1-ur4-availability.aspx

–       Service Manager technical documentation updated
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27850

–       Cireson Outlook Console Now Available
http://www.cireson.com/app-store/scsm-outlook-console/

•          Community

–       Service Manager 2012 R2 – Quick Start Deployment Guide
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/service-manager-2012-r2-quickstart-deployment-guide.aspx

–       Travis Wright joins Cireson (Formally Microsoft Principal Program Manager on System Center)
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/microsofts-travis-wright-joins-cireson-as-partner-and-director-of-product-management-225225642.html

–       2012 SP1 to R2 Upgrade walk through
http://www.buchatech.com/2013/10/service-manager-sp1-to-r2-upgrade/

•          KB

–       None

Virtual Machine Manager

•          Updates

–       UR4 resolves 28 known issues
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2879276

–       Paid Preview of Windows Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager
http://blogs.technet.com/b/scvmm/archive/2013/10/21/announcing-paid-preview-of-windows-azure-hyper-v-recovery-manager.aspx

•          Community

–       SCVMM 2012 R2 – QuickStart deployment guide
http://blogs.technet.com/b/kevinholman/archive/2013/10/18/scvmm-2012-r2-quickstart-deployment-guide.aspx

–       Configuring VMM and OM for IaaS usage and metering – 4 Part Series
http://blogs.technet.com/b/privatecloud/archive/2013/09/27/configuring-vmm-and-om-for-iaas-usage-and-metering.aspx

–       iSCSI Target Server in Windows Server 2012 R2 for VMM Rapid Provisioning
http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/archive/2013/10/08/iscsi-target-server-in-windows-server-2012-r2-for-vmm-rapid-provisioning.aspx

•          KB

–       None

Windows Intune

•          Updates

–       Windows Intune wave “E” is GA!
http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsintune/archive/2013/09/10/intune-service-upgrade.aspx

•          Community

–       Standalone Windows Intune – Managing Systems
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steverac/archive/2013/08/11/standalone-windows-intune-managing-systems.aspx

•          KB

–       “Cannot obtain the value from this computer 0x80041002” error message after the Windows Intune service is upgraded to a new release
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2891801

Anything else “cool”?

•          MDT 2013 RTW! – Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 support added. Support has been dropped for XP, Windows Server 2003, Vista and Windows Server 2008 (non-R2). However, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager still supports deploying these OS’. You must use the new Windows 8.1 ADK with MDT 2013.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/mniehaus/archive/2013/10/19/mdt-2013-what-s-changed.aspx

•          Microsoft Remote Desktop App Goes Cross-Plat! Available for Android, iOS and Mac. http://blogs.technet.com/b/in_the_cloud/archive/2013/10/18/wow-remote-desktop-goes-cross-platform.aspx

•          Check pending reboot for all scenarios. WUA, ConfigMgr, CBS, OS, and pending file operation.
http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Get-PendingReboot-Query-bdb79542