Operations and Maintenance for Content Management in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

After the infrastructure is in place for content management in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, there are operations that you typically perform to ensure the most recent content files are on distribution points and available to client computers. This section provides information about managing content files on distribution points, initiating content validation, and monitoring content.

Use the following sections in this topic to help you manage typical content operations in your Configuration Manager hierarchy:

• Distribute Content on Distribution Points

• Manage Accounts to Access Package Content

• Update Content on Distribution Points

• Redistribute Content on Distribution Points

• Remove Content on Distribution Points

• Prestage Content

• Initiate Content Validation

• Monitor Content

Distribute Content on Distribution Points

You must distribute content to distribution points, before it is available to client computers. Configuration Manager stores content files in a package, and then distributes the package to the distribution point. There are several types of content that you can distribute, including application deployment types, packages, deployment packages, driver packages, operating system images, operating system installers, boot images, and task sequences. When you create a package that contains source files, such as an application deployment type or deployment package, the site on which the package is created becomes the site owner for the package content source. Configuration Manager copies the source files from the source file path that you specify for the object to the content library on the site that owns the package content source.

Use the following procedure to distribute content to distribution points.

To distribute content on distribution points

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to distribute:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the applications that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the packages that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment packages that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver packages that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system images that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installers that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot images that you want to distribute.
   
   - **Task Sequences**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Task Sequences**, and then select the task sequence that you want to distribute. Although task sequences do not contain content, they have associated content dependencies that are distributed.
   
     <div class="alert">
   
   
     > [!NOTE]
     > <P>If you modify the task sequence, you must redistribute the content.</P>
   
   
     </div>
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Deployment group, click Distribute Content. The Distribute Content Wizard opens.

4. On the General page, verify that the content listed is the content that you want to distribute, choose whether you want Configuration Manager to detect content dependencies that are associated with the selected content and add the dependencies to the distribution, and then click Next.

   Note

   You have the option to configure the Detect associated content dependencies and add them to this distribution setting only for the application content type. Configuration Manager automatically configures this setting for task sequences, and it cannot be modified.

5. On the Content tab, if displayed, verify that the content listed is the content that you want to distribute, and then click Next.

   Note

   The Content page displays only when the Detect associated content dependencies and add them to this distribution setting is selected on the General page of the wizard.

6. On the Content Destination page, click Add, choose one of the following, and then follow the associated step:

   - **Collections**: Select **User Collections** or **Device Collections**, click the collection associated with one or more distribution point groups, and then click **OK**.
   
     <div class="alert">
   
   
     > [!NOTE]
     > <P>Only the collections that are associated with a distribution point group are displayed. For more information about associating collections with distribution point groups, see the <A href="gg682115(v=technet.10).md">Create and Configure Distribution Point Groups</A> section in the <A href="gg682115(v=technet.10).md">Configuring Content Management in Configuration Manager</A> topic.</P>
   
   
     </div>
   
   - **Distribution Point**: Select an existing distribution point, and then click **OK**. Distribution points that have previously received the content are not displayed.
   
   - **Distribution Point Group**: Select an existing distribution point group, and then click **OK**. Distribution point groups that have previously received the content are not displayed.
   

   When you finish adding content destinations, click Next.

7. On the Summary page, review the settings for the distribution before you continue. To distribute the content to the selected destinations, click Next.

8. The Progress page displays the progress of the distribution.

9. The Confirmation page displays whether the content was successfully assigned to the points. To monitor the content distribution, see the Monitor Content section in this topic.

Manage Accounts to Access Package Content

Package Access Accounts enable you to set NTFS file system permissions to specify the users and user groups that can access package content on distribution points. By default, Configuration Manager grants access only to the generic access accounts Users and Administrators, but you can control access for client computers by using additional Windows accounts or groups. Mobile devices always retrieve package content anonymously; therefore, mobile devices do not use the Package Access Accounts.

By default, when Configuration Manager copies the content files in a package to a distribution point, it grants Read access to the local Users group and Full Control to the local Administrators group. The actual permissions that are required depend on the package. If you have clients in workgroups or in untrusted forests, those clients use the Network Access Account to access the package content. Ensure that the Network Access Account has permissions to the package by using the defined Package Access Accounts.

Use accounts in a domain that can access the distribution points. If you create or modify the account after the package is created, you must redistribute the package. Updating the package does not change the NTFS file system permissions on the package.

You do not have to add the Network Access Account as a Package Access Account, because membership of the Users group adds it automatically. Restricting the Package Access Account to only the Network Access Account does not prevent clients from accessing the package.

To manage access accounts

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content for which you want to manage access accounts:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the applications for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the packages for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment packages for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver packages for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system images for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installers for which to manage access accounts.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot images for which to manage access accounts.
   

3. Right-click the selected object, and then click Manage Access Accounts.

4. In the Add Account dialog box, specify the account type that will be granted access to the content, and then specify the access rights associated with the account.

   Note

   When you add a user name for the account and Configuration Manager finds a local user account and a domain user account with that name, Configuration Manager with no service pack sets access rights for the local user account. Starting in Configuration Manager SP1, Configuration Manager sets access rights for the domain user account.

Update Content on Distribution Points

When you add new files or replace existing files with a newer version, to the source file location for the package, you can update the content files on distribution points by using the Update Distribution Points or Update Content action. The content files are copied from the source file path to the content library on the site that owns the package content source, the package version is incremented, and the distribution points are updated with only the files that have changed in the package.

Warning

The package version for applications is always 1. When you update the content for an application deployment type, Configuration Manager creates a new content ID for the deployment type, and the package references the new content ID.

Use the following procedure to update content on distribution points.

To update content on distribution points

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to distribute:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the applications that you want to distribute. Click the **Deployment Types** tab, and then select the deployment type that you want to update.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the packages that you want to update.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment packages that you want to update.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver packages that you want to update.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system images that you want to update.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installers that you want to update.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot images that you want to update.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Deployment group, click Update Distribution Points, and then click OK to confirm that you want to update the content.

   Note

   To update content for applications, click the Deployment Types tab, right-click the deployment type, click Update Content, and then click OK to confirm that you want to refresh the content.

   Note

   When you update content for boot images, the Manage Distribution Point Wizard opens. Review the information on the Summary page, and then complete the wizard to update the content.

Redistribute Content on Distribution Points

You can redistribute a package to copy all of the content files in the package to distribution points or distribution point groups and thereby overwrite the existing files. You typically use this operation to repair content files in the package or resend the content when the initial distribution fails. You can redistribute a package in package properties, distribution point properties, or distribution point group properties.

Use one of the following procedures to redistribute the content files in a package to distribution points.

To redistribute content from package properties

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to distribute:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the application that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the package that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment package that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver package that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system image that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installer that you want to redistribute.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot image that you want to redistribute.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content Locations tab, select the distribution point or distribution point group in which you want to redistribute the content, click Redistribute, and then click OK.

To redistribute content from distribution point properties

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

2. In the Administration workspace, click Distribution Points, and then select the distribution point in which you want to redistribute content.

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content tab, select the content to redistribute, click Redistribute, and then click OK.

To redistribute content from distribution point group properties

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

2. In the Administration workspace, click Distribution Point Groups, and then select the distribution point group in which you want to redistribute content.

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content tab, select the content to redistribute, click Redistribute, and then click OK.

   Important

   The content in the package is redistributed to all of the distribution points in the distribution point group.

Remove Content on Distribution Points

When you no longer require content on your distribution points, you can remove the content files on the distribution point. When the content is associated with another package that was distributed to the same distribution point, you cannot remove the content. You can remove the content in package properties, distribution point properties, or distribution point group properties. Use one of the following procedures to remove the content files from distribution points.

To remove package content files from distribution points

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to delete:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the application that you want to remove.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the package that you want to remove.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment package that you want to remove.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver package that you want to remove.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system image that you want to remove.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installer that you want to remove.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot image that you want to remove.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content Locations tab, select the distribution point or distribution point group from which you want to remove the content, click Remove, and then click OK.

To remove package content from distribution point properties

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

2. In the Administration workspace, click Distribution Points, and then select the distribution point in which you want to delete the content.

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content tab, select the content to remove, click Remove, and then click OK.

To remove content from distribution point group properties

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

2. In the Administration workspace, click Distribution Point Groups, and then select the distribution point group in which you want to remove content.

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. Click the Content tab, select the content to remove, click Remove, and then click OK.

Prestage Content

You can prestage content files for applications and package types in Configuration Manager. In the Configuration Manager console, you select the content that you need and then use the Create Prestaged Content File Wizard to create a compressed, prestaged content file that contains the files and associated metadata for the content that you selected. You can then manually import the content at a site server, secondary site, or distribution point. When you import the prestaged content file on a site server, the content files are added to the content library on the site server, and then registered in the site server database. When you import the prestaged content file on a distribution point, the content files are added to the content library on the distribution point, and a status message is sent to the site server that informs the site that the content is available on the distribution point.

Important

When the distribution point is located on the site server, do not enable the distribution point for prestaged content. Instead, use the procedure in How to Prestage Content to Distribution Points Located on a Site Server.

Important

When the distribution point is configured as a pull-distribution point, do not enable the distribution point for prestaged content. The prestage content configuration for a distribution point overrides the pull-distribution point configuration. A pull-distribution point that is configured for prestaged content does not pull content from source distribution point and does not receive content from the site server.

Important

The content library must be created on the distribution point before you can prestage content to the distribution point. Distribute content over the network at least one time before you prestage content to the distribution point.

Important

When you prestage content for a package with a long package source path (for example, more than 140 characters), the Extract Content command-line tool might fail to successfully extract the content for that package to the content library.

Note

For information about when to prestage content files, see the Determine Whether To Prestage Content section in the Planning for Content Management in Configuration Manager topic.

Use the following sections to prestage content.

Step 1: Create a Prestaged Content File

You can create a compressed, prestaged content file that contains the files and associated metadata for the content that you select in the Configuration Manager console. Use the following procedure to create a prestaged content file.

To create a prestaged content file

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to prestage:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the applications that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the packages that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver packages that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system images that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installers that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot images that you want to prestage.
   
   - **Task Sequences**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Task Sequences**, and then select the task sequence that you want to prestage.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Deployment group, click Create Prestage Content File. The Create Prestaged Content File Wizard opens.

   Note

   For Applications: On the Home tab, in the Application group, click Create Prestaged Content File.

   For Packages: On the Home tab, in the <PackageName> group, click Create Prestaged Content File.

4. On the General page, click Browse, choose the location for the prestaged content file, specify a name for the file, and then click Save. You use this prestaged content file on primary site servers, secondary site servers, or distribution points to import the content and metadata.

5. For applications, select Export all dependencies to have Configuration Manager detect and add the dependencies associated with the application to the prestaged content file. By default, this setting is selected.

6. In Administrator comments, enter optional comments about the prestaged content file, and then click Next.

7. On the Content page, verify that the content listed is the content that you want to add to the prestaged content file, and then click Next.

8. On the Content Locations page, specify the distribution points from which to retrieve the content files for the prestaged content file. You can select more than one distribution point to retrieve the content. The distribution points are listed in the Content locations section. The Content column displays how many of the selected packages or applications are available on each distribution point. Configuration Manager starts with the first distribution point in the list to retrieve the selected content, and then moves down the list in order to retrieve the remaining content required for the prestaged content file. Click Move Up or Move Down to change the priority order of the distribution points. When the distribution points in the list do not contain all of the selected content, you must add distribution points to the list that contain the content or exit the wizard, distribute the content to at least one distribution point, and then restart the wizard.

9. On the Summary page, confirm the details. You can go back to previous pages and make changes. Click Next to create the prestaged content file.

10. The Progress page displays the content that is being added to the prestaged content file.

11. On the Completion page, verify that the prestaged content file was created successfully, and then click Close.

Step 2: Assign the Content to Distribution Points

After you prestage the content file, assign the content to distribution points.

Note

When you use a prestaged content file to recover the content library on a site server, and do not have to prestage the content files on a distribution point, you can skip this procedure.

Use the following procedure to assign the content in the prestaged content file to distribution points.

Important

Verify that the distribution points that you want to prestage are identified as prestaged distribution points or the content is distributed to the distribution points by using the network. For more information about configuring the distribution point as prestaged, see the To modify the distribution point properties procedure in the Configuring Content Management in Configuration Manager topic.

To assign the content to distribution points

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you selected when you created the prestaged content file:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the applications that you prestaged.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the packages that you prestaged.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment packages that you prestaged.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver packages that you prestaged.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system images that you prestaged.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installers that you prestaged.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot images that you prestaged.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Deployment group, click Distribute Content. The Distribute Content Wizard opens.

4. On the General page, verify that the content listed is the content that you prestaged, choose whether you want Configuration Manager to detect content dependencies that are associated with the selected content and add the dependencies to the distribution, and then click Next.

   Note

   You have the option to configure the Detect associated content dependencies and add them to this distribution setting only for the application content type. Configuration Manager automatically configures this setting for task sequences, and it cannot be modified.

5. On the Content page, if displayed, verify that the content listed is the content that you want to distribute, and then click Next.

   Note

   The Content page displays only when the Detect associated content dependencies and add them to this distribution setting is selected on the General page of the wizard.

6. On the Content Destination page, click Add, choose one of the following that includes the distribution points to be prestaged, and then follow the associated step:

   - **Collections**: Select **User Collections** or **Device Collections**, click the collection associated with one or more distribution point groups, and then click **OK**.
   
     <div class="alert">
   
   
     > [!NOTE]
     > <P>Only the collections that are associated with a distribution point group are displayed. For more information about associating collections with distribution point groups, see the <A href="gg682115(v=technet.10).md">Create and Configure Distribution Point Groups</A> section in the <A href="gg682115(v=technet.10).md">Configuring Content Management in Configuration Manager</A> topic.</P>
   
   
     </div>
   
   - **Distribution Point**: Select an existing distribution point, and then click **OK**. Distribution points that have previously received the content are not displayed.
   
   - **Distribution Point Group**: Select an existing distribution point group, and then click **OK**. Distribution point groups that have previously received the content are not displayed.
   

   When you finish adding content destinations, click Next.

7. On the Summary page, review the settings for the distribution before you continue. To distribute the content to the selected destinations, click Next.

8. The Progress page displays the progress of the distribution.

9. The Confirmation page displays whether or not the content was successfully assigned to the distribution points. To monitor the content distribution, see the Content Status Monitoring section in this topic.

Step 3: Extract the Content from the Prestaged Content File

After you create the prestaged content file and assign the content to distribution points, you can extract the content files to the content library on a site server or distribution point. Typically, you have copied the prestaged content file to a portable drive, such as a USB drive, or burn the content to media, such as a DVD, and have it available at the location of the site server or distribution point that requires the content. Use the following procedure to manually export the content files from the prestaged content file by using the Extract Content command-line tool.

Important

When you run the Extract Content command-line tool, the tool creates a temporary file as it creates the prestaged content file. Then, the file is copied to the destination folder and the temporary file is deleted. You must have sufficient disk space for this temporary file or the process fails. The temporary file is created in the following location:

• In Configuration Manager with no service pack, the temporary file is created in the system drive of the computer that hosts the destination folder that you specify for the prestaged content file.

• Beginning with Configuration Manager SP1, the temporary file is created in same folder that you specify as the destination folder for the prestaged content file.

Security Note
The user that runs the Extract Content command-line tool must have administrator rights on the computer from which you are extracting the prestaged content.

To extract the content files from the prestaged content file

1. Copy the prestaged content file to the computer from which you want to extract the content.

2. Copy the Extract Content command-line tool from <ConfigMgrInstallationPath>\bin\<platform> to the computer from which you want to extract the prestaged content file.

3. Open the command prompt and navigate to the folder location of the prestaged content file and Extract Content tool.

   Note

   You can extract one or more prestaged content files on a site server, secondary site server, or distribution point.

4. Type extractcontent /P:<PrestagedFileLocation>\<PrestagedFileName> /S to import a single file.

   Type extractcontent /P:<PrestagedFileLocation> /S to import all prestaged files in the specified folder.

   For example, type extractcontent /P:D:\PrestagedFiles\MyPrestagedFile.pkgx /S where D:\PrestagedFiles\ is the PrestagedFileLocation, MyPrestagedFile.pkgx is the prestaged file name, and /S informs Configuration Manager to extract only content files that are newer than what is currently on the distribution point.

   When you extract the prestaged content file on a site server, the content files are added to the content library on the site server, and then the content availability is registered in the site server database. When you export the prestaged content file on a distribution point, the content files are added to the content library on the distribution point, the distribution point sends a status message to the parent primary site server, and then the content availability is registered in the site database.

   Important

   In the following scenario, you must update content that you extracted from a prestaged content file when the content is updated to a new version:

   1. You create a prestaged content file for version 1 of a package.

   2. You update the source files for the package with version 2.

   3. You extract the prestaged content file (version 1 of the package) on a distribution point.

   Configuration Manager does not automatically distribute package version 2 to the distribution point. You must create a new prestaged content file that contains the new file version and then extract the content, update the distribution point to distribute the files that have changed, or redistribute all files in the package.

Initiate Content Validation

The content validation process verifies the integrity of content files on distribution points. You enable content validation on a schedule, or you can manually initiate content validation from the properties of distribution points and packages. When the content validation process starts, Configuration Manager verifies the content files on distribution points, and if the file hash is unexpected for the files on the distribution point, Configuration Manager creates a status message that you can review in the Monitoring workspace. For more information about configuring the content validation schedule, see the To modify the distribution point properties procedure in the Configuring Content Management in Configuration Manager topic.

Use one of the following procedures to manually initiate content validation.

To initiate content validation for all content on a distribution point

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

2. In the Administration workspace, click Distribution Points, and then select the distribution point in which you want to validate content.

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. On the Content tab, select the package in which you want to validate the content, click Validate, click OK, and then click OK. The content validation process initiates for the package on the distribution point.

5. To view the results of the content validation process, in the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and click the Content Status node. The content for each package type (for example, Application, Software Update Package, and Boot Image) is displayed. For more information about monitoring content status, see Content Status Monitoring in this topic.

To initiate content validation for a package

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Software Library.

2. In the Software Library workspace, select one of the following steps for the type of content that you want to validate:

   - **Applications**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Applications**, and then select the application that you want to validate.
   
   - **Packages**: Expand **Application Management**, click **Packages**, and then select the package that you want to validate.
   
   - **Deployment Packages**: Expand **Software Updates**, click **Deployment Packages**, and then select the deployment package that you want to validate.
   
   - **Driver Packages**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Driver Packages**, and then select the driver package that you want to validate.
   
   - **Operating System Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Images**, and then select the operating system image that you want to validate.
   
   - **Operating System Installers**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Operating System Installers**, and then select the operating system installer that you want to validate.
   
   - **Boot Images**: Expand **Operating Systems**, click **Boot Images**, and then select the boot image that you want to prestage.
   

3. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

4. On the Content Locations tab, select the distribution point or distribution point group in which to validate the content, click Validate, click OK, and then click OK. The content validation process starts for the content on the selected distribution point or distribution point group.

5. To view the results of the content validation process, in the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and click the Content Status node. The content for each package type (for example, Application, Software Update Package, and Boot Image) is displayed. For more information about monitoring the content status, see Content Status Monitoring in this topic.

Monitor Content

The Configuration Manager console provides improved content monitoring, including the status for all package types in relation to the associated distribution points, including the content validation status for the content in the package, the status of content assigned to a specific distribution point group, the state of content assigned to a distribution point, and the status of optional features for each distribution point (Content validation, PXE, and multicast).

Note

Configuration Manager only monitors the content on a distribution point that is in the content library. Content stored on the distribution point in package or custom shares is not monitored.

Content Status Monitoring

The Content Status node in the Monitoring workspace provides information about content packages. In the Configuration Manager console, you can review information such as the package name, type, how many distribution points have been targeted, the compliance rate, when the package was created, package ID, and source version. You also find information about distribution status for the package, such as the number of failures, pending distributions, installations, and so on. You can also view detailed status information for any package.

Beginning with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, when you view the status of a distribution in the Content Status node, you can manage distributions that remain in progress to a distribution point or that failed to successfully distribute content to a distribution point. The applicable option to either cancel or redistribute content is available when you view the deployment status message of a distribution job to a distribution point in the Asset Details pane of either the In Progress tab or Error tab of the Content Status node. Additionally, the job details display the percentage of the job that has completed when you view the details of a job on the In Progress tab, and the number of retries that remain for a job as well as how long before the next retry occurs when you view the details of a job that is available from the Error tab.

When you cancel a deployment that is not yet complete, the distribution job to transfer that content stops. The status of the deployment then updates to indicate the distribution failed and was canceled by a user action. This new status appears in the Error tab. When you redistribute content that previously failed to transfer to a distribution point, Configuration Manager immediately begins deploying that content to the distribution point again and updates the status of the deployment to reflect the ongoing state of that redeployment. When a deployment is near completion, it is possible the action to cancel that distribution will not process before the distribution to the distribution point completes. When this occurs, the action to cancel the deployment is ignored, and the status for the deployment displays as successful.

Note

Although you can select the option to cancel a distribution to a distribution point that is located on a site server, this has no effect. This is because the site server and the distribution point on a site server share the same single instance content store and there is no actual distribution job to cancel.

Use the following procedures to view content status and manage distributions that remain in progress or that failed.

To monitor content status

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Monitoring.

2. In the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and then click Content Status. The packages are displayed.

3. Select the package in which you want detailed status information.

4. On the Home tab, click View Status. Detailed status information for the package is displayed.

To cancel a distribution that remains in progress

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Monitoring.

2. In the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and then click Content Status. The packages are displayed.

3. Select the package you want to manage, and then in the details pane, click View Status.

4. In the Asset Details pane of the In Progress tab, right-click on the entry for the distribution that you want to cancel, and select Cancel.

5. Click Yes to confirm the action and cancel the distribution job to that distribution point.

To redistribute content that failed to distribute

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Monitoring.

2. In the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and then click Content Status. The packages are displayed.

3. Select the package you want to manage, and then in the details pane, click View Status.

4. In the Asset Details pane of the Error tab, right-click on the entry for the distribution that you want to redistribute, and select Redistribute.

5. Click Yes to confirm the action, and start the redistribution process to that distribution point.

Distribution Point Group Status

The Distribution Point Group Status node in the Monitoring workspace provides information about distribution point groups. You can review information such as the distribution point group name, description, how many distribution points are members of the distribution point group, how many packages have been assigned to the group, distribution point group status, and compliance rate. You also find information about errors for the distribution point group, how many distributions are in progress, how many have been successfully distributed, and so on. You can also view detailed status information for the distribution point group. Use the following procedure to view distribution point group status.

To monitor distribution point group status

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Monitoring.

2. In the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and then click Distribution Point Group Status. The distribution point groups are displayed.

3. Select the distribution point group in which you want detailed status information.

4. On the Home tab, click View Status. Detailed status information for the distribution point group is displayed.

Distribution Point Configuration Status

The Distribution Point Configuration Status node in the Monitoring workspace provides information about the distribution point. You can review what attributes are enabled for the distribution point, such as the PXE, multicast, and content validation, and the distribution status for the distribution point. You can also view detailed status information for the distribution point.

Warning

Distribution point configuration status is relative to the last 24 hours. If the distribution point has an error and recovers, the error status might be displayed for up to 24 hours after the distribution point recovers.

Use the following procedure to view distribution point configuration status.

To monitor distribution point configuration status

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Monitoring.

2. In the Monitoring workspace, expand Distribution Status, and then click Distribution Point Configuration Status. The distribution points are displayed.

3. Select the distribution point in which you want distribution point status information.

4. In the results pane, click the Details tab. Status information for the distribution point is displayed.

See Also

Content Management in Configuration Manager