Create a Custom Task for Connecting to System Center Configuration Manager 2012 Remote Control from Service Manager 2012 (SCSM) Console
I get asked this almost every engagement I deliver, and there are a lot of great blogs out there talking about how to do this in Config Mgr 2007 / Service Manager 2010 but I always struggle to find one that details how to do this using remote control in Config Mgr 2012 via the Service Manager 2012 console.
So here we go
NOTE: This assumes you have configuration manager set up and agents deployed with the remote control agent enabled. More about that can be found here
First off you can do one of two things:
1) Install the Config Mgr console on machines that have service manager consoles installed, where you intend to run this task from
2) Just copy the contents of C:\Program files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration manager\AdminConsole\bin\i386 (this will be available wherever you have a configuration manager installed) to a directory such as c:\remotecontrol on all machines that have service manager consoles installed.
And then once you have these files in place, you can create a task set up like this in Library>Tasks of the Service Manager console:
General Page:
NOTE: I targeted incident, because the idea here is that I can launch this when clicked on an incident that has an affected configuration item included here (so if it doesn’t work, please check you have something listed here ):
Categories Page (I left mine blank)
Command Line Page:
NOTE: If you have the config mgr console installed on the machine where you’re running the Service Manager console and plan to use this task, the directory shown above is good. If you plan just to copy the contents of the i386 directory around to avoid installing the config mgr console on the machine you’re running the service manager console, then change the directory in the ‘full path to command’ box to the directory that you copied these files too.
NOTE: The ‘Show output when this task is run’ checkbox also needs to be checked in order for the execution of the task to be recorded in the action log.
Here are the values for your cut-and-paste convenience
Command Line Page
Full Path to command:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\bin\i386\CmRcViewer.exe
Parameters (optional):
$Context/Path[Relationship='CustomSystem_WorkItem_Library!System.WorkItemAboutConfigItem' TypeConstraint='CustomMicrosoft_Windows_Library!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/Property[Type='CustomMicrosoft_Windows_Library!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/PrincipalName$
Working Directory (optional)
%windir%\system32
WHY THIS IS COOOOOL!!
So this showcases the fantastic integration between Config Mgr and Service Mgr, in that when you create a new incident in Service Manager, you choose an affected user. Through Config Mgr’s user affinity feature, Service Manager brings this data into the CMDB, knows the machines associated with the user, and offers them as options in the Affected user CI’s shown in the screenshot above. You can then add one of these and then get remoted in and start troubleshooting right from here:
Happy Remoting!!!!
Cheers, Antoni
Comments
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
It works like a charm! Thanks to both Antoni and Jure.Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Excellent post antoni! Works like a charm :) If someone wants to add an image to this task, you can do it by editing the MP. I took the same image as it is for Remote Desktop. Reference to the MP where the image is: <Reference Alias="Image"> <ID>ServiceManager.IncidentManagement.Library</ID> <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version> <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken> </Reference> Image reference: <Presentation> .... <ImageReferences> <ImageReference ElementID="ConsoleTask.933613ed84984a888e131c5aced25036" ImageID="Image!IncidentMgmt_PingComputer_16" /> </ImageReferences> </Presentation> Regards!Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Good post. We kinda already use this in our organisation, but we don't target affected items. My question is... what happens if there are more than one PC in the affected items list? ThanksAnonymous
January 01, 2003
Never mind, I just tried it and it lets you select from the list!Anonymous
March 12, 2013
Great question Trevor and I had not tried that! Sounds like it works really nice though! Thanks for the post and sharing your results!Anonymous
March 13, 2013
Now you're just getting fancy Jure! . I love it! Thanks for the tip!Anonymous
August 12, 2013
Somehow I can't add icon! I followed your steps and task is working fine. I modified the custom management pack and added both references and imported into console. But no Icon for the task! Any suggestions?Anonymous
August 23, 2013
the Parameters part does not work for me, i get an error. Are there any parameters that I would need to change? I guess this is the parameter that would allow you to launch straight to the CI, as without it I can only launch SCCM $Context/Path[Relationship='CustomSystem_WorkItem_Library!System.WorkItemAboutConfigItem' TypeConstraint='CustomMicrosoft_Windows_Library!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/Property[Type='CustomMicrosoft_Windows_Library!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/PrincipalName$Anonymous
August 25, 2013
Hi Paul, I had the same issue. Had to add the property from the 'Insert Property' button. Look under 'About Configuration Items' on the left areas. Select 'Principal Name' in the right area. The parameter in my environment is $Context/Path[Relationship='WorkItem!System.WorkItemAboutConfigItem' TypeConstraint='Windows!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/Property[Type='Windows!Microsoft.Windows.Computer']/NetbiosComputerName$ Hope this helps, Peter D.Anonymous
August 22, 2014
Hi Paul,,
Icon for Config Mgr is appear but I am unable to access remote tools. How could I share the snap shot here?Anonymous
February 18, 2015
Run Task Failed.
Application:
\ServerPathCmRcViewer.exe
Parameters: Workstation
Access Denied.
Please touch on the security that needs to be set up in order for this to work. Thank you.