Gary BlokRecast’s Endpoint Management Recap – December 2021
Welcome to the Recast Endpoint Management Recap, December 2021 – by Gary Blok.
Can you believe that 2021 is nearly over? It’s been one of the craziest years of my life and continues to remind me how thankful I am for each day, and all the blessings we’ve been given. I want to thank all of you for continuing to check out the recap each month, and a special thank you to all who create great content to share with the community. Please remember, if you want me to include a community event or blog post, please reach out to me on Twitter.
I would also like to thank the community on a personal level. I truly enjoy and am thankful for our #ConfigMgr #Intune workstation management community. I could feel the support this year when my wife and I were in the hospital with COVID. Being back in person and seeing folks in Miami for MMS was also heartwarming. Finally being able to talk in person (over some amazing food) now feels like a gift. I look forward to seeing many of you this next MMS.
Kicking off this month’s edition, I’m going to give a short recap of Recast’s product updates because a lot has happened over the year with Recast. I’ll also be updating you about the usual list of items, so use the quick links below to get to what you need first. See you back here in 2022. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
- 2021 Recast Software Recap
- Events / Conference News
- Microsoft Product Announcements
- Hardware Vendor Updates (Tools / Security / Features)
- Community Tools / News
- Recast Updates
As I just mentioned, 2021 was a busy year. We added many new features to Right Click Tools as well as introduced Shift Left for ServiceNow and Endpoint Insights. Below is a recap of what’s new this year, and at the end of the recap, I’ve also included links to some of our 2021 community webinars. Remember, you can download the free Community Edition of Right Click Tools from our website.
Right Click Tools
- A new community tool is now available which includes a Defender tab within Remote Windows Security.
- Links to Endpoint Insights report from Right Click Tools.
- Performance and reliability improvements: Now 2.5x faster.
- New Remote Windows Security Tools: Firmware tab, Defender tab, Defender Exclusions tab, Windows Firewall tab, and Firewall Rules tab.
- Recast Management Server: Fixed bugs with self-signed cert generation and installation without a certificate.
- Added support for installing from Microsoft Endpoint Manager Community Hub.
- Trends Analysis: AD Cleanup, BitLocker Compliance, LAPS, and Software Update dashboards can now schedule a checkpoint time and start building trends for a comprehensive view of data insights.
- Remote Windows Security: A new Right Click Tool that adds a framework to pull in information about several security features in a single place.
- BitLocker New Encryption Wizard: Check status, method, and other key attributes, along with the ability to quickly remediate, set encryption method and start protecting your data.
- Management Dashboards: AD Cleanup, BitLocker Compliance, LAPS, and Software Update dashboards can now be viewed on the Recast Management Server.
- Redesigned Recast Management Server (RMS): Designed to add additional features to an Enterprise Right Click Tools installation. Leverage the RMS like before, but now with a redesigned UI, making data more digestible and courses of action clearer.
- Improved OU and Collection Picker Controls: More precision with a new OU and collection picker controls on in-console dashboards.
- Open in ServiceNow: Take action on users and devices to open them in ServiceNow.
Endpoint Insights
- Launched Endpoint Insights product with endpoint data not natively available in ConfigMgr.
- See warranty details for laptops, desktops, servers, and virtual machines. Get normalized model, description, service level, start date, end date, and deliverables.
- New dashboard view of endpoint data with information from select reports.
- Introduced Right Click Tools actions within Endpoint Insights reports to quickly remediate vulnerabilities.
Shift Left for ServiceNow
- Launched Shift Left in the ServiceNow App Store.
- Added Remote Software Center to enable your help desk to see software updates, application installations, task sequences, and more from within ServiceNow.
Community Webinars
- ConfigMgr Community Tools Webinar Series – https://www.recastsoftware.com/configmgr-community-tools-webinar-series/
- ConfigMgr Problems You Didn’t Know You Had (And how to fix them) – https://www.recastsoftware.com/configmgr-problems-and-solutions/
- [Recordings] FWSMUG Nov 11, 2021 – Managing and Deploying Windows 11 – Slides and Recordings
- MC2MC – Dec 16 – Kenneth van Surksum will be covering, “Designing and building Microsoft Endpoint Manager for Operations.”
- Windows Office Hours – Dec 16
- Windows Office Hours – Jan 20
- ViaMonstra Office Hours – Community – Every Wednesday. “This is your chance to join us every week for Q&A and roundtable discussion on anything related to Windows deployment, MDT, ConfigMgr, or Microsoft Intune. We bring the experts; you bring the questions.” There are still a couple left this year, so take advantage of them!
- ViaMonstra Office Hours – Dec 22 and 29.
- MMS 2022 at MOA – May 2 to May 5. Speaker submissions are now open.
Products:
Microsoft Edge Browser (Based on Chromium Engine): [Landing Page][What’s New Page][RoadMap Portal]
Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection – [Landing Page] [Resource Hub]
Microsoft 365 [Landing Page] [Roadmap] [Tech Community] [Youtube Channel][ODT Release]
- Microsoft 365 Compliance audit log activities via O365 Management API – Part 1
- Microsoft 365 Compliance audit log activities via O365 Management API – Part 2
ConfigMgr [What’s New Page] [Tech Community] [Virtual Hub][MS Q\A][Reddit][Feedback]
- The new ConfigMgr Feedback site (Uservoice Replacement) is live! Find the [Feedback] link above.
- 2111 – Generally available now. My favorite update here is the ability to export a console view to a CSV file.
- 2111 Hotfix
- 2107 Hotfix – Clients in untrusted domains do not use the network access account as a fallback authentication.
- Application Guard Deployment by MECM.
ConfigMgr Tech Preview [What’s New Page]
Intune [What’s New Page] [Tech Community] [Feedback]
- The new Intune Feedback Site is live! Find the [Feedback] link above.
- Intune grouping, targeting, and filtering: recommendations for best performance.
Windows [Landing Page] [Tech Community][Release Information][PowerToys]
- Windows Server
- Windows Client
- Windows 10 21H2 Released
- What’s New for IT
- Update to Windows 10, version 21H2 by using an enablement package.
- This works well. I’ve downloaded the enablement package (.cab file) and created an application for it, and deployed it to my lab machines on 20H2, as available for testing. Just takes a minute and a reboot, and you’re on 21H2 from 20H1/20H2/21H1. Hit me on Twitter if you’d like to see how I did this.
- Windows 11 SE – Windows 11 SE has been optimized for the most used education experiences, including Microsoft 365 applications, supporting both online and offline capabilities.
- Windows 10 21H2 Released
- Windows 365 – [W365Community]
Security Alerts and Info [Microsoft Security Portal – Security Update Guide]
- CVE-2021-44228 – log4shell
I’m only listing changes. If you want a more complete list of their tools, check out the previous month’s posts.
For a full list of tools, blog posts, and information about the vendors, check out the ConfigMgr Manufacturers page.
** Much of this information is provided directly from the vendor, so when you see “we” think of it as, “Vendor Name,” and not Recast Software.
HP [Enterprise Tools Landing Page] [Community / Blog Site] [Outlet Site]
- HPCMSL 1.6.4 – Win11 support and Sure Admin Key Management Service enhancements are the major items (as well as some HP connect stuff that we are not really documenting right now).
- Admin.hp.com pilot is open for customers to try our Intune bios management service.
- First win11 driver packs posted here. https://hpia.hpcloud.hp.com/downloads/driverpackcatalog/HP_Driverpack_Matrix_x64.html Many more are incoming.
Dell [Enterprise Tools Landing Page] [Refurbished Sale Site] [Outlet Site]
Lenovo [Enterprise Tools Landing Page][Blog Site]
Microsoft [Surface]
One more note, I do my best to provide Twitter accounts with blog posts. I do this to provide credit where credit is due, and so you can then follow them yourselves to stay in the loop as things are coming out and ideas are being discussed on Twitter.
Podcasts / Blog Series / Video Blogs
- [Documentation Series] Beyond the Microsoft docs, a ConfigMgr overview:
- [YouTube Channel] Intune Training Series [@OnPremCloudGuy and @AdamGrossTX]
- S03E10 Upload Hardware Hash with a Task Sequence – Low Audio (I.T) – Jake Shack (@shackelfjaco)
- [YouTube Channel] Namaste Techies [@anoopmannur and @Hoorge]
- [YouTube Channel] MEM – tips and tricks – Mattias Melkersen – (@MMelkersen)
- [Series] Microsoft Endpoint Manager: In-Place Upgrade or Side by Side – Dujon Walsham – (@dwalshamPRO)
- Part 1 – Analyzing Scenarios for best method
- Part 2 – Operating System Considerations
- Part 3 – Current Branch Upgrade Approaches
- Part 4 – SQL Server Requirement Analysis
- Part 5 – Coming soon…
- [Series]Endpoint Manager Packaging Script [Part 1][Part 2][Part 3] – Niels Kok (@NielsKok5)
- [Series] Advent of Code is an Advent calendar of small programming puzzles for a variety of skill sets and skill levels that can be solved in any programming language you like. – Eric Wastl (@ericwastl)
Blog Posts
Cloud Tech
- Using Intune (Proactive Remediation) and Azure Key Vault to set/change BIOS password and your devices (Lenovo/Dell/HP) – Damien Van Robaeys (@syst_and_deploy)
- How to implement update compliance and telemetry data – Mattias Melkersen (@MMelkersen)
- Migrating Microsoft 365 Apps from x86 to x64 in Intune via a Win32app – Paul Winstanley (@SCCMentor)
- Update Compliance – Checking client prerequisites – Ben Whitmore (@byteben)
- How Azure AD Kerberos Works – Steve Syfuhs (@SteveSyfuhs)
- Prompting standard users to confirm or change Regional, Time Zone and Country settings after Windows Autopilot enrollment is complete – Niall C. Brady (@ncbrady)
- Prevent sensitive information from being captured on Windows 365 CPCs – Sune Thomsen (@SuneThomsenDK)
- Endpoint Manager RunAs Admin – Niels Kok (@NielsKok5)
- Force redeploy of Intune scripts (even remediation ones) using PowerShell– Andrew (@AndrewZtrhgf)
ConfigMgr
- Update MEMCM Configuration Item Support Platform conditions for Windows 11 with PowerShell – Trevor Jones (@SMSagentTrevor)
- Quickly Copy Files to Client Machines Using SCCM – Jitesh Kumar (@jitesh8092)
- When VDI and ConfigMgr Co-Management Collide – Adam Gross (@AdamGrossTX)
- CMPivot Reference – Adam Gross (@AdamGrossTX)
- Using the ConfigMgr AdminService to Retrieve BitLocker Recovery Keys and Triggering Key Rotation – Adam Gross (@AdamGrossTX)
- How to customize @jarwidmark HydrationKit – Jérôme Bezet-Torres (@JM2K69)
- Configuring Kiosk Autologon with ConfigMgr – Anthony J. Fontanez (@ajf8729)
- Automate Update of CM Servers (Lab) – Anthony J. Fontanez (@ajf8729)
Other SysAdmin Info
- Resolve Windows Update Error Codes with PowerShell – Trevor Jones (@SMSagentTrevor)
- Installation of Windows Server 2022 on a Precision 7530 based on @ncbrady‘s experience – Manel Rodero (@manelrodero)
- Converting clipboard text content to PowerShell Object – Andrew (@AndrewZtrhgf)
- How To Use The Microsoft Uninstall Troubleshooter – Branden Hammann (@BrandenHammann)
- Windows 10 Toast Notification Script Update: Custom notification app and more built-in prevention from disabling toast notifications – Martin Bengtsson (@mwbengtsson)
Tool Updates
- IPUInstaller now supports Windows 11, and Multi-language media – Onevinn – Johan Schrewelius (@josch62)
- IPUInstaller update with Windows 11 and MUI Support – Jörgen Nilsson (@ccmexec)
- WIM Witch 3.3.0 – Remote Configuration Manager Integration – Donna Ryan (@TheNotoriousDRR)
- Windows Update Compliance Workbook Community Edition – Maurice Daly (@modaly_it), Sandy Zeng (@sandy_tsang), Jan Ketil Skanke (@JankeSkanke)
- Sysmon Cheat Sheet – Olaf Hartong (@olafhartong)
- Driver Automation Tool 7.0.0 – Maurice Daly (@modaly_it)
- New review of Right Click Tools by Prajwal Desai (@PrajwalDesai).
- Community users now have access to the Defender and Defender Exclusion functions of the Remote Windows Security tool in Right Click Tools version 4.8. Download the latest release and try it out!
- Are you a Right Click Tools Enterprise Edition customer? Make sure you are using the latest release, version 4.8.
- 2021 Recast Software product recap.
- If you or someone you know is looking to make a huge impact at a fast-growing company, take a look at our job postings and apply today.
- Follow us on Twitter @RecastSoftware to hear the latest.
Thanks for checking out Recast’s Endpoint Management Recap – December 2021. Stay tuned for more helpful content and new product updates coming in 2022. From all of us at Recast Software, we wish you a very merry and safe holiday season! All the best for 2022!
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