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Configuration Manager technical preview version 2411

Bala_Delli's avatar
Bala_Delli
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Nov 29, 2024

 

Operating System support added for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025

 

With this version of Configuration Manager, support is added for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025.

  • Windows 11 24H2 & Windows Server 2025 are added to Product lifecycle dashboard and supported platform.
  • Windows 11 24H2 & Windows Server 2025 Client support is added.
  • Boot image creation in SCCM on Windows Server 2025 now supports latest Windows ADK
  • Windows upgrade readiness dashboard now supports Windows 11 24H2 for upgrading clients.

 

 Note: Windows Server and Windows 11 24H2 do not support Firewall Rules. This will result in a non-compliant status in the Configuration Manager applet.

Enhanced Security for CMG

 

CMG Setup now uses Managed Identities and third-party Server App to interact with CMG's Azure Storage Account, instead of storage account keys.

  • Hence storage account key access is disabled for new CMG setup.
  • For sessions upgrading from earlier versions to 2405 TP, the 'CMG enhanced security' button is shown as enabled.

 

 

  • When the enhanced security option is selected, the VMSS OS Auto Upgrade feature is also activated. An extra panel appears, prompting the admin to provide maintenance window details. Azure uses this information to schedule upgrades whenever new OS images become available.

 

CMG Entra Application secret renewal

The 'Renew Secret Key' feature now opens a dialog with four options for the validity period. This update also prevents applications older than 800 days (approximately two years) from renewing their secret keys. The same options are available when creating a new app.

 

 

 Note: The admin must sign in using tenant global administrator credentials and then click on the renew button.

SQL 2012 and 2014 support are deprecated

 

Starting with this version, Configuration Manager no longer supports SQL Server 2012 and 2014. Upgrade to the latest SQL Server version or at least SQL Server 2016. If you don’t upgrade, CM upgrades are blocked, and you see an error during the pre-req check.

Software metering support in Arm64 devices

 

The Configuration Manager now supports Software metering for Arm64 devices. Software metering is used to monitor Windows PC desktop apps with a filename ending in .exe.

 

For more information, Software metering in Configuration Manager

 

Update 2411 for Technical Preview Branch is available in the Microsoft Configuration Manager Technical Preview console. For new installations, the 2411 baseline version of Microsoft Configuration Manager Technical Preview Branch is available on the link:  CM2411TP-Baseline or from Eval center

 

Technical Preview Branch releases give you an opportunity to try out new Configuration Manager features in a test environment before they are made generally available.

 

We would love to hear your thoughts about the latest Technical Preview! Send us feedback directly from the console.

 

Thanks,

The Configuration Manager team

 

Configuration Manager Resources:

Documentation for Configuration Manager Technical Previews

Try the Configuration Manager Technical Preview Branch

Documentation for Configuration Manager

Configuration Manager Forums

Configuration Manager Support

Updated Dec 16, 2024
Version 3.0
  • MikeNiles's avatar
    MikeNiles
    Copper Contributor

    Nothing regarding a new alternative to WSUS since its deprecation was announced?

    • Bala_Delli's avatar
      Bala_Delli
      Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft

      The last version WSUS will be available is Windows server 2025, the support end date in 2035. We will update the next steps once we have a clear plan. No issues with our CM and WSUS immediately.

  • Ickis99's avatar
    Ickis99
    Copper Contributor

    That is great and all. But what about the 2409 release?

    • Bala_Delli's avatar
      Bala_Delli
      Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft

      Testing ASR Compatibility: Windows 11 vs. Server 2025

      As part of our latest testing, we've observed that Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) works as expected on Windows 11. This is great news for users looking to enhance their security posture, as ASR provides advanced protection against malicious activities and exploits.

      However, when testing Server 2025, we found that ASR is not currently supported, and it did not work as intended in our environment. At this time, it appears that the necessary updates or support for ASR on Server 2025 have not been introduced yet.

      If you're considering implementing ASR for your environment, we recommend focusing on Windows 11 for now, while keeping an eye out for future updates regarding Server 2025 compatibility.

      https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/enable-attack-surface-reduction