Welcome to the Tech Community for Desktop Analytics!

[Zach Dvorak]

Desktop Analytics provides the insight and automation you need to efficiently get current and stay current with Windows. By integrating with System Center Configuration Manager, Desktop Analytics adds cloud value to your on-premises infrastructure. Using compatibility and readiness insights, Desktop Analytics can help you confidently upgrade your fleet of devices to Windows 10, and then keep them current with subsequent feature updates. The service leverages data from your organization in conjunction with aggregated data from millions of cloud-connected devices to take the guess work out of app and driver compatibility testing.

Desktop Analytics is the evolution of Windows Analytics. You'll notice many of the same insights that you've already been exposed to, but Desktop Analytics takes it a step further with increased actionability. Desktop Analytics provides data-driven pilot recommendations that are representative of your overall environment, as well as device readiness views that are integrated directly with Configuration Manager. As you upgrade pilot devices, Desktop Analytics surfaces health information such as application crashes to help inform your production rollout.

As Brad announced this morning, Desktop Analytics is now available in public preview. We can't wait for you to try it out and give us your feedback. Everything you need to get started is available at https://aka.ms/DADocs. If you are prompted for an invitation code during the onboarding process, use: DesktopAnalyticsRocks! (Note that the code is case-sensitive and includes the !).

In order to benefit from Desktop Analytics, you'll need to be using Configuration Manager version 1902 with update rollup (4500571) or newer, as well as meet certain license requirements. You can learn more on our Prerequisites page. You'll also need certain Azure and Configuration Manager administrators to perform service onboarding tasks.

Over the coming weeks, we'll be releasing additional blog posts right here to introduce you to and get you started with Desktop Analytics. In the meantime, we're looking forward to your questions and feedback!

[Greg_C_Gilbert]

I understand ConfigMgr integration with Desktop Analytics will grant additional actionability vs. Windows Analytics, but can we get the same kind of informational insights without ConfigMgr?  My company doesn't currently use ConfigMgr, but we are using Windows Analytics.  Once Desktop Analytics becomes GA, will Windows Analytics be discontinued?  If so, will any of the capabilities that don't require additional licensing from Upgrade Readiness and Update Compliance be available to those without the currently listed Windows Analytics licensing prerequisites? 

[Zach Dvorak]

@Greg_C_Gilbert Desktop Analytics is part of Microsoft's Unified Endpoint Management offering, so a first-party management tool (i.e. ConfigMgr, or Intune in the near future) is a requirement. You can continue using Windows Analytics for the time being. We'll have more to share about the future of Windows Analytics in the coming months as we work to make Desktop Analytics generally available. 

[Greg Neveau]

Does Microsoft have guidance on how to move from Windows Analytics to Desktop Analytics?  There is Azure setup, group policies, and other configuration to get Windows Analytics working.  What is the best way to clean up Windows Analytics configuration so that we can move to Desktop Analytics?

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[Kasper Jensen]

@Greg Neveau If you in the Desktop Analytics introduction wizard choose to convert your Windows Analytics workspace instead of creating a new one, that's all you have to do. No other configuration required for your clients, as it's the same Microsoft telemetry endpoint your clients are pointing to, and if you converted your old workspace, you'll retain the same Commercial ID.

Do remember to delete the old Upgrade Analytics connector in the SCCM console. When creating your Desktop Analytics connector in SCCM, you can't pick the Azure app if you still have an Upgrade Analytics connector pointing at that Azure app.

The workflow is different if you choose to create a new workspace instead of converting the old. You get a new Commercial ID, which you type in the Client Settings in SCCM. You create a new Azure app in the Desktop Analytics wizard in the SCCM console. The official documentation takes this scenario in mind, so you can follow along pretty easily, it should tell you everything you need to change.

[Zach Dvorak]

@Greg Neveau To add on to Kasper's answer above, we recommend choosing your existing Windows Analytics workspace when onboarding to Desktop Analytics. As mentioned, this allows you to retain your existing commercial id and thus makes device enrollment much faster. Note that you'll still need to go through the device enrollment wizard in the ConfigMgr console - but once you do, you'll be able to remove your existing configurations for Windows Analytics (such as scheduled tasks to run the Upgrade Readiness deployment script, or Windows Analytics client settings in ConfigMgr).

[Balasubramanian Murugesan]

Hi, I just want to understand that Desktop Analytics majorly depends on SCCM CB 1902.

 If we are having SCCM CB version 1806. Then how we can use Desktop Analytics in this scenario? Whether we need to upgrade SCCM CB to 1902? 

wkt, Windows Analytics doesn't depend on SCCM CB

Thanks & Regards,

Balasubramanian Murugesan

[Zach Dvorak]

@Balasubramanian Murugesan Yes, Desktop Analytics has a dependency on ConfigMgr version 1902 with update rollup (4500571) or newer. These are the versions of ConfigMgr that allow us to properly configure devices and ensure device counts stay consistent between ConfigMgr and Desktop Analytics. 

[Christian Redgewell]

it is disappointing this has been released with SCCM first rather than with Intune. Do we have a timeframe for potential release to Intune only customers?

[Lelvis79]

Yes disappointing indeed!

[Bill-Wesson]

Let me add my voice to those that don't have SCCM and have no plans to deploy same. As we are committed to moving to the cloud, it makes no sense to build another on premise server for SCCM. After all, why commit to the cloud and move loads to the cloud when Microsoft isn't showing the same commitment? We're moving to embrace the new tech of Windows as a service, Intune, and AutoPilot for instance. Shouldn't our device management be in one pane of glass, Azure? I was looking forward to taking a look at Windows Analytics until I learned that it will soon join "clippy" on the heap of discarded Microsoft software.

[mrkesu]

@Bill-Wesson Aggressive. Why do you believe Desktop Analytics will be "discarded Microsoft software" simply because it is not out for Intune first?

[Michael Cherry]

I am trying to understand if the App Health Analyzer is still available as a separate tool (implied in an YouTube video from Ignite?), or if it has been incorporated into the SCCM 1906 client (SCCM docs)? Seems like it would still be useful without Desktop Analyzer and as a way to convince management about value of Desktop Analyzer. Especially for those of us who will not deploy SCCM now, but waiting for Intune Support. Thanks. Michael Cherry, Directions on Microsoft.

[Deepam Dubey]

Michael, App Health Analyzer is not available as a separate toolkit anymore. From SCCM 1906 we are natively supporting the functionalities of AHA toolkit in CM inventory client. You can find more information on this in August release blog we posted. We are getting constant feedback on supporting DA insights for Intune only customers and it is certainly on our radar for next set of investments. To align with this vision, instead of supporting the standalone AHA version we will focus on bringing app readiness insights natively into Intine console instead. Stay tuned.. 

[Brett Fredrickson]

Where can I see the App Health Analyzer data within Desktop Analytics? I have devices reporting in and I can see application information (under Manage > Apps), but i'm not seeing where to report on AHA information (admin rights required, java required, etc.). Thanks.

[Deepam Dubey]

@Brett Fredrickson Which version of SCCM are you currently running? You need to be on 1906 or higher to see advance insights for your apps.

[Brett Fredrickson]

@Deepam Dubey 1906, including clients.

[SoMuchMedia]

Might not be the right spot, but I see some familiar names, so..  :)

I am trying to get a comprehensive report on Microsoft Edge versions in our environment.  I looked at SCCM and I can get 'legacy' Edge from on view and now Chromium Edge from standard installed software.  However, the legacy Edge looks like it has every version ever on a machine so it does not query/sort well to get the latest.  Chromium is a better, standard installed software report, but that is only a fraction of our machines so far.\

So I thought, let me try Analytics.  I looked at:

MAApplication

| where AppName == "Microsoft Edge"

And this gives me what I want but it is far fewer records than I know we have.  Can somebody help me with a query of Edge versions?

Thanks.

-John

[Marek_Belan]

@Deepam Dubey 

where I find App Health Analyzer in MECM ??? We are on 2002.

[SoMuchMedia]

Really and SCCM question, but...

SCCM\Software Library\Desktop Analytics Servicing.  I can click on the tiny Configuration Alerts slice of the donut and get a list of machines with configuration alerts.  Nice, but there is not much you can do like with a collection which you can deploy to or run scripts against.  Is there anyway to create a collection for this?  I found SMS_G_System_UAComputerStatus.UpgradeAnalyticsStatus = "2" but that only shows 284 machines against 631 configuration errors, so I do not believe that is it.  I really do not want to cut and paste 600+ machine names, 1 by 1.  :(

Thanks!

-John

[ITEric]

Just want to throw a log on the fire that is the disappointment of requiring SCCM. We have green fielded a swing migration away from domain join machines with SCCM to Azure AD Joined Intune. 4K Machines in blissful cloudlyness that for the most part dont even require VPN thanks to over 150 SAML and Azure Proxied apps we established. This all done ahead of COVID hitting. We looked like super heros for being ready for 100% remote. We have ZERO desire to go backwards. We airgapped configuration during the migration never going hybrid just so we didnt blend the two worlds. I was upset to hear configmgr and intune would become one. The development group responsible for SCCM has not a good stewards of code deciding in 2012 to put lipstick on the pig (new UI) instead of fixing the serious underlying foundational issues brought up from being so old the internet wasnt a big thing yet (SMS). Intune is infant and limited as with any new product. Now development cycles are being spent to smoosh the bad with the new instead of continue to make Intune better. Even Endpoint manager has sadly been a little bit of a letdown. Intune v1 forced to use Azures absolutely stunningly bad data structures and ux wasn't helpful. But my hope for Endpoint Manager was a better UX, I have to say that was a failure as well. The flip flopping of config policies to baselines, to endpoint security policies to honestly I am not even sure anymore it is confusing, only lightly documented, and feels like navigating a minefield to get my job done. The current UIs for reviewing and editing configuration policies is so so painful. Why have left side tabs if you are just going to use H2 headers with 90's style HTML [EDIT] things. This is v2?? Really??? I want more innovation, leadership and direction on the platform. Not trying to be a troll, venting real frustration that has been ongoing for over 10 years. I think in general Microsoft has never done better in their long history. I have never been more proud to be a Microsoft professional. But this whole thing is turning into one Cthulhu sized spaghetti monster of a ten mile wide 1 inch deep solution and I just cant help but wonder if its related to the leadership that has come from the SCCM team.