Jan 03 2018 10:18 AM
Starting with version 1706 of System Center Configuration Manager a new option is available allowing administrators to enable clients to fall back to the Microsoft Office CDN when deploying Office 365 ProPlus updates to client machines. With this option enabled, clients will first check their available distribution points for the specified update. If the update cannot be found the client will then get the specified update directly from the Microsoft Office CDN.
This can be helpful for situations where machines may not have a dedicated or reliable connection to the corporate network and other situations where it is not necessary to manage the update content for a particular update on premises.
To enable this feature:
Each time you configure an update for deployment (either manually or using an ADR) you can choose to enable this setting by simply checking the box labeled ‘If software updates are not available on distribution point in current, neighbor or site boundary groups, download content from Microsoft Updates.’ on the Download Settings tab of the Deployment Settings Properties dialog.
When you deploy an update with this setting enabled you can expect the following behavior:
Aug 18 2018 01:37 PM
Thanks for the writeup, I'm a little late here but have a question I'm hoping you can answer. Is this same functionality available using the ODT or GPO/Intune MDM Policy? I see there is an "AllowCdnFallback" option in the ODT configuration XML (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/configuration-options-for-the-office-2016-deployment-t...) but that seems to be for deployment (ODT download/configure modes), but not for updates.
Aug 20 2018 02:13 PM
Hi Jeremy,
This is a different fall back mechanism.
The 'AllCdnFallback' option that you use with ODT is specific to the installation of language packs. It allows you to install Office from a local source (like a network share) but if you forgot to download a language pack or MatchOS discovered a language pack that was not downloaded to your local source, having this fall back option on allows the ODT to download the language pack(s) that it needs directly from the CDN. Note: this option is not compatible with Application deployment via SCCM.
The option available in SCCM applies to updates. If a client is told by SCCM to update but the update is not yet available on the distribution point, the client is allowed to get the update directly from the CDN.
Cheers,
Chris
Aug 22 2018 04:27 AM
Nov 02 2018 10:20 AM
Regarding the fallback behavior, I recently analyzed a client machine that was set up to receive the latest update for Office 365 ProPlus semi-annual v1708. In the middle of that, one of our support techs disabled the config manager client because the user was having some issues with software installs unrelated to O365. Fast forward about a week and he re-enabled the config man client. The ProPlus client did get an update successfully, but it was for v1803, not 1708 of semi-annual channel. So my questions are:
Thanks for any assistance,
Doug
Nov 05 2018 10:01 AM
Nov 05 2018 10:13 AM
Dec 26 2018 11:11 AM
@Chris Hopkins- Happy Holidays!
I am using the following lines in my config.xml and deploying during OSD as an Application in SCCM (1806).
<Configuration>
<Add OfficeClientEdition="32" Channel="Broad" OfficeMgmtCOM="TRUE" AllowCdnFallback="TRUE">
<Product ID="O365ProPlusRetail">
<Language ID="MatchOS" />
<Language ID="en-us" />
My source files on the local distribution point only contain the installation for en-us. You stated that this not compatibile with the Application method of SCCM? It will not use the CDN to download the missing Languages if the you are deploying Office 365 ProPlus in this manner? Is that documentend somewhere?
I have to manage over 20 different languages of the OS and Office, it would be ideal to have this working instead of having 19 additional deployment types/applications for each Office language.
Looking forward to your response.