Share via

Deploy Task Sequence

  • Article

Applies To: System Center 2012 - Orchestrator, System Center 2012 R2 Orchestrator, System Center 2012 SP1 - Orchestrator

The Deploy Task Sequence activity is to creates a new Configuration Manager Task Sequence Deployment that assigns an existing task sequence to a collection. This enables you to deploy an operating system and software applications to one or more destination computers.

To deploy an application (using the new Configuration Manager application model), use the Deploy Application activity. To deploy a program, use the Deploy Program activity. To deploy software updates in an update group, use the Deploy Software Update activity. To get status on deployments you’ve created, use the Get Deployment Status activity.

For the procedure to configure this object, see: Configuring the Deploy Task Sequence Activity.

Properties and Published Data

The following tables list the properties and published data for this activity.

Deploy Program Properties

Element Description

Deployment Name

The desired name for the new deployment that will be shown in the Configuration Manager console

Task Sequence

The display name or ID of an existing task sequence.

Note

When you use the browse feature to look up a task sequence name, or enter a task sequence name manually or from published data, you must set the Task Sequence Value Type property to Name or the activity will fail.

Task Sequence Value Type

Specifies whether the value in the Task Sequence property is a name or a task sequence ID. Options are:

  • ID (default): the value is a task seqence ID

  • Name: the value is a task Sequence name

Collection

The display name or ID of an existing collection.

Note

When you use the browse feature to look up a collection name, or enter a collection name manually or from published data, you must set the Collection Value Type property to Name or the activity will fail.

Collection Value Type

Specifies whether the value in the Collection property is a name or a collection ID. Options are:

  • ID (default): the value is a collection ID

  • Name: the value is a collection name

Purpose

The deployment intent or purpose. Options are:

  • Required (default): the task sequence is mandatory to be installed or uninstalled

  • Available: the task sequence is made available but not mandatory

Rerun behavior

Specifies whether the task sequence will be rerun on the client computer if it has previously been run before the scheduled mandatory time. Options are:

  • Always rerun program (default): The task sequence will always be rerun on the client when the advertisement is scheduled, even if the task sequence has already been successfully run. This is particularly useful when using recurring advertisements in which the program is routinely updated, as with some virus detection software.

  • Never rerun program: The task sequence will not be rerun on the client if the task sequence has previously been run on the client, even if the task sequence originally failed or the program files have been changed.

  • Rerun if failed previous attempt: The task sequence will be rerun when the advertisement is scheduled only if it failed on the previous run attempt. This is particularly useful when assigning a mandatory advertisement, so that it will rerun according to the assignment schedule if it has not successfully done so.

  • Rerun if succeeded on previous attempt: The task sequence will be rerun only if it has previously run successfully on the client. This is useful when using recurring advertisements in which the program is routinely updated, and in which each update requires the previous update to have been successfully installed.

Show the Task Sequence Progress

True or False (Default = False) Specifies whether or not users see a progress dialog for the task sequence.

Content Download

Specifies how the content will be obtained for this task sequence. Options are:

  • Download locally when needed (default): download all of the necessary installation files as needed to complete the task sequence

  • Download all content before starting: download all of the necessary installation files locally before initiating the installation. All of the files will be downloaded and stored in the client cache prior to running the task sequence.

Deploy Task Sequence Optional Properties

Element Description

Allow running independently of assignments

True or False (Default = False) Specifies whether or not users may run the program independently, regardless of its assignment status

Allow Software Install Outside of Maintenance Windows

True or False (Default = False) Allows the application to install even if the installation would occur outside of a maintenance window

Allow System Restart Outside of Maintenance Windows

True or False (Default = False) Allows the advertised program to restart the client even if the restart would occur outside of a maintenance window

Allow Task Sequence to Run on Internet Clients

True or False (Default = False) Allows the task sequence to run even if the client is connecting via the Internet.

Allow unprotected distribution point

True or False (Default = False) Specifies whether Configuration Manager will permit a client to use an unprotected distribution point if content is not immediately available on its protected distribution point, or if it forces a client to use the protected local distribution point if it is within the boundaries for that point.

Available to Boot Media and PXE

True or False (Default = False) Enables the use of an Operating System Deployment Task Sequence that starts from a CD, from USB, or from PXE.

Comment

An optional comment associated with the deployment

Send Wake-up Packets

True or False (Default = False) Specifies whether the Configuration Manager server will send a Wake On LAN packet to the computer prior to the advertised program.

Note

This setting applies only if the Purpose is set to Required.

Use remote distribution point

True or False (Default = False) When no local distribution point is available, use a remote distribution point.

Schedule Tab Properties

Element Description

Schedule when this deployment will become available

True or False (Default = False) By default, the deployment is made immediately available. If you wish to define a future date or time to make this deployment available, then set this property to True and set the associated date/time below.

Deployment Availability Time

The date/time when this deployment will be made available.

Note

If you set Schedule when this deployment will become available to True, this property is set to the current time unless set otherwise.

Schedule when this deployment will expire

True or False (Default = False) By default, the deployment does not expire. If you wish to define an expiration, then set this property to True and set the associated date/time below.

Deployment expiration

The date/time to use for the installation deadline for this deployment.

Note

If you set Schedule when this deployment will expire to True, this property is set to the current time unless set otherwise.

Mandatory Assignments

See Mandatory Assignment Schedules for more information.

Alerts Tab Properties

Element Description

Generate Alerts

True or False (Default = False) When set to True, an alert definition will be created for the deployment according to the settings below. When set to False, alert settings in this group are ignored.

When Compliance % Below

When compliance with this deployment is below this percentage, an alert will be generated in Configuration Manager. Valid values: 1 - 99

After Date and Time

Alerts will be generated only after this period of time has elapsed from the deployment’s installation deadline time.

Also Generate a System Center Operations Manager Alert

True or False (Default = False).

Note

Requires Operations Manager connection with Configuration Manager

Deploy Task Sequence Published Data

The following values are published in addition to the input values above:

Element Description

Connection

Specifies the name of the connection to the Configuration Manager server

Collection ID

Provides the Collection ID value for the collection targeted for this activity (in case the collection name was specified for the input property).

Configuring the Deploy Task Sequence Activity

To configure the Deploy Task Sequence activity

  1. From the Activities pane, drag a Deploy Task Sequence activity to the active runbook.

  2. Double-click the Deploy Task Sequence activity icon. The Properties dialog box opens.

  3. Configuring the Details tab:

    1. In the Connection section, click the ellipsis button (...), and then select the Configuration Manager server connection that you want to use for this activity. Click OK.

    2. In the Fields section, enter a value for each of the required properties. If the property is Lookup-enabled, you can click the ellipsis (…) button next to the text box to browse for a value.

      You can also use published data to automatically populate the value of the property from the data output by a previous activity in the runbook.

  4. Configuring the Schedule tab:

    The Schedule tab allows you to define when the deployment becomes available or when it expires, as well as mandatory assignment schedules. Mandatory assignment schedules cause Configuration Manager to automatically run the program at a specific time or according to a specific event, such as user Logon/Logoff. The settings on this tab are optional.

    For more information about mandatory assignments, see Mandatory Assignment Schedules.

    Note

    When a deployment is set to Required, then a mandatory schedule must be defined for the deployment or the activity will fail.

  5. For information about the settings on the General and Run Behavior tabs, see Common Configuration Instructions for all Activities.

  6. Click Finish.

Other Activities

The Integration Pack for System Center Configuration Manager contains the following additional activities: