In this article, we will look at the best ConfigMgr 2303 new features that can be used right away after upgrading to version 2303. The SCCM 2303 release includes many new features and improvements over the previous release.
The update for ConfigMgr version 2303 will be available only on sites running SCCM 2111 or later. Or, to put it another way, you can only upgrade to ConfigMgr 2303 if you are using version 2111 or higher.
You can upgrade to version 2303 of Configuration Manager current branch using the SCCM 2303 upgrade guide. The upgrade guide includes all the information required for upgrading the Configuration Manager to version 2303. Let’s go through some exciting new features of ConfigMgr 2303 and understand how you can use these features.
Top 10 ConfigMgr 2303 New Features, Enhancements, and Fixes
There are many new features and improvements added to the SCCM 2303 release. The new features in the Configuration Manager 2303 update include:
- Improvements to Cloud Sync: Collections to Azure Active Directory Group Synchronization.
- Microsoft Configuration Manager product branding: Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager is now branded as Microsoft Configuration Manager.
- New Endpoint Security reports in Intune admin center for Tenant Attached devices.
- Status Message Viewer now shows Authorization failure message in admin service.
- SQL Server 2022 support for Configuration Manager.
- Unified Update Platform release.
- Update to default value of supersedence age in months for software updates.
- Enable Windows features introduced via Windows servicing that are off by default.
- Console dark theme extended to delete secondary site wizard.
1. SQL Server 2022 Support for ConfigMgr
Support for SQL Server 2022 is one of the new features included in ConfigMgr 2303’s release. Since SQL Server 2022 is now supported, SCCM installations that previously only supported SQL Server 2019 can now install SQL Server 2022 or even upgrade to version 2022 of their current SQL Server. Have a look at the list of supported SQL Server versions for SCCM.
The SQL Server 2022 can now be used on a central administration site, primary site and secondary site. The recommended compatibility level for SQL 2022 is 150 for ConfigMgr.
The following table identifies the recommended compatibility levels for Configuration Manager site databases:
SQL Server version | Supported compatibility levels | Recommended level |
---|---|---|
SQL Server 2022 | 150, 140, 130, 120, 110 | 150 |
2. New Endpoint Security reports in Intune admin center for Tenant Attached devices
You can choose Endpoint Security reports for tenant-attached devices, starting with Configuration Manager 2303 in the Intune admin center. The optional reports for unhealthy endpoints and active malware will begin displaying information from the tenant attach devices if you select to receive these reports. The information from tenant connect devices will also be shown in corporate reports on identified malware and antivirus agent status.
3. Console dark theme extended to delete secondary site wizard
In ConfigMgr 2303, the dark theme has been extended for the delete secondary site wizard in the Configuration Manager console. You have to first enable the dark theme for ConfigMgr console. This wizard will also have a new look for the normal theme. Microsoft says that this is part of an ongoing effort to improve the dark theme and user experience of the admin console.
4. Enable Windows features introduced via Windows servicing that are off by default
This new feature introduced in ConfigMgr 2303 was added to SCCM technical preview release 2303. This new setting has been added under the Client Settings > Software Updates. The Windows features that the policy will control will be released in the later part of 2023. Note that “Enable features introduced via servicing that are off by default” is set to Not Configured by default.
5. Update to the default value of supersedence age in months for software updates
One of the new features of SCCM 2303 includes the update to the default value of supersedence age in months for SCCM software updates. The default value of supersedence age (months to wait before superseded updates are expired) has been updated from 3 to 6 months for both feature and non-feature updates for new Software Update Role installations.
Note: Removing SUP role in Admin Console does not reset the supersedence age property in WMI. As a result, while reconfiguring the role, the previously configured value is shown in the configuration window. This property needs to be reset to default value on role removal.
6. Get Authorization failure message in admin service in Status message viewer
Microsoft has introduced the audit messages about authorization failure in the admin service with ConfigMgr 2303 release. This feature was first added in the Technical Preview 2211 release. You can now view request details and status messages. These messages will be shown in “All Status Message” at “Status Message Queries” in “Monitoring” ribbon. Previously, these failures were logged in log files.
With the new audit messages in ConfigMgr 2303, we intend to avoid the inconvenience of log file rollback. Details about the user, resource access attempts and the number of attempts for all the authorized requests made by user in a day will now be available. Microsoft will also use this feature to check the read operations for HTTPS requests and operations that were started in the cloud. This will help admins to scope permission and roles of users while also determining if there are any malicious users.
7. Unified Update Platform (UUP) GA Release
This is more of an addition to Windows 11 than a new feature in SCCM 2023. Devices running Windows 11 version 22h2 will now get quality updates through the Unified Update Platform (UUP). For Windows 11 22H2 and onwards, there is a new update delivery method called the Unified Update Platform (UUP). In answer to IT admin requirements for more smooth updates, greater control over the installation time, longer battery life, and smaller download sizes, it offers better delivery technologies.
8. Improvements to Cloud Sync (Collections to Azure Active Directory Group Synchronization) feature
Starting with ConfigMgr 2303, the scalability of the Cloud Sync feature has been improved with better throttles and error handling. Additionally, we see new dedicated dashboards for user collections and device collections in the Monitoring workspace to show Cloud Sync status. The dashboard displays the following:
- Cloud Sync status per collection with the mapped Azure AD group
- Total member count
- Synced member count
- Status (success, failed, in progress) and last sync details.
9. Community Hub Removed from ConfigMgr 2303
The ConfigMgr 2023 release deprecates the SCCM Community Hub. Unfortunately, the Community hub, which was a feature of the ConfigMgr dashboard and was used by many IT administrators, will no longer be available. Microsoft first made the decision to discontinue the Community Hub functionality in October 2022, and it went into effect with the release of ConfigMgr 2023. The Community Hub node is gone from the console after you update to ConfigMgr 2303, as you will notice.
10. Microsoft Store for Business Deprecated
According to Microsoft, the Microsoft Store for Business and Microsoft Store for Education will be retired on March 31, 2023. Customers may continue to use the current capabilities for free apps until that time. There will be no support for Microsoft Store for Business and Education on Windows 11. With the release of ConfigMgr 2303, this change will take effect.
The following changes have been made for Microsoft Store for Business in ConfigMgr 2303.
- User’s cannot create a new Microsoft Store for Business in Configuration Manager.
- A warning message box is displayed when user triggers a sync from Microsoft Store for business.
- Display a warning in the “create application wizard” when the user attempts to create a new app from store license information.
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