3 Reasons Why SCCM Community Hub is Deprecated in 2023

The SCCM Community Hub is deprecated in the ConfigMgr 2023 release, and I will explain three important reasons why the community hub feature was removed from Configuration Manager.

The community hub was a place in your SCCM console where you and other administrators could share useful objects such as CMPivot scripts, console extensions, etc. If you have been using the community hub at your work or were a contributor, you’ll surely miss this useful feature.

The community hub feature was available starting with Configuration Manager version 2002 and later. The goal of this feature was to make it easier for users to find the CMPivot scripts, console extensions, and reports that IT administrators had added in one place: the Configuration Manager console.

I am going to share few reasons why the SCCM community hub is deprecated. But first, let’s look at the announcement made by Microsoft on removal of community hub feature.

Announcement: Community Hub Removed in ConfigMgr version 2023

Microsoft will discontinue the Community Hub feature starting with the Configuration Manager current branch version 2023. The removal of the Community Hub feature was first announced by Microsoft in October 2022, and it will take effect with the release of ConfigMgr 2023.

It is unfortunate that the Community hub, which was used by many IT administrators, will no longer be a feature in the ConfigMgr console. Microsoft shared the below update in their Community Hub documentation.

The community is upset about Microsoft’s announcement regarding the deprecation of the community hub. Prior to the community hub removal in November 2021, the asset intelligence feature of Configuration Manager was deprecated. The majority of us are dissatisfied with the Community Hub’s removal from SCCM and the fact that there is no replacement in the works. Scripts, console extensions, reports, or any other helpful materials you may have added to the community hub are now lost.

I frequently used the Community Hub feature at work. I have used it to download and install the Right Click Tools extension for SCCM, many useful scripts, and mostly important ConfigMgr documentation. The community hub supported the following objects in the console:

• CMPivot queries
• Applications
• Task sequences
• Configuration items
• Configuration baselines, including child configuration items
• Baselines with software updates or version-specific references aren’t supported
• PowerShell Scripts
• Reports
• Power BI report templates

You have to agree with me on this point: With any software or a tool, you don’t use all the features that it offers. You utilize the features only when you require it. Similarly, with Configuration Manager, not every one used the community feature, but when required, we surely did.

I have invested a lot of time in fixing the community hub issues since its inception and published several useful guides. These guides have helped numerous admins in resolving the community hub issues. But it’s sad to see SCCM Community hub is deprecated and there is no replacement announced for it.

• Fix SCCM Community Hub Issues – 4 Critical Errors Solved
• Unable to load the Configuration Manager Community hub

Why is SCCM Community Hub Deprecated or Removed?

In response to the question of why the community hub feature was removed from SCCM, Microsoft has not provided any explanation. I can think of three reasons why Microsoft decided to deprecate the SCCM community hub feature.

• The decision to deprecate the community hub might have been made because of the security risks it posed in relation to the Configuration Manager console. As there were many third-party scripts already hosted in community hub, Microsoft could have sensed security risks and decided to phase out the community hub feature. I believe Microsoft had to have a dedicated team to verify and approve these scripts which was a bit of overhead? I’m not sure, though.
• Another reason that I can think of community hub removal could be related to its usage. Microsoft may have realised that Community hub is not so popular considering the fact that there were only 121 items contributed toward the community hub. Not many IT admins used the community hub feature as others did. That’s because most of the scripts, console extensions and reports are also available on web. For example, the Right Click tools for ConfigMgr console extension is available in console and on the vendor website as well.
• Microsoft has not been good at hosting 3rd party content on their platform. Taking an example of the SCOM which was a popular tool with the ability to import third-party management packs. Over the years, Microsoft failed to add new third-party management packs requested by many MVPs. Similarly, the Windows 10 App store was a super useful feature, but it lacked in enough participation by vendors which decreased its popularity.

Apart from the reasons mentioned above, there could be other reasons for removal of community hub. If you can think of valid ones, please let me know in the comments section.

Fate of Console Extensions in Configuration Manager

The removal of the community hub will not affect the installation of console extensions. You can still manage the SCCM console extensions as you did before. You can still use a script to import a signed console extension into the Configuration Manager console.

Since the SCCM Community Hub is no longer supported, you won’t be able to use it to download and install console extensions. For console extensions that were already installed from the community hub, talk to the software makers about how to install them differently. Going forward, you shouldn’t download and install anything from the community hub. Instead, you should look for other ways to get what you want.

Is there is a replacement for Community Hub?

Unfortunately, No. The community hub feature is completely deprecated and there will be no replacement for community hub. Microsoft hasn’t planned anything for replacing the community hub feature.

Please let me know in the comments section about your thoughts on deprecation of SCCM community hub feature. Was it useful, did you use it at your work, or it doesn’t matter the feature removal to you.