This guide demonstrates how to use PowerShell with SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) to write variables to devices within a specific collection. This is incredibly useful for managing configurations, deploying settings, and automating tasks across your managed devices. We'll cover different approaches and address common challenges.
Understanding the Method
The core principle involves using SCCM's WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) interface and PowerShell to interact with devices. We'll leverage the Get-CMDevice cmdlet to retrieve devices within a collection and then use a remote PowerShell session to write variables to the target machines. The specific method for writing the variables will depend on your needs; we'll cover several options.
Prerequisites
- SCCM Environment: A properly configured SCCM infrastructure with a collection containing the target devices.
- PowerShell: PowerShell 5.1 or later, with the SCCM PowerShell module installed.
- Domain User: A domain user account with appropriate permissions to manage devices in the SCCM environment. Insufficient permissions will prevent successful execution.
Methods for Writing Variables
There are several ways to write variables to devices, each with its own strengths and weaknesses:
1. Using Invoke-Command with a Remote Session
This is a common and versatile method. We'll use Invoke-Command to execute a scriptblock on each remote machine.
# Specify the SCCM collection name
$CollectionName = "YourCollectionName"
# Get devices in the specified collection
$Devices = Get-CMDevice -CollectionName $CollectionName
# Variables to be written (replace with your actual variables)
$Variable1 = "Value1"
$Variable2 = "Value2"
# Scriptblock to execute on each device
$ScriptBlock = {
param(
[string]$Variable1,
[string]$Variable2
)
# Write variables to the registry (example)
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\MyApplication" -Name "Variable1" -Value $Variable1 -PropertyType String
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\MyApplication" -Name "Variable2" -Value $Variable2 -PropertyType String
# Alternatively, write to a file (example)
# $filePath = "C:\temp\myvars.txt"
# "$Variable1=$($Variable1)`r`n$Variable2=$($Variable2)" | Out-File -FilePath $filePath -Encoding ASCII
}
# Invoke the scriptblock on each device
foreach ($Device in $Devices) {
try {
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $Device.Name -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -ArgumentList $Variable1, $Variable2
Write-Host "Variables written to $($Device.Name)"
}
catch {
Write-Warning "Error writing variables to $($Device.Name): $($_.Exception.Message)"
}
}
Remember to replace "YourCollectionName" with the actual name of your SCCM collection and adjust the scriptblock to write variables to your desired location (Registry, file, environment variable, etc.).
2. Using a Configuration Item and Baseline
For more structured deployments, consider creating a Configuration Item in SCCM to define the variables and then deploy it as a baseline to the collection. This offers better management and reporting capabilities. This is beyond the scope of a simple PowerShell script and involves the SCCM console.
3. Using PowerShell Remoting with Credential Securely
For enhanced security, avoid hardcoding credentials directly in your script. Instead, use a secure method such as a credential secure string.
$Credential = Get-Credential
# ... rest of the script using $Credential for Invoke-Command
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $Device.Name -Credential $Credential -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -ArgumentList $Variable1, $Variable2
Error Handling and Logging
Robust error handling is crucial. The example above includes a try-catch block to handle potential errors during the remote execution. Consider adding more sophisticated logging to a file for auditing purposes.
Troubleshooting
- Permissions: Ensure the user account running the script has sufficient permissions to write to the target location on the remote devices and to manage the devices in SCCM.
- Firewall: Check firewalls on both the SCCM server and the client machines to ensure PowerShell remoting is allowed.
- Network Connectivity: Verify network connectivity between the SCCM server and the target devices.
- PowerShell Execution Policy: Make sure the execution policy on the client machines allows script execution (e.g.,
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned).
This comprehensive guide provides a solid foundation for using PowerShell with SCCM to efficiently manage variables across your devices. Remember to adapt the script to your specific needs and environment, prioritizing security and robust error handling. Always test thoroughly in a non-production environment before deploying to your entire collection.
