Peter van der Woude

This should get you started: http://blogs.technet.com/b/dcaro/archive/2012/06/14/free-learning-on-windows-server-2012.aspx

I'm in most cases still prefering Configuration Baselines, mainly because it's proven and has good reporting capabilities. Also, I know that a couple of MVPs discussed this during MMS. I just can't find anything more then their presentation here: http://mms2014.sched.org/event/001f7403184dcf748d6c7a75139f8c60#.VKrjMOk5CHs

Yes, hard-linking and offline capture can be used together. One thing to keep in mind is that hard-linking stores pointers to files locally on a hard drive, that's what makes the process fast. That also means that there is no buildin method to store it on a network location, as copying hard-links simply copies the complete file instead of the pointer (which is logic as you can't point from a network location to something on the local hard drive).

You have to make sure that only supported steps are started in the different scenario's. To make sure that it happens, you can use task sequence variables. I did a post about that a while ago. There might be scenarios that are not covered,but it should give you an idea, see: http://www.petervanderwoude.nl/post/how-to-capture-user-files-and-settings-offline-winpe-or-online-fullos-using-hard-links-with-configmgr-2012-b2/

For a capture in WinPE, make sure that you are using the option to capture in off-line mode.

But the ConfigMgr IP has bultin activities for client actions that you can simply use, instead of custom code.

I always like to keep my images as clean and standard as possible. Also, if possible GPO's are the easiest for most of those setting.

I'm just a user of SCUP How would SCUP know if an update is required or not? SCUP simply publishes to WSUS and there isn't any direct link with ConfigMgr...

Then please check the log files.

Ok, that was not in your previous post... I'm just wondering why you would throw a user in the credentials. Why not simply giving the service account, running the runbooks, the required access? Also, why not simply using the ConfigMgr IP (see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh967537.aspx)?

Yes, but one of the problems with DHCP Options is exactly what you're running into now, you can only specify one boot file. For booting UEFI you need a different boot file. IP Helpers are always the preferred method for crossing VLANs.

You need reporting services installed on the machine that you will use for your Reporting Services Point. For a list of relevant log files see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx#BKMK_ReportLog

I'm more intrigued by the credentials parameter that you're also throwing in you're code. Where does it get it's value from?

Third party updates will only show when they are published via something like SCUP to WSUS. After that enabled the new product to the software update point configuration and sync ConfigMgr. The process for cleaning up expired is very good described here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2012/04/12/software-update-content-cleanup-in-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx

The first thing that I would say that ConfigMgr will not be your real (complete) solution in this case. The main reason is that, yes it does some sort of approval, but you can't revoke that. You would really need some service management tooling for that.

I've never done it, but this should get you started: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steverac/archive/2014/01/02/osd-for-linux-imaging-yes-really.aspx

Please provide some more information about what you've done so far. Did you publish the updates to WSUS and sync them to ConfigMgr? Did you add the updates to a software update group? Did you add the updates to a deployment package?

To add-on, have a look at the Deployments node in the Monitoring workspace. It will provide you a lot more information about the different states and situations of a deployment.

Please check the log files for more information and if needed post some pieces of the log files.

How are those variables configured? The easiest method is probably to create a simple HTA and request for input.

I do have to say that it will be easy to setup for old-school packages, as you can look the status message in the deployment status and based on that you can create the status filter rule (see also: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712680.aspx#Config_Status_Filter_Rule). The new applications on the other hand don't work with status messages any more, but with state messages (like software updates). That means it will be tricky to get the information you're looking for.

Have a good look at your command line, error code 11 is an invalid parameter.

Yes, see also: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682191.aspx

You can also deploy the task sequence as a normal deployment to the client. Just make sure that at least Configuration Manager clients is selected in the Deployment Settings.

To be honest, I think that's a very weird method to gather statistics especially because ConfigMgr logs everything in the database. Simply run a report on the information and pull the statistics you need. To get the information you need you can use the Message ID from the Deployment Status of a deployment. Create a status filter rule based on that information and add an action that runs a script to sent the information via mail.