ConfigMgr 2012/1E Nomad - Downloading (0% complete)

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This was tricky to solve. Everything looked correct. ConfigMgr 2007 and 1E Branch Nomad clients had been installed on several computers. The ConfigMgr clients were upgraded to 2012. Boundaries and boundary groups were correct. Yet, in Software Center, all content was stuck on Downloading (0% complete) (updates, packages etc.)

In normal ConfigMgr 2012 operation, content is downloaded directly to the cache (C:\Windows\ccmcache) and executed from there. In testing, I uninstalled the Nomad Branch client and the process worked perfectly. However, when the Nomad client was installed again the problem re-occurred. 

In a correctly operating "ConfigMgr + Nomad Branch" client the content should be downloaded to the ConfigMgr cache and transferred immediately to the Nomad Cache (ProgramData\1E\NomadBranch). At this point execution takes place. Strangely enough, the content was being transferred to the Nomad cache but never installed. Also, ConfigMgr did not know that the content had been downloaded and the Software Center did not report correctly.

Nomad uses CcmCTMNotification.dll to provide status updates to the ConfigMgr client. A review of the Nomad log files revealed that version 4.0.xx of this file was reporting on the effected clients. This is a 2007 file. The 2012 version should read 5.0.x.x. It seems that the file was locked by Nomad during the ConfigMgr client upgrade process and could not be deleted.

The issue was resolved by deleting the C:\Windows\System32\CCM folder and rebooting the computer (note that this is the 2007 location, the 2012 client uses C:\Windows\CCM). All content could then be downloaded and installed.

Note that this issue only occurred on 60 of 1000 computers.

1E Nomad - Demo software distribution with Nomad Branch

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We previously installed the Nomad Branch client, the Admin Console GUI Extensions and the Nomad Branch GUI (Download Monitor). In this section we will carry out a demo software distribution to see how these components are used.

This is our test application.

It has now been enabled for Nomad.

Update the Distribution Points for the application.

Test collection.

Deploy the app to the test collection.

Open the Download Monitor (in this case I have opened it locally on the test computer - SCCMTest4).

See the mode - the content is being downloaded via "HTTP from DP".

See the NomadBranch.log file on SCCMTest4. An election is now being held on this subnet and this computer has become the Master for content for this application.

Content has been downloaded to the Nomad cache.

Now add SCCMTest3 to the test collection.

Connect to SCCMTest3. See that the content is now being downloaded from the Master SCCMTest4. The mode is "SMB from Peer".

1E Nomad - Install the Admin Console GUI Extensions

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The Admin Console GUI extensions add Nomad functionality to the ConfigMgr console and are installed using the NomadBranchAdminUIExt.msi installer. The only option provided in the installer is to read and accept the license agreement before continuing.

A prerequisite to installing the Admin Console GUI extensions is the presence of a System Center Configuration Manager Admin Console. If you want to install the Admin Console GUI Extensions on a remote ConfigMgr console then you will need to ensure that the Admin Console GUI Extensions have been installed on the site server first.

Launch the installer and click Next.

Accept the License Agreement.

Click to install.

Installation has completed.

Review the Windows Installer log file.

Now review the properties of your ConfigMgr client settings. See the new tab - Nomad Properties.

 Enable Nomad as a content download provider for Application management.

Enable Nomad as a content download provider for Software Updates.

See the additional tab in the properties of your applications.

1E Nomad - install Nomad Branch Client

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Nomad Branch client should be installed on each computer at a remote branch using the Windows Installer file (NomadBranch.msi or NomadBranch-x64.msi). The installation can be interactive or silent. In production you would deploy the client using ConfigMgr. I have installed it manually in my lab.

Nomad Branch is supported on the following Microsoft operating systems:

• Windows 8 (since March 2013)
• Windows 7 (Embedded, Professional, Enterprise, Enterprise x64 and Ultimate)
• Windows Vista (Business, Enterprise, Enterprise x64 and Ultimate)
• Windows XP with SP2 or SP3 applied
• Windows Server 2012 (since March 2013)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM, SP1
• Windows Server 2008 x64 SP1, SP2
• Windows Server 2008 SP1, SP2
• Windows Server 2003 x64 SP2
• Windows Server 2003 SP2

Run the Windows Installer - click Next

Accept the License Agreement

Enter your license key

I have selected a Custom installation so that I can see the options.

I have chosen "No Multicast" at this time. Note that you require and an additional license to implement multicast.

This is a simple demo - I did not enable ActiveEfficiency.

Installation is complete.

See the Windows Installer log file.

Software can now be seen in "Programs and Features".

See the folder structure.

In the next sections we will install the Admin UI and the Download Monitor. 

ConfigMgr 2012 - Integration with 1E Nomad

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1E Nomad Enterprise integrates with ConfigMgr 2012 to provide increased resilience and bandwidth throttling. It maximizes use of advanced features, like Remote Differential Compression, to make optimal use of any type of network connection with minimal impact on network users. It allows you to distribute software and software updates to computers that could have been previously unmanageable.

Nomad Enterprise reduces the load on the central Distribution Points and eliminates the necessity for local Distribution Points. This allows the ConfigMgr infrastructure to be simplified while still retaining coverage of the entire network and reducing maintenance costs.

The Single Site Download (SSD) feature of Nomad 2012 enables automatic discovery of network topology. This allows organizations to treat a large complex, distributed network as if it were a simple local one by grouping physical networks (including subnets) into logical sites and locations. This capability is powered by the 1E ActiveEfficiency platform. This allows massive distributions, such as Windows 7 images, to happen extremely quickly even on the largest sites without any server infrastructure.

Nomad’s new many-to-many method of distribution (FanOut) allows distributions to happen in a fully connected or “spider web” manner across the local network. 

 Nomad Enterprise consists of two main components:

• PXE Lite - a tool that assists in imaging bare metal computers
• Nomad Branch - the content transfer utility that helps deliver large content efficiently, safely and securely.

This guide will show you how to deploy Nomad Branch.

Note that Nomad 5.2.100 offers full Microsoft SCCM 2012 R2 support. It was released on 14th January 2014.
 
This is the software we require.

Please browse to the following sections to see the solution.

Install Nomad Branch Client

Install the Admin Console GUI Extensions
 
Install Nomad Branch GUI (Download Monitor)

Demo software distribution with Nomad Branch