SCCM 2012 "Best Practice" to use UNC paths for package data sources?
We're in the process of migrating from SCCM 2007 to SCCM 2012. Instead of migrating a bunch of old packages we no longer need, we're recreating them by hand in SCCM 2012 (after copying over the data source files).
We're using packages instead of applications b/c we're more comfortable with that model and it works just fine for how our employee/computer setup.
I understand applications require UNC pathnames for the data source. But I didn't think packages required this. We've created a bunch of packages with local file path data sources. We done several deployments and they've all worked just fine.
I saw one mention that it's a "best practice" to use UNC pathnames for the package data source. Is that truly the case? Can anyone point me to any Microsoft blog or TechNet article that backs this position up?
We're not ready to migrate from 2007 to 2012 yet. I have time to get everything setup correctly. I'd like to make sure we do this right from the start.
Thanks!
KH
We're using packages instead of applications b/c we're more comfortable with that model and it works just fine for how our employee/computer setup.
I understand applications require UNC pathnames for the data source. But I didn't think packages required this. We've created a bunch of packages with local file path data sources. We done several deployments and they've all worked just fine.
I saw one mention that it's a "best practice" to use UNC pathnames for the package data source. Is that truly the case? Can anyone point me to any Microsoft blog or TechNet article that backs this position up?
We're not ready to migrate from 2007 to 2012 yet. I have time to get everything setup correctly. I'd like to make sure we do this right from the start.
Thanks!
KH
ASKER
I saw that article. I was wondering if that requirement is if you're using a tool to migrate packages from 2007 to 2012? We're not "migrating" our packages. We're creating the packages by hand in 2012. When creating the packages by hand in 2012, there's an option to point to a local path. I've tested a number of package deployments with the source as a local path and it works just fine.
I was hoping someone could point me to something official in Microsoft documentation that explicitly states the UNC path requirement for package source locations.
I was hoping someone could point me to something official in Microsoft documentation that explicitly states the UNC path requirement for package source locations.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
I don't doubt that the use of UNC shares for data sources makes migration much easier. I would love for our package data sources to live on a CIFS share on our NetApp filers. But I've never been able to make it work (in SCCM 2007 or 2012). It appears SCCM can only work with a share provided by a actual Windows file server - which NetApp apparently doesn't impersonate sufficiently.
But that's an entirely different puzzle.
But that's an entirely different puzzle.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
That's interesting. I've not been working with a share of a qtree. I've been testing a share of the root of the volume. I'll give this a shot.
Thanks!
Thanks!
ASKER
Dude! You just solved a problem for me that I have struggled with (and given up on) several times over the last couple of years - all with the mention of the word "qtree". I had talked to several NetApp engineers and no one asked if my share was targeting a NTFS permissions based qtree. Now that you've said it, it make perfect sense.
I've tested several packages with their data source on my NetApp CIFS share, and they all deploy perfectly!!
Thanks so much for the bonus answer!! max points for your assistance doesn't do justice to the help you've provided me over the past 24 hours!!
I've tested several packages with their data source on my NetApp CIFS share, and they all deploy perfectly!!
Thanks so much for the bonus answer!! max points for your assistance doesn't do justice to the help you've provided me over the past 24 hours!!
one of the requirements is that the package source used for packages must be a UNC
http://blog.coretech.dk/kea/updating-the-package-source-in-configuration-manager-2007/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kent has written multiple books on SCCM.
You can share the current location and convert the source to UNC.