Package Mapping v2
The MDT Package Mapping functionality (Scenario 5: Dynamic Computer-Specific Application Installation to give it its MDT name)
provides for the automatic re-installation of ConfigMgr applications during OS re-imaging. This is done via interrogation of the ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS SQL view. The deployment database contains a PackageMapping database. This is used to pair an Add/Remove Program inventory entry (ARP) with a ConfigMgr package and program in this way:
The database supplied with the deployment database does not contain the Comment and ID tables shown above, but I’m finding these are pretty useful. Comments are handy as the database gets larger and the ID field is used as a primary key on the table so that we can update the database from a Microsoft Access front end.
Populating the database with new mapping entries is somewhat error-prone… The ARP entries are often GUIDs, and the Packages entry requires the package ID and exact program name. Any of these entered incorrectly results in a failed build which can be awkward to troubleshoot. The only minor complexity on this is that the ID table should be configured as IsIdentity (AutoNumber) in SQL:
To reduce the risk of incorrect entries being added I have knocked up a quick MS Access form to allow selection of the ARP name and Install Package entry. To build this all we need are a couple of ODBC entries one "PackageMapping" connected to the DEPLOYMENT database and another "ARPData" connected to the ConfigMgr database.
Now we just need some linked tables in Access.
|
|
The PackageMapping table is from the DEPLOYMENT database. The others are SQL views from ConfigMgr The field highlighted in red builds the MappingEntry field to |
|
This structure allows us to select the PackageID from a list of all Packages, but displays the friendly package name.
