Migrating from SCCM to Automox

This article describes how to switch from patching with SCCM to utilizing Automox with Windows Updates. Read the instructions all the way through before beginning the process to avoid service interruptions for your end-users.

Removing SCCM Secondary Sites

To remove SCCM secondary sites, they must be decommissioned.

Decommission Secondary Sites

You must have Domain/Global/Enterprise Administrator permissions. Start with this step:

1. • Remove the Infrastructure Administrator/Full Administrator Rolls on the Parent Primary Site for the Secondary Site being decommissioned.

From the Configuration Manager, follow these steps:

• 1. Select the Administration workspace

  2. Expand Site Configuration

  3. Select the Site Server Node being decommissioned

  4. In the ribbon Select the Home Tab

  5. In the Site Group Select Delete

     • On the General page choose to Uninstall or Delete the Secondary Site

Removing SCCM Primary Sites

Before you can remove SCCM primary sites, follow these planning instructions:

Reporting

• Create reports of all dependency settings:

1. 1. 1. Boundaries

      2. Boundary Groups

      3. Fallback Relationships

      4. Site Rolls

      5. Investigate if Static References have been set to point at the Primary Site

      6. Site-Specific Cloud Attached Services

      7. Site-based OS Deployment Media

      8. Site System Rolls

• If you want an easy way to create all the required configuration reports, check out this GitHub link:
  DocumentCM12R2v2.ps1

Prerequisites

Verify the user permissions:

1. 1. Local Administrator rights on the CAS Server

   2. Domain/Sysadmin/Global/Enterprise Administrator rights on the CAS site Database

   3. Infrastructure/Full Administrator security role on the CAS

Uninstall the Primary Site

1. 1. From the primary site, open Configuration Manager Setup

   2. Navigate to the Configuration Manager installation media directory and open \SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\setup.exe

   3. In the directory where Configuration Manager is installed, open \BIN\X64\setup.exe

   4. On the Getting Started page, select Uninstall a Configuration Manager Site 

   5. Make sure the following options are enabled. Both removal options are enabled by default:
      • Remove the site database from the primary site server
      • Remove the Configuration Manager console
   6. Select Yes to remove the primary site

1.  

GPOs

1. Create a GPO report to identify any GPOs that influence the patching source.
   
   

   Function Get-GPOReportFolderifMissing {
       if (!(test-path -path "C:\GPOReports")) {new-item -path "C:\GPOReports" -itemtype directory}
   }
   Get-GPOReportFolderifMissing
   
   
   Function Get-GPOReportifMissing {
   $date = get-date -format "MM.dd.yyyy"
       if (!(test-path -path "C:\GPOReports\GPOReport$date.html")){Get-GPOReport -All -ReportType HTML -Path "C:\GPOReports\GPOReport$date.html"}
   Invoke-Item -path "C:\GPOReports\GPOReport$date.html"
   }
   Get-GPOReportifMissing

2. Remove any references that would statically set the patching source to the SCCM infrastructure.

 

Automox Worklet

From the Automox console, create a worklet.

1. Select Manage → Worklet Catalog

2. Find and select the Worklet: Reset Windows Update Settings
   
   

3. Click Create Policy
   
   

4. Assign the policy to the Groups of devices that will now use Windows Updates instead of SCCM.

5. Edit and update each Group:

   • Under Edit Group → OS Patch Management, set the Patching Source to Windows Update

   • Save the updated Group settings.

6. It’s now time to schedule the policy to run

Note: The policy requires an immediate reboot after being run.

 

If the instructions are followed as described, you will remove SCCM dependencies from your environment and successfully set Automox to patch your devices using Windows Update.