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How to configure client status in Configuration Manager

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Applies to: Configuration Manager (current branch)

Before you can monitor Configuration Manager clients and remediate problems, configure the site's client status settings. These settings specify the parameters that the site uses to mark clients as inactive. Also configure options to alert you if client activity falls below a specified threshold.

Configure client status

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Monitoring workspace, and select the Client Status node. On the Home tab of the ribbon, in the Client Status group, select Client Status Settings.

  2. Configure the following settings:

    Note

    If a client doesn't meet any of the settings, the site marks it as inactive.

    • Client policy requests during the following days: Specify the number of days since the client requested policy from the site. The default value is 7 days.

      Compare this value to the Client policy polling interval setting in the Client Policy group of client settings. Its default is 60 minutes. In other words, a client should poll the site for policy every hour. If it doesn't request policy after one week, the site marks it as inactive.

    • Heartbeat discovery during the following days: Specify the number of days since the client sent a heartbeat discovery record to the site. The default value is 7 days.

      Compare this value to the schedule for the Heartbeat discovery method. By default, the site runs heartbeat discovery once a week.

    • Hardware inventory during the following days: Specify the number of days since the client sent a hardware inventory record to the site. The default value is 7 days.

      Compare this value to the Hardware inventory schedule setting in the Hardware Inventory group of client settings. Its default is seven days.

    • Software inventory during the following days: Specify the number of days since the client sent a software inventory record to the site. The default value is 7 days.

      Compare this value to the Schedule software inventory and file collection setting in the Software Inventory group of client settings. Its default is seven days.

    • Status messages during the following days: Specify the number of days since the client sent any status messages to the site. The default value is 7 days. The client can send status messages for different kinds of activities, such as running a task sequence. The site deletes old status messages as part of the maintenance task, Delete Aged Status Messages.

  3. Specify the following value to determine how long the site keeps client status history data:

    • Retain client status history for the following number of days: By default, the site keeps client status information for 31 days. This setting doesn't have any impact on client or site behavior. It's similar to a maintenance task for client status history.

Configure the schedule

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Monitoring workspace, and select the Client Status node. On the Home tab of the ribbon, in the Client Status group, select Schedule Client Status Update.

  2. Configure the interval at which you want client status to update.

    Note

    When you change the schedule for client status updates, it doesn't take effect until the next scheduled client status update on the previous schedule.

Configure alerts

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Assets and Compliance workspace, and select the Device Collections node.

  2. Select the collection for which you want to configure alerts. On the Home tab of the ribbon, in the Properties group, select Properties.

    Note

    You can't configure alerts for user collections.

  3. Switch to the Alerts tab, and select Add.

    Tip

    You can only view the Alerts tab if your security role has permissions for alerts.

    Choose the alerts that you want the site to generate for client status thresholds, and select OK.

  4. In the Conditions list of the Alerts tab, select each client status alert, and then specify the following information:

    • Alert Name: Accept the default name or enter a new name for the alert.

    • Alert Severity: Choose the alert level that the Configuration Manager console displays.

    • Raise alert: Specify the threshold percentage for the alert.

Automatic remediation exclusion

  1. On the client computer where you want to disable automatic remediation, open the registry editor.

    Warning

    If you use the registry editor incorrectly, you can cause serious problems that could require you to reinstall Windows. Microsoft can't guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using the registry editor incorrectly. Use it at your own risk.

  2. Navigate to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\CcmEval.

  3. Change the value for the NotifyOnly entry:

    • TRUE: The client won't automatically remediate any problems that it finds. The site still notifies you in the Monitoring workspace about any problems with this client.

    • FALSE: This setting is the default. The client automatically remediates problems when it finds them, and the site notifies you in the Monitoring workspace.

When you install clients, you can exclude them from automatic remediation with the NotifyOnly installation property. For more information, see About client installation properties.

Next steps

Monitor clients