Nomad OS Deployment task sequence actions

Nomad support for Configuration Manager OS Deployment.

1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions

Click on a link for more information about a custom task sequence action and its configuration.

Provisions a PBA data store prior to saving user state using USMT. It is the first step of the Peer backup assistance sequence (USMT Capture User State follows).

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions.

Actions

Notes

This task:

  1. Polls Content Distribution peers enabled for PBA to find one with a data store where the user state may be saved. The peer that responds with the largest percentage of available disk is selected.

  2. Sets the following task sequence variables for subsequent actions:

    • PBAComputerName: a label used to refer to the cache in following Content Distribution actions.

    • PBAHostComputerName: Host name of the data store machine.

    • OSDStateStorePath: tells USMT where to save user state to then retrieve it from, i.e. the location of the Content Distribution cache.

    • NMDS_REMOTE: set to the same value as OSDStateStorePath. This is not required, but it is available for backwards compatibility.

This task sequence action:

  • Is the first action in the saving phase of user state migration.

  • Must be followed by USMT Capture User State action.

If the task sequence variable 1EWSA_USMTSizeInMB is set, the step will use its assigned value when polling.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: Provision Content Distribution PBA Data Store

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to find a PBA data store for saving user state

Description for the custom task sequence action.

Use Content Distribution's size estimation

Disabled by default.

If enabled, the estimation is passed to NMDS_POLL.

Static cache space

100

Estimated cache space in MB required to store the user state. This can either be a number, the default being 100, or the name of a task sequence variable holding the value delimited by '%', e.g. " %USMTEstimate%.

Closes the connection to the PBA data store after user state is saved with USMT Capture User State.

This step replaces the Peer Backup Assistant: Close Nomad PBA Data Store (deprecated) and the Peer Backup Assistant: High Availability (deprecated) steps. You can continue using the deprecated steps if you have already deployed them, but you cannot modify them. Going forward, we recommend you migrate to this new task sequence step.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions.

Actions

Context

When run, this task:

  1. Closes the connection to the PBA data store after the user state is saved with USMT Capture User State.

  2. Optionally, stores user state data locally if there is enough disk space.

This task sequence action:

  • Must be run after the Provision Nomad PBA Data Store and USMT Capture User State actions.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: Finalize Content Distribution PBA Data Store

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to close the connection to the Nomad PBA data store after saving the user state.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

Enable HA

False

Enable high availability.

If the task sequence variable 1EDisablePBA_HA = True, then High Availability is disabled. This variable is automatically set for Remote WSA deployments.

Minimum

1

The minimum number of PBA data store backups. The number of data stores must be available when PBA-HA starts the backup, else if fails.

  • Must be between 1 and 6.

  • Must be equal to or greater than the Synchronous value.

Maximum

1

The maximum number of PBA data store backups.

  • Must be between 1 and 6.

Synchronous

1

The number of successful backups to create before moving on to the next task sequence action.

  • Must be between 1 and the value in Maximum. You can set the value to 0, but we do not recommend it as it causes the next task sequence to execute immediately with no guarantee of a successful backup.

Finds saved user data, prior to restoring user state using the USMT Restore User State action.

Peer Backup Assistant: Close Nomad PBA Data Store (deprecated) and (usually) OS refresh or OS install on bare-metal actions must be run first. If saving user data was run as a separate task, insert an action in the current task sequence that sets the PBAComputerName TS variable to the same value that is set in the saving task sequence. This identifies the Content Distribution cache in the network where the user data is saved.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions .

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Finds the PBA enabled Content Distribution peer on which the user state migration data has been cached.

  2. Sets these task sequence variables for subsequent steps:

    1. OSDStateStorePath: Tells USMT where to restore user state from, i.e. the location of the Content Distribution cache.

    2. NMDS_REMOTE: Set to the same value as OSDStateStorePath. This is not required, but it is available for backwards compatibility.

This task sequence action:

  • The first action in the restoring phase of user state migration.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: Locate Existing Nomad PBA Data Store.

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to locate cached data prior to restoring user state.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

Releases saved user data in the Content Distribution cache, after restoring user state with USMT Restore User State.

The USMT Restore User State action must have been run successfully.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions.

Actions

Tasks

When run, this task:

  1. Deletes the cached user state data from the PBA enabled Content Distribution peer.

  2. Sets the following task sequence variables for subsequent actions:

    • PBAComputerName: A label used to refer to the cache in following Content Distribution actions.

This task sequence action:

  • Is the final action in the restoring phase of user state migration.

  • Is not essential because the cache is deleted by Content Distribution automatically after 7 days (default configuration).

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: Release Nomad PBA Data Store.

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to release the Nomad PBA data store after restoring user state.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

This step has been replaced by Peer Backup Assistant: Finalize Nomad PBA Data Store, Existing deployments will still work, but you cannot modify them. Going forward, we recommend using its replacement.

This step closes the connection after user state is saved by USMT Capture User State. The Peer Backup Assistant: Provision Nomad PBA Data Store and USMT Capture User State actions must have been run.

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Sends a completion message to the Content Distribution peer to indicate that the user state migration data has been cached.

  2. Sets the following task sequence variables for subsequent actions:

    • PBAComputerName: A label used to refer to the cache in following Content Distribution actions.

This task sequence action:

  • Is the final action in the saving phase of user state migration.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: Close Nomad PBA Data Store.

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to close the PBA data store connection after saving user state.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

This step is deprecated, and you should use the Peer Backup Assistant: Finalize Nomad PBA Data Store instead. Existing deployments will still work, but you cannot modify them. Going forward, we recommend using its replacement.

This step stores additional backup copies of the PBA data store, after the primary data store has been created with Peer Backup Assistant: Provision Nomad PBA Data Store and after the USMT data has been saved and closed with Peer Backup Assistant: Close Nomad PBA Data Store (deprecated).

The following actions must have been run successfully:

  • Peer Backup Assistant: Provision Nomad PBA Data Store.

  • USMT Save User State.

  • Peer Backup Assistant: Close Nomad PBA Data Store (deprecated).

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad PBA task sequence actions .

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Polls Content Distribution peers enabled for PBA to find the required number of data stores where the user state may be saved.

  2. Backs up the primary data store on each Content Distribution peer after locating the PBA data stores.

This task sequence:

  • Must have the minimum and maximum number of PBA data stored to create defined.

  • Must have the number of synchronous backups that must be completed successfully defined before continuing with the next action in the task sequence. The remainder of the additional backups are performed asynchronously while the other task sequence actions are running.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Peer Backup Assistant: High Availability.

Name for the custom task sequence step.

Description

Action to find additional PBA data stores for saving user state.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

Minimum

1

The minimum number of PBA data store backups. Must be at least 1 and not greater than 6. The specified number (minimum) of data stores must be available when PBA-HA starts backing up the data. If the minimum number of data stores will not respond, then the PBA-HA task sequence step will fail.

The minimum should be greater than or equal to the Synchronous value. If the minimum number is less than the Synchronous value, the task sequence may fail even though the minimum number of backups have been done.

Maximum

1

The maximum number of PBA data store backups. Must be at least equal to the minimum and not greater than 6.

Synchronous

1

The number of backups that must be performed successfully before moving onto the next action in the task sequence. Must be 0 or more and not greater than the value set for the maximum.

It is possible, but not recommended, to set this value to 0. If this is done, the next action in the task sequence will start immediately, but there will be no guarantee that any backups have been successful.

Click on a link for more information about a custom task sequence action and its configuration.

Pre-stages content using Content Distribution, either in WinPE or a full Microsoft Windows operating system. It uses the NomadPackageLocator.exe command-line switches tool to locate any locally available copies of content, as set in the References in the custom task sequence action properties. If no local copies are available, it will download the content from the DP and store it locally. It then configures the Task Sequence to use this locally stored content.

We recommend, when using the Pre-stage Content Using Nomad step, that the content is downloaded to the local branch and the task sequence is pointed to the Content Distribution cache that contains it. When using Redirect Content Location to the Nomad Cache (deprecated) this is a requirement as it cannot make use of all the Content Distribution download functionality.

Use Pre-Stage content Using Nomad in preference to Redirect Content Location to the Nomad Cache (deprecated) to make use of all the Content Distribution features. Use the Redirect Content Location to the Nomad Cache (deprecated) if you want to have exactly the same NomadPackageLocator functionality provided in earlier releases of Content Distribution.

While Pre-stage content Using Nomad is running, a progress bar is displayed on the Installation Progress dialog on the target machine:

When used in WinPE, the Install and Configure Nomad in WinPE action must be run first.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad Pre 6.0 task sequence actions.

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Uses NomadPackageLocator.exe command-line switches to locate locally available copies of the content, as set in References in the custom task sequence action properties. If no local copies are available, it will download the content from the DP and store it locally.

  2. Updates the task sequence to use the locally downloaded content.

  3. If the Require Nomad checkbox is checked in the action properties, fail the task sequence step if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

  4. If the Show error checkbox is checked in the action properties, display the error dialog if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

  5. If the Use Multicast checkbox is checked in the action properties, NomadPackageLocator will invoke NomadBranch with multicast enabled.

  6. If the All references checkbox is checked in the action properties, all referenced content will be selected.

The following points should be taken into account when using this task sequence action:

  • Prior to using any of the content downloaded using the Pre-stage content Using Nomad task sequence action, you must run the Save Nomad Cache task sequence action.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Pre-stage Content Using Content Distribution.

The name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to pre-stage content in WinPE using Content Distribution.

Sets the description for the custom task sequence action.

Require Nomad

Enabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, it sets a requirement for another Content Distribution client on the same subnet to have the content, if this is not the case the task sequence step will fail. When this checkbox is not checked the task sequence will attempt to continue without using Content Distribution if there is no Content Distribution client on the same subnet with the content.

Show error dialog

Disabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, an error dialog is displayed to the Configuration Manager administrator when the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

Use HTTP

Enabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, NomadPackageLocator uses the HTTP location for the content if it is not available locally.

In Configuration Manager 2012, if this option is not enabled when using this task sequence step, all selected packages must be copied to the SMB share on the DP using the Data Access > Copy the content in this package to a package share on distribution points option in the properties of each package, otherwise the download fails.

Use Multicast

Disabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, NomadPackageLocator invokes NomadBranch with multicast enabled.

All references

Disabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, all referenced content is selected (and any added subsequently to the task sequence will be automatically selected). When it is unchecked, all referenced content is deselected.

References

This field is pre-filled with all content set for downloading in the task sequence.

This field is pre-filled with all content set for downloading in the task sequence. Checking the checkbox next to each item will set the use of NomadPackageLocator for that content.

There is a limit of 255 characters on a task sequence action's command line. If this was exceeded because there are many selected references, a popup dialogue will appear saying so when the Apply or OK is pressed.

Either reduce the number of references by creating more, separate, task sequences to pre-stage content, or select the All references checkbox which will use a wildcard for the references.

This action is deprecated and is currently provided for backwards compatibility only, Use Pre-stage Content Using Content Distribution instead.

This custom task sequence action redirects the task sequence's content location to the Content Distribution cache on another host. Used in either WinPE or a full Microsoft Windows Operating System, it used the Nomad NomadPackageLocator.exe command-line switches tool to locate the content on a Content Distribution cache on the local subnet.

The NomadPackageLocator program sends out a Content Distribution package status request for each of the packages listed in the OSD task sequence it is running within. If any of the content is available on other Content Distribution clients on the local subnet, it updates the path variables in the task sequence to point at the folder location (usually located in the local or remote Content Distribution cache folder). If not, the default path (i.e. the path to the distribution point) is left intact.

Both the Redirect Content Location to Content Distribution Cache and Pre-stage Content Using Content Distribution rely on the fact that the content has been downloaded to the local branch and point the task sequence to the Content Distribution cache that contains the content. Use Pre-stage Content Using Nomad in preference to Redirect Content Location to Content Distribution Cache to make use of all the Content Distribution features. Use the Redirect Content Location to Content Distribution Cache if you require exactly the same NomadPackageLocator functionality provided in earlier releases of Content Distribution.

When used in WinPE, the Install and Configure Nomad in WinPE action must be run first.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad Pre 6.0 task sequence actions.

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Locates the Content Distribution cache on the local subnet.

  2. Updates the task sequence to use local subnet content.

  3. If the Require nomad checkbox is checked in the action properties, fail the task sequence step if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

  4. If the Show error dialog is checked in the action properties, display the error dialog if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

  5. If the All references checkbox is checked in the action properties, all referenced content will be selected.

This task sequence action:

  • Is typically performed prior to the apply operating system action but may be used multiple times throughout the task sequence, particularly during the provisioning phase.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Redirect Content Location to Content Distribution Cache.

Name for the custom task sequence action.

Description

Action to redirect content location to Content Distribution cache.

Description for the custom task sequence action.

Require Nomad

Enabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, the task sequence action fails if the NomadPackageLocator download fails. If this is not checked, the task sequence attempts to download the content by other means if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

Failover to DP(s)

Disabled by default.

When this option is checked, the content download can failover to downloading from the DPs if the NomadPackageLocator fails to find the content cached on the local subnet.

Show error dialog

Disabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, an error dialog is to the Configuration Manager administrator if the NomadPackageLocator download fails.

Force Nomad client

Blank by default.

Set the name for a specific Content Distribution client whose cache you want to use. This prevents NomadPackageLocator from polling for a Content Distribution client whose cache contains the content.

Nomad share name

Blank by default.

Should only be used if the Content Distribution clients where OSD content has been pre-cached are configured with the Hidden Content Distribution share option set to 0x10. See SpecialNetShare for more information. When the pre-cache Content Distribution client is set to use the hidden share, set the value to NomadSHR$.

Multicast scope

 

Should only be set if you want the NomadPackageLocator requests to span subnets when trying to locate a package. In this instance, the request is will be multicast and the scope must be set here.

This will only work if the network has been configured to allow multicast across subnets.

All references

Disabled by default.

When this checkbox is checked, all referenced content will be selected (and any added subsequently to the task sequence will be automatically selected too). When it is unchecked, all referenced content will be deselected.

References

Pre-filled with all content set for downloading in the Task Sequence.

Pre-filled with all content set for downloading in the task sequence. Checking the checkbox next to each item will set the use of NomadPackageLocator for that content.

There is a limit of 255 characters on a task sequence action's command line. If this was exceeded because there are many selected references, a popup dialogue will appear saying so when Apply or OK is pressed.

Either reduce the number of references by creating more, separate, task sequences to redirect content, or select the All references checkbox which will use a wildcard for the references.

Used in the following instances:

  • In conjunction with the Pre-stage Content Using Content Distribution action to avoid making a local copy of the Content Distribution share.

  • It is used during the provisioning phase, prior to any package being installed, to enable classic packages to run from the DP. This is so that SMSNomad.exe can be used as an alternative download provider during OSD.

When the Run from distribution point property is no longer required, remove it using the Disable Run from Distribution Point custom task sequence.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad Pre 6.0 task sequence actions.

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Sets the task sequence to run from the DP.

This task sequence action:

  • Only applies to OSD task sequences and should be run prior to installing classic packages using the SMSNomad.exe command

  • Can be run anywhere in the task sequence after the Restart in Windows PE action, that would be used as part of a Refresh OS Deployment task sequence

  • Must have the Copy the content in this package to a package share on distribution points option enabled for classic packages that are set to Run from the DP.

Configurable parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Enable Run from DP.

The name for the custom task sequence step.

Description

Action to Enable Run from the DP.

The description for the custom task sequence action.

Reverts the task sequence variables that were set using the Enable Run from Distribution Point custom task sequence action back to their default values.

This custom action is available in the 1E Nomad Pre 6.0 task sequence actions.

Actions

Notes

When run, this task:

  1. Sets the task sequence to download on-demand.

This task sequence action:

  • Only applies to OSD task sequences after installing all classic packages using the SMSNomad.exe command and only if the Enable Run from Distribution Point had previously been run.

Configurable Parameters

Parameter

Default value

Description

Name

Disable Run from the DP.

The name for the custom task sequence step.

Description

Action to Disable Run from Distribution Point.

Description for the custom task sequence step.