Configuration Manager Pilot Failure Follows Site Expansion: Troubleshooting Insights

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This article delves into a specific issue encountered within Microsoft Configuration Manager where the Client Piloting Package fails following a site expansion operation. Site expansion is a critical process for organizations needing to scale their Configuration Manager infrastructure, often involving adding a Central Administration Site (CAS) to an existing standalone primary site. While generally robust, this process can sometimes lead to unexpected complications, such as the failure of pre-existing functionalities like client piloting. Understanding the root cause and implementing the correct resolution is essential for maintaining operational efficiency.

The problem primarily affects specific versions of Configuration Manager, including the current branch versions 1511 through 1610 and the Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) version 1606. Organizations running these versions, particularly those that were actively using client piloting on a standalone primary site before expanding to a CAS hierarchy, are susceptible to this issue. Client piloting is a vital feature that allows administrators to test new client versions or settings on a select group of machines before a broad deployment, minimizing potential disruptions.

Scenario and Symptoms¶

Consider a scenario where you have successfully deployed a standalone primary site running one of the affected Configuration Manager versions and have configured and utilized client piloting effectively. To accommodate growth or centralize management, you decide to perform a site expansion by installing a Central Administration Site and connecting your existing primary site to it. This changes the hierarchy from a single primary site to a CAS with a primary site reporting to it.

Following the successful completion of the site expansion process, you observe that the Configuration Manager Client Piloting Package, which was functioning correctly before the expansion, now fails to distribute or update. Checking the status messages within the Configuration Manager console reveals errors related to the package distribution. Specifically, you may encounter status messages indicating that the Distribution Manager component is unable to access the source directory for the content of the Client Piloting Package.

Further investigation often involves examining the Distribution Manager log file, known as Distmgr.log, located on the site server (typically the CAS after expansion for package distribution control). This log file will contain more detailed error entries. These errors commonly state that Distribution Manager cannot locate the source files required for the PilotUpgrade process. Messages explicitly mentioning the inability to process the snapshot of the piloting package or find the source directory for the client piloting content are key indicators of this specific problem.

Understanding the Cause¶

The root cause of this failure lies in the physical location and management of the source files required for the Configuration Manager Client Piloting Package. Configuration Manager utilizes specific folders to store the source files for different client versions, including those used for piloting and staging. When client piloting is enabled and configured, Configuration Manager relies on source files typically stored within folders named PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient. These folders contain the necessary client installation binaries and related files.

In a standalone primary site, these folders and their contents are created and managed locally on that site server. However, when a site expansion occurs and a CAS is introduced, the management and distribution of content packages often shift or require synchronization across the new hierarchy. During the expansion process, the data and configurations from the primary site are integrated into the new CAS. Unfortunately, in the affected versions and under certain conditions during this expansion, the critical PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders, along with their required contents, may not be correctly transferred, replicated, or recreated at the new Central Administration Site.

If these folders are missing from the location where the CAS expects to find the source files for the Client Piloting Package, Distribution Manager on the CAS will be unable to create or update the package’s content snapshot. It cannot access the source directory because the directory or its contents are not present. This absence directly leads to the distribution failures observed in the status messages and the errors logged in Distmgr.log, rendering the client piloting feature non-functional until the source files are restored to their correct location.

The Site Expansion Context¶

Site expansion in Configuration Manager involves installing a new Central Administration Site and connecting an existing standalone primary site to it. This transforms the hierarchy from a single administrative domain to a centralized management point (CAS) overseeing one or more primary sites. The CAS handles site-wide configuration, reporting, and inter-site data replication, while primary sites manage clients and content distribution within their assigned boundaries.

During the expansion process, configuration data from the existing primary site database is replicated to the new CAS database. This includes information about packages, collections, deployments, and client settings. However, the physical source files for packages are typically managed by the site servers themselves. For standard packages, source files are often located on a file share accessible to the site server. For specific built-in components like the client piloting package, the source files are generated or managed internally by Configuration Manager within specific directories on the site server.

The issue arises because the site expansion process, while migrating database configurations, does not always ensure the correct transfer or regeneration of these specific internal source folders (PilotingUpgrade, StagingClient) on the new CAS server or at the location the CAS expects. The CAS becomes the central point for package management, and if it cannot locate the physical source files needed for the client piloting package, it cannot successfully process or distribute that package to distribution points. This highlights a potential gap in the migration process for these internally managed package sources in the affected versions.

Resolution Steps¶

Resolving this issue primarily involves ensuring that the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders, containing the necessary client installation binaries, are present in the correct location on the Central Administration Site server. The most straightforward resolution is to copy these folders from a working source to the target location on the CAS.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the resolution steps:

Step 1: Verify the Issue and Locate Source Folders¶

First, confirm that the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders are indeed missing from the expected location on the CAS server. The default location for these folders is typically within the Configuration Manager installation directory on the site server, often under a path like [ConfigMgr Installation Path]\Client. For example, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Client. Navigate to this path on your CAS server and check for the presence of these two folders. If they are missing, this confirms the cause of the problem.

Next, you need to find a source for these folders. The ideal source is the standalone primary site server before it was expanded, or a backup of its file system from that time. If that’s not available, you might be able to obtain these folders from another primary site server running the same Configuration Manager version in your hierarchy (if applicable) or even from the installation source files if you know which specific client version was being piloted. The key is to find a complete and correct set of the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders from a working ConfigMgr installation of the same version.

Step 2: Copy the Missing Folders¶

Once you have located a valid source for the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders, copy both folders in their entirety. The target destination is the Client directory within the Configuration Manager installation path on your Central Administration Site server. For example, copy the folders and their contents to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Client on the CAS server.

Ensure that the account running the SMS Executive service on the CAS (usually the machine account or a configured service account) has appropriate permissions to read and execute files within these newly copied folders. Default permissions inherited from the parent Client folder are usually sufficient, but it’s worth verifying if issues persist.

Step 3: Update the Client Piloting Package¶

After copying the folders, you need to prompt Configuration Manager to recognize the restored source files and update the client piloting package. Open the Configuration Manager console and navigate to the Software Library workspace. Expand Application Management, then select Packages.

Locate the Configuration Manager Client Piloting Package in the list. Right-click on the package and select Update Distribution Points. This action instructs the CAS to check the package source location again, create a new snapshot of the content (which should now find the copied folders), and distribute the updated content to all assigned distribution points.

Step 4: Monitor Distribution and Verification¶

Monitor the content distribution status for the Client Piloting Package. You can do this from the console by selecting the package and then viewing the Content Status tab in the details pane. Check the distribution status for your distribution points. Additionally, monitor the Distmgr.log file on the CAS server. Look for entries indicating that the package is being processed, a new snapshot is being created, and the content is being successfully sent to distribution points.

Successful distribution is indicated by green status icons in the console and log entries showing successful processing and sending. Once the package status shows as successfully distributed to your target distribution points, the client piloting feature should resume normal operation. You can further verify by checking the client piloting deployment status and attempting to initiate a pilot client upgrade on a test machine.

Step 5: Consider Permissions¶

A common pitfall during file operations on server systems is permissions. Ensure that the account performing the copy operation has necessary administrative rights on both the source and target servers. More importantly, verify that the Configuration Manager site server’s machine account (or the service account running SMS Executive) has at least Read and Execute permissions on the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient folders and their contents on the CAS server. Incorrect permissions will prevent the Distribution Manager from accessing the files even if they are present.

Preventing Future Occurrences¶

To prevent this issue during future site expansion scenarios (though this specific bug might be tied to older versions), it’s crucial to have a robust backup strategy that includes the file system of your primary site server. Before performing a site expansion, ensure you have a complete and restorable backup of the primary site server’s file system, especially the Configuration Manager installation directory and its subfolders like Client.

Furthermore, carefully review the site expansion documentation for your specific Configuration Manager version. While this issue might be a known bug in older versions, understanding the expected behavior regarding content source locations during expansion is key. After any major site infrastructure change like expansion, proactively verify the integrity and accessibility of critical content source folders for built-in packages like client piloting and client upgrade packages.

Further Troubleshooting¶

If the resolution steps above do not fix the issue, consider these additional troubleshooting steps:

• Review Site Server Logs: Beyond Distmgr.log, check other relevant logs on the CAS server, such as SMSProv.log (for console interactions) and SMSDBMon.log (for database monitoring) for any related errors occurring around the time of the package update attempt.
• Check Database Integrity: Although less likely to be the primary cause of missing folders, database issues can sometimes manifest in unexpected ways. Ensure your Configuration Manager database is healthy and check the smsprov.log for database communication errors.
• Verify Network Connectivity and Firewalls: Ensure there are no network connectivity issues or firewall blocks preventing the CAS server from accessing itself (local disk operations) or potential remote file shares if the source was copied from another server.
• Restart Services: Sometimes, restarting core Configuration Manager services on the CAS server (like SMS_Executive and SMS_Distribution_Manager) can help re-initialize components and recognize the restored files.

Diagram: Simplified Content Flow Post-Expansion¶

```mermaid
graph LR
A[Central Administration Site (CAS)] → B(SQL Database);
A → C(SMS Provider);
A → D(Distribution Manager);
D → E[PilotingUpgrade/StagingClient Folders on CAS File System];
D → F(Distribution Points);
C → A;
E → D;
F → Clients;
G[Primary Site(s)] → A;
G → F;

style E fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
style D fill:#ccf,stroke:#333;
style F fill:#cfc,stroke:#333;

```
Diagram illustrating the simplified content flow in a Configuration Manager hierarchy after site expansion, highlighting the CAS’s role in managing Distribution Manager and accessing content source folders.

Relevant Video Topic¶

While the original source did not contain a video, understanding the site expansion process is crucial context. A relevant video might cover:

Simulated YouTube Embed:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/example-video-id" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-presenter" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Note: This is a placeholder embed. Replace example-video-id with an actual YouTube video ID relevant to “Configuration Manager Site Expansion” or “ConfigMgr Client Piloting Troubleshooting” if available and appropriate.

This video might walk through the steps of adding a CAS, discuss data migration considerations, or provide general troubleshooting tips for post-expansion issues, offering valuable visual context to the technical process.

Conclusion¶

The failure of the Configuration Manager Client Piloting Package after site expansion in certain versions is a specific issue caused by the absence of the PilotingUpgrade and StagingClient source folders on the new Central Administration Site. By understanding the role of these folders and the impact of the expansion process, administrators can effectively resolve the problem by copying the missing files from a valid source to the correct location on the CAS and then updating the package in the console. Implementing good backup practices and verifying critical components after infrastructure changes are key to preventing such issues. Troubleshooting logs like Distmgr.log remain invaluable tools in diagnosing the root cause of package distribution failures.

Have you encountered this specific issue during a Configuration Manager site expansion? What steps did you take to resolve it, and were there any particular challenges you faced? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below to help the community.