This is the post where I’m going to predict that how is SCCM going to change in future. In this post, you will see how SCCM is becoming more modern and evolving faster than cloud technologies. Let’s see what SCCM Message Processing Engine journey is.
Let’s go through the journey of status messages to state messages. Also check out more about the new SCCM Message Processing Engine(MPE).
Introduction
Recently, Microsoft SCCM Support Escalation engineer Umair Khan tweeted about the most underrated and unknown component present from SCCM 1802 and evolving since.
He mentioned about Message processing engine (MPE) component in SCCM. It seems MPE makes future SCCM faster.
SCCM 1810 RU2 – MPE References
Is SCCM Still Slow?
It seems to me that many IT Pros still think SCCM as old age application. Yes, Slow Moving Server and still uses Inboxes to operate, etc.. and Cloud is great modern technology. Is it true? NO. Not at all.
The change started with SQL based replication when it got introduced in the product with SCCM 2012. SCCM is changed a lot since the release of SCCM Current Branch.
SCCM still manages more than 70% of Windows devices, and there is no proven competition. All these changes of SCCM passed without any destruction for the organization.
In this post, you will see evolution of SCCM from status messages to SCCM Message Processing Engine (MPE). You must have seen the references for this MPE component in the SCCM 1810 RU2 KB4488598.
Status to State Message
SCCM changed its client-server communication channel (well, most of it) from status messages to state messages at the start of SCCM 2012 version. Most of the SCCM admins have seen the following diagram on Steve Ritchie’s blog post..
SCCM Fast Channel Communication
State messages were not real-time communication between the SCCM client and Server. SCCM Product group introduced SCCM Fast Channel Notification (BGB – Push notification).
The SCCM Fast Channel Notification is used for many features in SCCM current branch versions. I don’t think it’s used for all SCCM client server communications.
I think, in the near future fast channel notification (BGB) will become the primary communication channel for SCCM client Server features.
SCCM Message Processing Engine – Fast Channel Push Notification
SCCM Message Processing Engine
Umair’s tweet made me drill down some of the details about SCCM Message Processing Engine (MPE). As per the tweet, SCCM MPE component got introduced SCCM 1802.
The SCCM MPE component is another game changer in fast and real-time communications between site servers like CAS and child primary servers.
What is Message Processing Engine Thread in SCCM?
SCCM Message Processing Engine component is a high-speed message subscription channel as per the tweet. More details below as per my quick analysis.
Inbox Folder – MPE.BOX
The MPE.BOX is the inbox folder used for message processing engine component.
You can refer to the log called SMS_Message_Processing_Engine.log to get more analysis about MPE component.
SMS Message Processing Engine Component
SMS Message Processing Engine Component is part of SMS Executive Service, and you would be able to see this thread in all your SCCM site servers.
SMS Message Processing Engine component makes SCCM site site communication much faster.
SMS Message Processing Engine Component – Faster SCCM
The following is one of the configuration manager component messages that you can get from the SMS Message Processing Engine component.
SMS_MESSAGE_PROCESSING_ENGINE Message ID 4629 Component Status Summarizer detected that the availability of component "SMS_MESSAGE_PROCESSING_ENGINE" on computer "SCCM_PROD.INTUNE.COM" has changed to Online.
More significant Role of Message Processing Engine
It seems all the SCCM cloud-related notification is based on SCCM Message Processing Engine.
I can see many references to all the following SCCM features in the MPE log file called SMS_Message_Processing_Engine.log.
- Run Script
- CMPivot from CAS
- Cloud DP,
- SCCM CMG
- Windows Store for Business
- Cloud Connection
- M365 Service Connection Worker?
- Telemetry Worker
Check out the following SMS_Message_Processing_Engine.log file entries to get more details.
SMS_EXECUTIVE started SMS_MESSAGE_PROCESSING_ENGINE as thread ID 4484 (0x1184).
WARNING: Successfully stopped worker Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.MessageProcessingEngine.MessageProcessingEngine
WARNING: Successfully stopped worker Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ApplicationManagement.Wsfb.BusinessAppProcessWorker
WARNING: Successfully stopped worker Microsoft.ConfigurationManager.ServiceConnector.M365AWorker
Current CMG deployment package hash is vp1mr8oh6laicm50YLPqe7MLtiLX2Z1cT9dzHA79r7k=
CreateUpgradeTaskForPackageChange: Triggered to create upgrade task for service type CloudProxyService with current package hash vp1mr8oh6laicm50YLPqe7MLtiLX2Z1cT9dzHA79r7k=.
Current CDP deployment package hash is PlQzjFBQ/3zEOlLLvjrkJ+Kn+Z5BMMCbw0p2E4X6rRU=
WARNING: Unable to open registry key 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\COMPONENTS\SMS_SERVICE_CONNECTOR\M365AConfig'.
Installed DBMON triggers
Prediction – Future of SCCM
SCCM will be super fast than all the other cloud technologies. It seems to me that soon SCCM will move away from Inbox based communication system. I’m excited about the new revolutions of SCCM.
Resources
- Video Guide to Troubleshoot SCCM CB Fast Channel Push Notification Issues
- SCCM CMPivot Fast Channel Making SCCM Faster
- SCCM Run Script Deployment Step by Step Guide