ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM | VPN

Let’s learn more about ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers. Microsoft introduced a new set of ConfigMgr Management Insights called Optimize for Remote Workers. The new set of management insights is only available with the SCCM production version 2006.

SCCM Patch Software Update Deployment Process Guide ->Starting in version SCCM 1806, deploy software updates to devices without first downloading and distributing content to distribution points. This setting is beneficial when dealing with extremely large updated content.

Management Insights

ConfigMgr Management Insights helps to gain valuable insights into the current state of the ConfigMgr environment. The Management insights are based on analysis of data in the site database (SQL). 

  • \Administration\Overview\Management Insights\All Insights
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Click on Optimize for remote workers option

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  • \Administration\Overview\Management Insights\All Insights\Optimize for remote workers
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Define VPN Boundary Groups

The management insights rule checks and confirm whether you have created any VPN boundary or not. In my scenario (as you can see in the above screenshot), I already created a VPN boundary group and hence have a green tick mark with the Define VPN boundary rule.

More details about the VPN boundary creation are explained in the following post – ConfigMgr VPN Boundary Setup Process Explained | SCCM.

ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Configure VPN connected clients to prefer cloud-based content sources

The management insights rule checks and confirm whether you have optimized the remote worker solution or not. When you have a remote branch office with a faster internet link, the following option “Prefer cloud-based sources over on-premise sources” is for you.

This should help you to prioritize cloud content. This also helps to reduce the VPN bandwidth issues. You can run the following management insights rule to confirm whether the boundary group configurations are optimized for VPN/remote work scenarios.

Adaptiva
  • Configure VPN connected clients to prefer cloud-based content sources
  • Click on the Review Actions button
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Enable the following option from Boundary Groups.

  • Prefer cloud-based sources over on-premise sources
  • Click OK
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Progress status is changed to Completed for the ConfigMgr Management Insights rule.

ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Disable peer to peer content sharing for VPN connected clients

The SCCM management insights rule “Disable peer-to-peer content sharing for VPN connected clients” checks and confirm whether you have optimized the remote worker solution or not.

The following configuration helps to prevent unnecessary peer-to-peer traffic via VPN channels that don’t benefit the remote clients to have faster downloads. So it’s wise to disable peer-to-peer content transfer in remote worker/VPN scenarios.

  • Check the option – Disable peer to peer content sharing for VPN connected clients
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM | VPN 1

Remove Allow peer downloads in this boundary group option from

ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM | VPN 2

Progress status is changed to Completed for the ConfigMgr Management Insights rule.

ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM
ConfigMgr Optimization Options for Remote Workers | SCCM

Resources

Author

Anoop is Microsoft MVP! He is a Solution Architect in enterprise client management with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is a blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. E writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc…

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