SCCM Current Branch client upgrade

Since SCCM current branch, the deployment of upgrade SCCM client package to the client devices has taken a new approach. Unlike before, we can create a test package and deploy it to the test device as part of the in-console upgrade. Upon successful completion of site upgrade, the pre-production client package will be deployed to the nominated test collection.

We have an other option to configure pre-production client deployment settings from  site hierarchy settings;

Open SCCM console then go to \Administration\Overview\Site Configuration\Sites then click on Hierarchy Settings from the top ribbon

On hierarchy properties window go to Client Upgrade tab, Select Upgrade all clients in the pre-production collection automatically using pre-production client option, then browse to the nominated pre-prod device collection then click Ok.
Make sure Upgrade all clients in the pre-production collection automatically using pre-production box is ticked, otherwise the clients wont get updated automatically.

The other way of configuring the pre-production client deployment is during the installation of the update.
During the update wizard on the client update settings, select option to validate in pre-production collection then enter the pre-production collection name. Once the installation of update is successful then the clients in pre-production collection will be updated to the latest client version.

How to promote the new client to production:
Open SCCM console then go to \Administration\Overview\Updates and Servicing node
Select installed update then click on Promote Pre-production client tab from the top ribbon

On Promote pre-production client window;
Review the Production client version and pre-production client version and Pre-production collection. If everything is good then click on promote.

Click yes when prompted for confirmation;

 Once the client is promoted to production;
- Promote Pre-production Client will be greyed out under \Administration\Overview\Updates and Servicing

- Pre-production client upgrade will be unchecked
 - The production client version will be changed to the latest version
Now, on the hierarchy settings property window, on the Client Upgrade tab select Upgrade all clients in the hierarchy using production client, if  required select Do not upgrade Servers. Also enter required days in Automatically upgrade clients within days field. This is an important settings. If you have many clients using WAN links, then it may flood the WAN links.
When prompted to enable automatic upgrade of all clients in the hierarchy click OK

For my lab i have selected to;
- Upgrade all clients in the hierarchy using production client
- Selected to Do not upgrade servers
- Automatically upgrade clients within days 1

Monitoring Client deployment:
Pre-production and production client deployments can be monitored from  \Monitoring\Overview\Client Status node in SCCM console.
To monitor Pre-production client deployment use \Monitoring\Overview\Client Status\Pre-production Client Deployment node
To Monitor Production client deployment use \Monitoring\Overview\Client Status\Production Client Deployment node.

Note: Once the client is promoted to production, the pre-production client status node will not show any devices.