[sccm 2012] SCCM2012 R2 - worth the upgrade?

[sonofsanta]

My SCCM2012 install is on SP1 CU3 - version 5.00.7804.1400 - which is a few versions back now. Will I get any benefit from moving to R2 and dealing with all the faff of updating clients? We don't image with SCCM2012 (we use FOG for that) so it's only used for software deployment, updates & SCEP. If there's no improvements in stability, no new features etc. I'll not bother, but I can't find much on what was added so thought I'd ask.

 

On a related note, can anyone remember the procedure for pushing out client updates, as I've only done it the once before and that was ages ago. I can only remember it being a slightly odd method unlike anything else.

[sparkeh]

Here is the complete list of changes in R2: What’s New in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

[Sagima]

Probably not. I did the upgrade last year but I can't think of anything I've gained that I couldn't live without. The clients automatically update but that might have been in the 2012 revision as well

[sonofsanta]

Eh, doesn't look like much in that list - previewing update ADRs would be useful, but my ADR only deploys to a small number of test machines anyway, so I have plenty of time to review & tweak anything I don't like.

 

I don't think the client update was automatic - there's a deployment for SP1 CU3 x64/x86 in my monitoring pane, and I seem to remember having to jump through a couple of hoops to get that going - so judging by the list and recollections of hassle, don't reckon I'll worry myself too much about it. SCCM has become too important to risk bricking!

[Sagima]

It's in Administration > Sites > Hierarchy Settings > Automatic Client Upgrade if you wanted to look.

I had a look through the new features of 2012R2 now and I don;t think I deliberately use any of them