UnderStanding Systems Management Server (SMS)

Friday, April 16, 2010

Systems Management Server (SMS) Overview

SMS 2.0 is a Microsoft BackOffice systems management tool that can both operate in and manage an assortment of network environments. Systems Management Server (SMS) enables network environments and network resources to be centrally controlled. The core control point or center of Systems Management Server is the SMS Administrator console. This is a snap-in to the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The industry standard for Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) is the core of SMS data collection and presentation.

The main functions of SMS are listed here:

Resource discovery
Hardware and software inventory
Software distribution
Software metering
Network Analysis
Remote support through the Remote Tools feature

The SMS Administrator console is used to access and initiate these SMS 2.0 functions. A process known as resource discovery must be performed first to find computers, network hardware, and groups and users.

The main SMS components are listed here:

SMS site: A SMS site specifies the computers, other networking hardware, users and groups, and all resources which will be managed through SMS. The SMS environment is made up of one or multiple SMS sites. You define a SMS site based on IP subnet address.

An SMS site consists of the following SMS components

SMS site server
SMS site systems
SMS clients and resources

The structure that links multiple sites together is called a hierarchy. The hierarchy is created by linking sites together so that parent-child relationships can be formed:

Parent site: This is a SMS site that contains one or multiple additional site beneath it.
Child site: This is a SMS site that has a parent site residing over it in the hierarchy.

There are also two different types of sites that assist in organizing the administration of the SMS environment:

Primary site
Secondary site

SMS site server: This is the Windows server on which SMS 2.0 is installed and running. The SMS site server is the main access point between the SMS database and administrators. The SMS server manages the SMS site and component attributes. The SMS site server must be installed on a domain controller or on a member server. It cannot be installed on a stand-alone server.

SMS site system: This is a Windows server that carries out one of multiple SMS roles for the SMS site. When installing SMS, the default configuration is that all SMS roles are installed on an SMS site server.

The SMS roles are:

Logon points: This is a SMS site system that is the initial connection point between a SMS site and client computer. Functions performed by logon point includes:
- Collection of discovery information on the client.
- Determines the site assignment of the client.
- Pass the client a list of client access points (CAPs).
Client access points (CAPs): This is a SMS site system that operates as the exchange point between SMS clients and the SMS site server. At the CAP; inventory, and status information and discovery information is gathered. Advertisement information can be retrieved from the CAP.
Distribution points: This is a SMS site system that installs the following components which deal with running a package at a SMS client computer:
- Package files
- Programs
- Scripts
Software metering servers: This is a SMS site system which enables administrators to perform a number of management activities:
- Grant/deny licenses for applications running on an SMS client.
- Monitor and track application usage on SMS clients.
- Restrict application usage on SMS clients.
SMS client: This is a computer running a Microsoft operating system listed below. A SMS client is installed through the SMS client component software, an is assigned to a SMS site.
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003
- Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT 3.51, Service Pack 5 or above.
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 95