Client Configuration Questions

The flowchart in Figure 1.7 lists the questions that determine what type of SMS clients you are installing in your SMS site, and the issues to consider for each type of client.

Figure 1.7 Site configuration questions - choosing a client

If the SMS site manages client computers, you need to determine whether the SMS site manages Advanced Clients, Legacy Clients, or both. Each client type has its own considerations. For example, Advanced Clients use the management point to obtain Advanced Client policy and configuration information, and to send client data to the SMS site database. Legacy Clients use the CAP to obtain configuration information and send client data to the SMS site database.

Because the Legacy Client is based on the earlier technology of the SMS 2.0 client, it relies heavily on domain accounts to carry out key tasks on the SMS client computer such as installing software in an administrative context when the logged-on user account does not have the appropriate security credentials. The Advanced Client, though, is engineered to use the local system security context and the computer account to carry out these same key tasks, making the Advanced Client a much more secure. It is strongly recommended that you install the Advanced Client as the preferred client on all your SMS client computers running the Windows 2000 or later operating system.

Warning

• Microsoft currently plans to discontinue support for the SMS Legacy Client on computers running the Windows 2000 or later operating system platforms with the release of SMS 2003 SP1.

Although Advanced Clients are only assigned to primary sites, you can install management points on both primary and secondary sites. A management point on a secondary site is known as a proxy management point. It is used for roaming Advanced Clients if roaming boundaries are enabled for the primary site. When you install an SMS 2003 secondary site, and that secondary site does not have a proxy management point installed, the secondary site's boundaries are added to the roaming boundaries of the primary site. An SMS 2.0 secondary site's boundaries are also added to the roaming boundaries of the parent site. However, if an SMS 2003 secondary site has a proxy management point installed, that secondary site's boundaries are not added to the roaming boundaries of the primary site.

Advanced Clients located at a secondary site and reporting to a management point at a parent primary site across a WAN link might have an effect on the available bandwidth of the WAN link between the secondary site and its parent primary site. Significant network traffic can be produced when client status and hardware or software inventory data is sent to the parent primary site. Because an Advanced Client can be assigned only to a primary site, network traffic generated by Advanced Client policy requests also reduces the available bandwidth between the two sites. Proxy management points increase bandwidth efficiency by servicing roaming clients that are within the secondary site's roaming boundaries. You need to determine whether your Advanced Clients can benefit from a proxy management point in an SMS secondary site.

Resources 13

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about the Advanced and Legacy Client types:

Resources 14

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about CAPs, management points, proxy management points, and their role in the SMS hierarchy:

For considerations related to capacity planning for CAPs and management points:

Resources 15

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about managing roaming clients:

You need to select an installation technique for installing the SMS client software on computers that the SMS site manages. SMS client installation techniques include:

• Using the Client Push Installation method in the SMS 2003 Administrator console.

• Initiating a program file at the client to install the client software, as follows:

  • Logon Script-initiated Client Installation.

  • Manually running a program file.

  • Using Windows Group Policy.

  • Using SMS software distribution or some other software distribution mechanism to advertise and run a program file.

• Installing the Advanced Client on a computer master image, and imaging that computer to other computers.

Resources 16

Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide

For detailed information about each client installation technique:

For detailed information about SMS accounts required for client installation:

For a primary site and a secondary site, you need to decide which security mode to run: advanced security or standard security. For more information, see the "Site Configuration Questions" section earlier in this chapter.

For More Information

Did you find this information useful? Please send your suggestions and comments about the documentation to smsdocs@microsoft.com.