Installing SMS Remote Tools on Clients

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The Remote Tools Client Agent components are not fully installed on clients until after you enable Remote Tools on the SMS site server. You must also enable and initiate client discovery and installation methods on the site server. For more information about client discovery and installation methods, see Chapter 4, "Understanding SMS Clients," in the MicrosoftSystems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide.

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Remote Tools Installation on Legacy Clients
Remote Tools Installation on Advanced Clients

Remote Tools Installation on Legacy Clients

After you enable Remote Tools on the site server, when Legacy Clients are installed on the site, the Remote Tools Client Agent components are automatically installed on each client. This occurs when the Client Component Installation Manager (CCIM) checks its client access point (CAP), discovers that Remote Tools has been enabled, and installs the necessary components.

The CCIM is an SMS client component that ensures that each Legacy Client is properly installed and assigned to the correct site. The CCIM also keeps the client data and the SMS site server data synchronized by creating discovery data records, and it determines which optional components should be installed. This component runs as a thread of the SMS Client service.

After the Remote Tools Client Agent components are installed on a Legacy Client, you have full Remote Tools functionality, with the following exceptions:

  • Clients running Windows NT 4.0 require a restart to load low-level drivers, as described in the "Installation on Clients Running Windows NT 4.0" section later in this chapter.

  • Clients running Windows 98 require a restart to enable full-screen MS-DOS® sessions and some keyboard features, as described in the "Installation on Clients Running Windows 98" section later in this chapter.

Remote Tools Installation on Advanced Clients

After you enable Remote Tools on the site server, when Advanced Clients are installed on the site, the Remote Tools Client Agent components are automatically installed on each client. However, you can prevent the installation of the Remote Tools component by selecting the Do not install Remote Control components for Advanced Clients running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or later check box. The installation of the Remote Tools component occurs when the Client Configuration Manager (CCM) Policy Agent checks its management point and discovers that Remote Tools has been enabled and the Remote Tools Client Agent installs the necessary components.

When installing an Advanced Client, you have the option of installing the Remote Tools components at the same time, instead of waiting for the site server to pass Remote Tools policy down to the client. You can do this by using the following command-line setup option.

Msiexec /i Client.msi SMSFULLREMOTETOOLS=1

This sets up the Remote Tools Client Agent components on the client with default Remote Tools configuration settings.

Note

  • Before using this option, ensure that Remote Tools is enabled for the site. Otherwise, the Remote Tools Client Agent components are disabled when the client contacts the management point.

For more information about installing clients, see Chapter 4, "Understanding SMS Clients," in the MicrosoftSystems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide.

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