Step 7 Establish Test Lab Environment

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Set up a test lab on an isolated network in your organization. Do not set up your test lab in your production environment, and do not install SMS on any of your production servers before installing it and working with it in your test lab. Installing SMS in a production environment without first testing it on an isolated network can cause undesirable and potentially damaging results. Later, during the deployment planning stage, you will design a pilot project for further testing. The pilot project is described in Chapter 10, "Planning Your SMS Deployment and Configuration."

Use the test lab to perform tests throughout the steps of the planning phase:

  • Designing the SMS hierarchy

  • Planning the deployment and site configuration

  • Planning your security strategy

  • Planning for backup and recovery

Also, use the lab to perform tests throughout the steps of the deployment phase:

  • Deploying the hierarchy

  • Deploying SMS clients

Maintain your lab for post-deployment testing.

Developing the Test Lab

Your test lab computers must use at least the minimum recommended configuration required for their SMS roles. The computers must contain configurations that are representative of those in your organization.

Minimum recommended configuration Lab computers must meet the minimum recommended configuration for the roles they perform in SMS. For example, ensure that your SMS site servers and site systems have the minimum system requirements specified in the "Getting Started" chapter of this book.

Standard configurations If your organization has Legacy Client and server configurations, use those configurations in the lab. To the extent that it is possible, use the same hardware, software, network connectivity, and logon scripts that are used in your production environment. For example, if your production environment includes computers with nearly full disks, obsolete and possibly unused software, and an assortment of network adapter cards, ensure that your lab computers have the same characteristics.

Duplicating network conditions If production networks are connected by routers or slow links, be sure to duplicate those conditions in the lab. This approach ensures that design concerns can be identified and resolved in the lab rather than during deployment.

Creating a Representative Test Environment

For the test results to be useful, ensure that the lab environment reflects your production environment as closely as possible. Use the network diagram you create at the beginning of the pre-planning phase to help you create a representative test environment. Add at least one client for each client platform that you plan to support.

Include a representative of each type of site system role, server, and client that will exist in your full SMS hierarchy. Also, the network link connecting these objects should mirror the network speed and availability in production.

Your hierarchy should contain a central site and a representative number of child primary sites and secondary sites. Include desktop and mobile clients (laptops) that are based on the standard configurations of your organization. Your test data might be distorted if you create a test environment that contains computers that have only fast processors and a lot of memory, instead of less powerful, smaller computers in the hierarchy. You can gain valuable information by analyzing how your planned SMS hierarchy functions in your network as it exists today, including outdated computers and obsolete applications.

The closer your test installation resembles your actual network design and hardware, the more valuable your results are as you plan the deployment of SMS throughout your organization. In your test lab, install all applications in use in the production environment so that they are available for application compatibility testing.

During testing and the pilot project, test and refine your project plan documentation regarding support and deployment. As you plan your SMS hierarchy design, you might need to add more servers or clients to your test environment, depending on your needs as the planning progresses.

Maintaining the Test Lab

After deploying SMS 2003, keep your test lab intact. Use it for future testing of SMS service pack and feature pack installations, proposed site changes, software distribution scenarios, and other SMS activities. For example, it is important that you test each software package in your test lab before distributing it in your production environment. Continually update your test lab environment as your production environment changes. By maintaining this test lab throughout the life of SMS, you will always have an isolated SMS hierarchy for testing purposes.

Because the test lab represents your production environment, it is ideal for performing periodic recovery tests. This helps you identify shortcomings in your backup and recovery plan. For more information about preparing your test lab for recovery tests, see Chapter 13, "Planning for Backup and Recovery."

For More Information

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