Deployment with Systems Management Server

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Assessing Network Resources
Preparing for Distribution
Creating Systems Management Server Packages

Microsoft® Systems Management Server is a network administration tool that helps you deploy and maintain Microsoft Project 2002 and Multilanguage User Interface (MUI) Packs on client computers. Systems Management Server is particularly useful in large or complex organizations where administrators need precise control over the deployment process. For example, by using Systems Management Server, you can query client computers for software requirements before you install Microsoft Project, and you can target the installation only to computers that meet your criteria.

Administrators can use Systems Management Server to:

  • Deploy to a large number of clients across multiple sites.
  • Push or force installation of Microsoft Project on client computers.
  • Deploy Microsoft Project to a mixture of Microsoft Windows® clients.
  • Maintain greater control over the timing of installation.
  • Access advanced reporting and troubleshooting tools.

This article presents a high-level overview of using Systems Management Server to deploy Microsoft Project 2002. The package definition files (PDFs) for deploying Microsoft Project with Systems Management Server are available in the Microsoft Project 2002 Resource Kit Toolbox.

Assessing Network Resources

Before you deploy Microsoft Project 2002 in your organization, use the software inventory, hardware inventory, and query features of Systems Management Server to determine which client computers in your organization can receive an upgrade, and which client computers need a hardware upgrade before you install Microsoft Project 2002. You may also need to determine which servers in your network will host Microsoft Office Server Extensions (OSE) if your company needs to copy project files to Web folders. Finally, you may need to determine which servers will host Microsoft Project Server.

You can also use the Systems Management Server Network Monitor tool to assess your network environment to determine the impact that deployment will have on your current network resources. 

The network can be used in two ways to deploy Microsoft Project 2002. You can install Microsoft Project on client computers from a network server, or you can run Microsoft Project over the network from a server. You may need different configurations for the different levels of network connectivity within your organization.

Wide area network (WAN) connections For client computers connected over a slow-link network, installing or running Microsoft Project remotely over the network might not be practical.

Network operating systems in use Your particular network operating system might affect your plans for deploying Microsoft Project. Some issues to consider include server file sharing methods and client-server permission schemes.

Network bandwidth Installing Microsoft Project over the network or running Microsoft Project over the network places different demands on network bandwidth, both in response time and in length of time connected. You can use Network Monitor, a Systems Management Server utility, to help identify network traffic patterns and network problems.

Collecting a Hardware Inventory

Before running queries, you must first collect a hardware inventory. When you collect a hardware inventory for the computers in your network, Systems Management Server automatically gathers information about each computer, including the following:

  • Processor type and speed
  • Memory capacity
  • BIOS
  • Hard disk space

This information helps determine whether a user's computer can run Microsoft Project. Queries, collections, and reports that are shipped with Systems Management Server can help you categorize your systems. You can also use reports generated from this information to plan for future upgrades.

Collecting a Software Inventory

Before you upgrade to Microsoft Project 2002, you need an accurate software inventory for existing servers and client computers. Then, you can use a query to determine what operating system and application software programs are running when you plan your Microsoft Project 2002 deployment.

You can use Systems Management Server software inventory capabilities to collect information about the software running on client computers, including installed user configurations and operating environments, and installed versions of Microsoft Project. This information helps you determine which computers are ready for the Microsoft Project 2002 upgrade.

Targeting Client Computers for Upgrade

Running queries on hardware and software inventory data produces a list of target computers that can be upgraded to Microsoft Project 2002. Depending on the number of computers in this inventory, you can divide the computers into groups and stagger the distribution of Microsoft Project 2002. These subsets are known as machine groups in Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2, and collections in Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0.

See Also

For more information about creating queries in Systems Management Server 1.2, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 Resource Guide in the Microsoft BackOffice Resource Kit, Second Edition.

Preparing for Distribution

Systems Management Server uses distribution points to store the files needed to distribute programs to client computers. Distribution points are servers on your site to which client computers connect to download applications or files. The software distribution process places the files required for Microsoft Project Setup on previously defined distribution points.

The following steps are required for preparing a Microsoft Project 2002 deployment with Systems Management Server:

  • Select distribution points for the installation.
  • Create an administrative installation point and copy it to the package source directory on your site server.
  • Use the Custom Installation Wizard to add the file PJ10spec.ini.
  • Copy the PDFs that are included in the packages into the root directory of the administrative installation point.

See Also

For more information about creating software distributions in Systems Management Server 2.0, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Administrator's Guide, which comes with Systems Management Server 2.0.

For more information on creating an administrative installation point, see the Setup Program resource kit article.

For more information on using Windows Installer transforms (MST files) to apply changes to the standard Microsoft Project 2002 installation, see the Customizing Setup resource kit article.

Creating Systems Management Server Packages

To begin Microsoft Project 2002 deployment with Systems Management Server, you need to create a Systems Management Server package. Systems Management Server packages define the files required to install the software, and the configuration and identification information for the package itself. When you create a package, you must specify a Setup command line.

In Systems Management Server versions 1.2 and 2.0, you use package definition files (PDFs) to deploy Microsoft Project. A PDF is an ASCII text file that contains predefined Workstations, Sharing, and Inventory property settings for a package. When you import a PDF, the properties of the package are automatically entered for you.

You can import the PDFs into the Distribute Software Wizard to complete the entire distribution in a single step. (The Distribute Software Wizard is available only in Systems Management Server 2.0.) Alternatively, you can import the PDFs into the Create Package from Definition Wizard to create just the software package.

When the wizard is finished, Systems Management Server displays the new package in the Systems Management Server Administrator. By default, the User and Guest accounts are granted change permissions to the package share on distribution points. You can modify the packages and programs by using the Systems Management Server Administrator.

Distributing Systems Management Server Packages

When you distribute a Systems Management Server package, you must specify which computers receive the package, where the source files for the installation are located, and when the installation occurs.

In Systems Management Server 2.0, the distribution of packages to clients is a two-step process. First, you create the package and send it to the distribution points, then you create an advertisement.

Systems Management Server 2.0 uses distribution points to store the files needed to distribute programs to clients. To run advertised programs, clients must have access to at least one distribution point. To send packages to distribution points, you use the Manage Distribution Points Wizard.

Like a job in Systems Management Server 1.2, a Systems Management Server 2.0 advertisement specifies the program to run on the client, the target collection that receives the package, and the schedule of when the program is available to clients.

See Also

For more information about deploying software with Systems Management Server 1.2, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 Resource Guide in the Microsoft BackOffice Resource Kit, Second Edition.

For more information about deploying software with Systems Management Server 2.0, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Administrator's Guide, which comes with Systems Management Server 2.0. Information is also available in the Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Resource Guide in the Microsoft BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit.

For information about new developments and tools for Systems Management Server, see the Microsoft Systems Management Server Web site.