How to Configure Self-Service Software Provisioning

  • Article

Applies To: System Center Service Manager 2010 SP1

Software provisioning provides clients the ability to request that software packages be deployed to their computer. Clients make the request for software through the Self-Service Portal, the request is approved through the change request process in Service Manager, and the software is delivered to the client from System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Software provisioning requires that you perform the following tasks:

  1. Deploy the Self-Service Portal. See How to Deploy the Self-Service Portal.

  2. Deploy System Center Configuration Manager 2007. See System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144925).

  3. Install the Configuration Manager Connector. See Importing Data from Configuration Manager 2007 in the System Center Service Manager Administraotr’s Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=178233).

  4. Create change request templates in Service Manager specifying those who will approve the deployment of specific software packages. See Create new change request templates in the System Center Service Manager Administrator’s Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=178233).

  5. Grant the Service Manager Workflow account permissions on Configuration Manager as described in following procedures.

  6. Grant the Service Manager Services account permissions on the Configuration Manager as described in following procedures.

  7. Enter Configuration Manager settings in the Self-Service Portal as described in the following procedures.

  8. Deploy the PortalClient.msi file to your client computers as described in the following procedures.

  9. Create a software deployment process and associate template as described in the following procedures.

You must have already deployed the Self-Service Portal, deployed System Center Configuration Manager 2007, and installed the Configuration Manager connector in Service Manager. For software provisioning to be successful, you have to install an ActiveX control on any client computer that may request software. This ActiveX control has been included with your Service Manager installation media as Windows Installer package in the file PortalClient.msi.

Use the following procedures to complete the configuration of software provisioning.

To grant permissions on Configuration Manager

  1. Log on to the computer that hosts Configuration Manager 2007.

  2. Add both the Service Manager services and Service Manager workflow account to the SMS Admins group on Configuration Manager.

  3. Grant Remote Activation DCOM permissions to the SMS Admins group. See the topic How to Configure DCOM Permissions for Configuration Manager Console Connections (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=186833).

  4. Grant the Service Manager Workflow account permissions to create collections, packages, and advertisements. For more information, see System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144925).

To grant permissions for the Service Manager workflow account

  1. Grant the Service Manager workflow account permissions to the following classes:

    Class Permissions

    Site
    • Read

    Configuration Items
    • Read

    • Modify

    • Administer

    • Create

    • Network Access

    Collections
    • Read

    • Modify

    • Delete

    • Advertise

    • Modify Resource

    • Administer

    • Delete Resource

    • Create

    • Read Resource

    • Modify Collection Setting

    • View Management Controllers

    Advertisements
    • Read

    • Modify

    • Delete

    • Administer

    • Create

    • Manage Folders

    Packages
    • Read

    • Modify

    • Administer

To grant permissions for the Service Manager services account

  1. Grant the Service Manager services account permissions to the following classes:

    Class Permissions

    Site
    • Read

    Configuration Items
    • Read

    • Modify

    • Administer

    • Create

    • Network Access

    Collections
    • Read

    Advertisements
    • Read

    • Administer

    • Manage Folders

    Packages
    • Read

To enter Configuration Manager settings in the Self-Service Portal

  1. In the Service Manager console, select Administration.

  2. In the Administration pane, expand Administration, expand Portal, and then click Settings.

  3. In the Settings pane, double-click Configuration Manager Software Deployment Configuration.

  4. In the Configuration Manager configuration dialog box, in the Site server name box, type the computer name of the computer that hosts your Configuration Manager 2007 server.

  5. In the Site code box, type the central site code for your Configuration Manager 2007 server. If necessary, contact your Configuration Manager administrator.

  6. Click OK.

To deploy the PortalClient.msi file to client computers

  1. On your Service Manager installation media, locate the file PortalClient.msi in the \Setup folder.

  2. Using a distribution method appropriate for your environment, for example, by using Configuration Manager 2007 or the Group Policy Management Console, deploy PortalClient.msi to any client computers that use software provisioning.

To create a software deployment process

  1. In the Service Manager console, select Administration.

  2. In the Administration pane, expand Administration, expand Portal, and then click Software Deployment Processes.

  3. In the Tasks pane, click Create.

  4. In the Create software deployment process dialog box, follow these steps:

    1. In the General area, in the Name box, type a name for the deployment package. The name that you enter here becomes the category name. For example, you might type Operating Systems, Applications, or Tools.

    2. In the Process area, select one or more of the software packages that were retrieved from Configuration Manager 2007.

    3. In the Templates list, select the change request template that specifies who will approve deployment of the software package, and then click OK.

To publish software packages

  1. In the Service Manager console, click Administration

  2. In the Administration pane, expand Administration, expand Portal, and then click Software Packages.

  3. In the Software Packages pane, select the package you want to publish.

  4. In the Tasks pane, under the name of the package you selected, click Configure.

  5. In the Package Properties dialog box, click the name of the program you want to publish, and then click Publish this package to the self-service portal, and then click OK.

  6. On the Package Properties form, click OK.

To verify software provisioning

  1. On the computer that hosts the Self-Service Portal, start Windows Internet Explorer.

  2. In the address line, type https://localhost/enduser.

  3. Click Request Software

  4. The packages that you published will be displayed. Select one of the packages, the software in that package will display, and then click Next.

  5. In the Justification text box, type a justification for the software, and then click Next.

  6. Click Submit. This will create a change request.

  7. On the Service Manager console, click Work Items.

  8. In the Work Items pane, expand Work Items, expand Change Management, and then click All Change Requests.

  9. Process this change request per your template settings

  10. To validate that the software request is successful, click Administration.

  11. In the Administration pane, expand Workflows, and then click Status.

  12. In the Status pane, click Software Deployment Workflow.

  13. In the Software deployment workflow detail pane, click the All Instances tab.

  14. A status of Succeeded displays.

Did you find this information helpful? Please send your suggestions and comments about System Center Service Manager documentation to scsmdocs@microsoft.com.