As you will see, you need quite a few databases. Depending on the load and other factors, you can choose to install the databases locally on each box hosting a MIM feature, or choose to have them all on a central Microsoft SQL server. Alternatively, you can even mix the two approaches.

If you find that your initial approach was not optimal, don't be alarmed. Moving the databases is fully supported. In this book, we will use so-called SQL aliases when referencing the databases. One reason for this is that it makes moving the databases simpler.

System Center Service Manager Data Warehouse, required by the MIM Reporting feature, usually uses a separate SQL server or instance.

As with the databases, the MIM features can also be colocated or separated. The only issue here is that MIM Certificate Management should not be colocated with other parts of MIM. The main reason for this is that the MIM CM setup and configuration tool thinks it owns its local web server (IIS). If you have other MIM features using IIS in the same box, you will get a conflict.

Also, System Center Service Manager used for Reporting requires separate servers. Read more about this at http://aka.ms/SCSM2010Deployment.

If we were to give you all the possible scenarios for the ways you could separate the MIM features in order to get fault tolerance, performance, and so on, we would have to add some 50 pages just to cover this topic. We suggest you take a good look at the Microsoft TechNet site (http://bit.ly/MIMplanning) to find out how your company should separate or colocate different parts.

In this book, The Financial Company will use a design that can easily be expanded if the need arises. If you find that your company requires much better performance or that you need to only use a part of the product or colocate more services, this book will still be valid when it comes to the requirements and setup procedures.