System Management Server

System Management Server (SMS) is a software distribution and management application that is part of the Microsoft BackOffice suite of products. It provides software distribution, software and hardware inventory, software metering, and remote control of users' desktops. SMS is Microsoft's application for enterprise-wide distribution of software, inventory collection, and remote desktop control and monitoring.

Hardware and Software Inventory

SMS uses the WMI and software scanners to upload hardware and software inventory information from client computers to a Microsoft SQL Server database. It is important for an organization to know the hardware and software being employed by its users, but it is also important for the SMS to have an inventory of hardware and software because other SMS components, such as software distribution, depend on the inventory for their functionality.

Software Distribution and Installation

SMS can also be used to deploy software to computers, users, and user groups. With the latest version of SMS, software distribution is rule-based. Software distribution is also integrated with software inventory to collect information about the computers, or users, to which the software is to be distributed. Based on the rules defined by the administrator, software distribution then distributes the software package to a collection of users or computers acquired from the inventory.

Software Metering

Software metering is the tracking of software use by users and computers. It can also track software use with regard to time used and license quota. Software metering can also control the use of many applications based on rules.

Diagnostics and Troubleshooting

SMS also comes with several useful tools for diagnostics and troubleshooting. NetMon, mentioned several times in this book, is a very useful network sniffer that is capable of capturing network packets traveling between two hosts on the network. Remote control, another SMS tool, enables a Helpdesk or a support person to take over a user's desktop. The support person can then diagnose and perhaps repair the problem for the user. This reduces maintenance costs because there is no visit by the Helpdesk to the user's location.

Complementing Windows 2000

SMS 2.0 and greater can be integrated into a Windows 2000 desktop management strategy. SMS complements the built-in management components of Windows 2000 by providing a software distribution infrastructure.

In Windows 2000 Server environments, SMS complements Active Directory, extending the standard change and configuration management features provided by IntelliMirror. SMS delivers an enterprise-wide change and configuration management solution for Windows environments.