Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 Installation

I did an SMS 2003 evaluation set up in a test environment on a SOHO LAN. Microsoft SMS is a decisive application for a network or domain administration team. It allows for management of any workstation on a domain. It allows for managing software and patch rollouts to all workstations at once.

I downloaded the SMS2003SP1EVAL_ENU.exe, then I extracted it.

Before installing SMS 2003, I actually read through the README file. Sometimes sitting down to read such mundane files may appear to be the work of a laid back, casual person, but the README files are very important. The lazy folks tend to be the people who do NOT read the README (s). I think they pay for that mistake in the end sometimes. Anyway, the following is a simple summary of the README that comes with SMS 2003.

I read that SMS 2003 Site Server System requires: Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter, all with latest service packs.Also the following Windows servers qualify: Windows 2000 Server, Advanced Server, or Datacenter Server (latest service packs on all).

For Systems Management Server (SMS), the following are required: SQL Server 7 (SP3 or above) or SQL Server 2000 (SP3a or above); and IIS 5.0 and above for various site system roles only.

The CPU and RAM hardware requirements per usual should be at least doubled. 256 MB of RAM for SMS? I don’t think so. Even in a small networked environment, who wants to wait around for connectivity and performance issues during an emergency?

As for the SMS client requirements, Windows NT Servers are supported, but not NT Workstation. Windows ME is not meant for a domain environment, so do not try that one. Windows 98 is supported, as well as XP Professional and Embedded. Every type of Windows Server 2003 is supported. This includes the Web Edition, which is not qualified as a Site Server install base. All latest service packs should be installed on these qualifying clients. NT 4.0 SP6 and Windows 98 are “legacy”. On the other hand, Windows 2000 SP2+, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 work with the SMS 2003 “Advanced Client”.

Hardware requirements for the clients are roughly half of the server ones, so that means double them, at least in my opinion. But MS says 128 MB RAM will work.

The README goes on to make a note regarding the huge XP Service Pack 2 release and SMS 2003. Apparently there were some potential issues relating to this SP. A link is provided …

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sms/sms2003/deploy/deployingwinxpsp2_7.mspx

There were also many items relating to Virtual PC 2004 and Virtual Server 2005 contained within the SMS 2003 README. In fact, the ‘Virtual’ section is quite lengthy and that part was only skimmed because they are not in use at all here.

SMS 2003 site server binaries and more are installed in an aptly named SMS folder on an NTFS drive. No FAT drives on any SMS server is the recommended practice. The CAP_<sitecode> refers to the client access point folder location on the SMS 2003 server. The SMS_CCM folder is a reference to the management point site system role, if installed.

The SMS Management Point installs a couple of hotfixes and components.

These Windows components are needed for SMS 2003:

BITS 1.5 Server

WinHTTP (for Win 2000)

MSXML 3.0 for Win 2000

The README's SMS 2.0 to SMS 2003 upgrade recommendations: distribute the Advanced Client via software distribution to clients running Windows 2000 SP2 or above. After this is done, the Advanced Client can be assigned to a Site, unless there is a Management Point available elsewhere in the domain. The SMS 2003 client can easily be upgraded to the service pack version, SP1, without any interference to or with the server upgrades.

The README gives an example of a failed BITS set up during the Advanced Client install due to the “Crypto Database” (security related objects) being out of synchronization with the logs. Rename the systemroot\System32\CatRoot2, reboot, and then run it again.

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Windows 2003 Systems Management Server Installation

In the SMS2003SP1EVAL_ENU folder, go to SMSSETUP\BIN\I386, and open the setup.exe.

To wit:

At this point, the server will be examined by the installer:

As this is the first SMS site set up, the default option is logical. If this were another Active Directory related Site, for example, then perhaps the better choice would be a secondary site. Also note that this process thus far appears to be the proper method for SMS 2003 Removal. It is the 5 TH choice down, and is not available until after install:

As I go through the Installation Options, there are a few choices. This is a trial version for me …so I had to choose Express Setup: “Express Setup is only for setting up evaluation sites in a private network”:

After accepting the Product Registration, and entering my Name, Organization, and the Product Key, the SMS Site Information part comes up. A 3 character code is needed here to identify an SMS site uniquely.

With a medium to large Windows enterprise domain, the naming convention chosen for this should be planned out carefully. I call this one a (not very creative) code and name....

At this point, the SMS Active Directory Schema needs to be extended for certain tasks to be performed. I will not be performing tasks such as implementing "automatic site assignment". Also, if needed this can be done afterward, as indicated below. Therefore, in this test scenario, the Active Drectory schema will not be extended:

The next windows presents a choice of whether to accept Advanced versus Standard security. This depends on the domain set up. Most updated and modern networks will choose Advanced:

How many clients ?

Finally, this is followed by SMS Site Database Information:
"Number of SMS Administrator consoles: 5" (the default), which is followed by the SMS Setup - File Installation.

And then, victory!

Note that 3 new SMS related folders have been created right off the server C:\ drive:

CAP_RIG, SMS, SMSDATA.

The first folder (CAP_RIG) contains numerous subfolders with a .BOX extension. The SMS folder contains a binary (bin) folder, a log folder, a Scripts folder, a Client folder (with a client installer amongst a few others), and much more.

Finally, the SMSDATA folder (as seen below) contains the 2 very important SQL database files: SMS_DATA.MDF and SMS_LOG.LDF. These are the data and the transaction log files, respectively. These files already equal 51 Megabytes (the .MDF) and 20 Megabytes. This is simply a result of the default SMS 2003 installation.

The SMSSETUP.Log is stored right off the server C:\ drive. It provides for an interesting summary. This is highly edited, as it is a large log file.

<03-23-2006 17:35:36> ********************************************************
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> ******************* Begin SMS Setup *******************
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> ********************************************************
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> Detected version 0
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> Phase is 0
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> SMS Build Number = 3174
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> SMS Version = 2.5
<03-23-2006 17:35:36> SMS Minimum Build Number = 800
<03-23-2006 17:35:40> The machine has 512 megabytes of RAM

******** BEGIN SUMMARY INFORMATION ********

Product Registration:
Name: TEST
Organization: TEST
Product Key: BBH2G-D2VK9-QD4M9-F63XB-43C33

Site Information:
Site code: RIG
Site name: SMS
Site domain: RIGUY

Extend AD schema: No

Security Mode: Advanced

Number of clients: 100

SMS Site Database Information:
Number of SMS Administrator consoles: 5

******** END SUMMARY INFORMATION ********

<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Starting evaluation process.
<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Checking domain for advanced security, PDC for domain RIGUY is \\FILESERVER
<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Registering connects for SMSTEST, , master
<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Registered the types
<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Running test query.
<03-23-2006 18:01:40> Sql version is 8.0, 8.00.2039.
<03-23-2006 18:01:49> Verified machine account by installing service SMS_ACCOUNT_TEST_SERVICE
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Created action thread, thread id = 2896
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_SQL_MONITOR
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_SQL_MONITOR is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_EXECUTIVE
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_EXECUTIVE is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_SERVER_BOOTSTRAP_SMSTEST
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_SERVER_BOOTSTRAP_SMSTEST is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_HIERARCHY_MANAGER
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_HIERARCHY_MANAGER is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_INVENTORY_AGENT_NT
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_INVENTORY_AGENT_NT is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_CLIENT_CONFIG_MANAGER
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_CLIENT_CONFIG_MANAGER is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS_SITE_CONFIG_MANAGER
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS_SITE_CONFIG_MANAGER is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service SMS Remote Control Agent
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service SMS Remote Control Agent is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Stopping service LICSVR_SERVICE
<03-23-2006 18:01:50> Service LICSVR_SERVICE is not installed, skip it.
<03-23-2006 18:02:07> Starting InstallDatabase()
<03-23-2006 18:02:07> Registering connects for SMSTEST, , SMS_RIG
<03-23-2006 18:02:07> Registered the types
<03-23-2006 18:02:07> DATABASE CREATION:
create database SMS_RIG on (NAME = 'SMSData', FILENAME = 'C:\SMSDATA\SMS_Data.MDF', SIZE = 50MB, FILEGROWTH = 100MB ) LOG ON (NAME = 'SMSLog', FILENAME = 'C:\SMSDATA\SMS_Log.LDF', SIZE =20MB, FILEGROWTH = 50MB )
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> CreateDatabase, IsDataReady() returned OK
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> DATABASE CREATION SUCCEEDED
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> The database compatibility level for SMS_RIG is 80
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Checkpoint 3
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> Registering connects for SMSTEST, , SMS_RIG
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> Registered the types
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> Beginning script execution.
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table SMSData
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table SiteControl
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table SiteControlNotification
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table SiteNotification
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table DeletedMachines
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table DeletedItems
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table InstallMap
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table Sites
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table SiteWork
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table Packages
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table PkgRuleExpressions
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table ProgramItems
<03-23-2006 18:02:14> SQL Script: Creating table ProgramOffers
<03-23-2006 18:02:31> SQL Script: Installing primary key on table SMSData
<03-23-2006 18:02:31> SQL Script: Installing primary key on table SiteControl
<03-23-2006 18:02:31> SQL Script: Installing primary key on table SiteControlNotification
<03-23-2006 18:02:31> SQL Script: Installing primary key on table SiteNotification
<03-23-2006 18:02:58> Newer or the same version of mdt2fw95.dll is detected on the system, skip the file copy.
<03-23-2006 18:02:58> The installed version is 20000-22CC, our version is 20000-1FEB.
<03-23-2006 18:02:58> regsvr32.exe is a system file on Windows 2000, skip the file copy.
<03-23-2006 18:03:39> sfmapi.dll is a system file on Windows 2000, skip the file copy.
<03-23-2006 18:03:45> msxml3.dll is a system file on Windows 2000, skip the file copy.
<03-23-2006 18:03:45> msxml3r.dll is a system file on Windows 2000, skip the file copy.
<03-23-2006 18:03:46> Copied C:\SMS\bin\i386\smsunsolicitedrcui.htm to C:\WINDOWS\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Vendors\CN=Microsoft Corporation,L=Redmond,S=Washington,C=US\Remote Assistance\Escalation\Unsolicited\smsunsolicitedrcui.htm
<03-23-2006 18:03:46> Invoking WBEM Setup C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.RIGUY\Desktop\SMS2003\SMS2003SP1EVAL_ENU\SMSSETUP\BIN\I386\WBEMWRAP.EXE /s /server

<03-23-2006 18:05:45> SMS Setup completed successfully!

Remembering the prerequisite SQL Server 2000 installation, open up SQL Server Enterprise Manager

The SMS_RIG (Site Code = SMS, Site Name = RIG) is now ready for database action.

Peruse the SQL database tables in view. There were in fact 260 tables created by this default installation:

There are also 152 Stored Procedures created by the default installation. These are SMS database related functions that are very powerful and should be sued with caution:

Open up SMS 2003 for first time, noting again the site code (RIG) and the site name (SMS). Note some of the more important drill downs availabnle, especially Hierarchy, Packages, Software Updates, and Security Rights:

In Collections, there are none yet. Go to All Windows Server 2003 Systems, right click, select All Tasks, Install Client:

Client Push Installation Wizard:

Now, the choice is whether to install on a legacy or advanced (more modern) client:

Some more options are available, pertaining to domain controllers, upgrades to previous verions, etc.

That is all for now regarding SMS. This is a very powerful Windows Server and Client management tool! Happy SMS'ing.