Microsoft`s Strategy to Centralize and Manage Automated Installations: SMS 2003 - Definitions: an SMS Site, Site Client, Site Server, Site System
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There are several buzz words, such as SMS Site System, SMS Site Server, SMS Site, SMS Client, and so on. Now let us focus on each of them one by one.
Any computer which is being managed by SMS 2003 could be called an SMS Client. In general, it would be client to a domain (or even a workstation as well). If we maintain secondary servers within the site, even a server becomes an SMS Client. But this is a bit of an advanced level of configuration. Some of the clients (or workstations) with old Microsoft OSes like Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Windows NT Terminal Server, and so on are considered legacy clients.
All the rest of the clients, which boast the latest Microsoft OS such as Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server Editions, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 editions all come under the heading of advanced clients. Note that some Microsoft OSes like Windows ME, Windows XP Home edition, Windows Small Business Server and so on are not supported by SMS. For complete information on the products supported, I suggest you consult Microsoft's website at www.microsoft.com.
A set of computers, users, groups and several other resources, together within a boundary, being managed by SMS can be called as SMS Site. We can define an SMS site with an Active Directory site boundary or with our own IP subnet boundary. It would automatically discover all types of resources like computers, printers, users (or accounts), groups, roles, and so on once we set up an SMS Site. Later all these resources could be categorized into several collections (with our own specific queries) and we would be able to apply bulk operations (or installations) on each collection individually (or even all at once) in a flexible manner. The operation or process which is meant for installation at a client is generally termed an SMS package. To be more general, an SMS site consists of an SMS site server, SMS site systems, and SMS clients and resources.
The Windows server on which SMS 2003 has been installed and that manages the SMS site with all its component attributes and services can be called the SMS Site Server. An SMS site system is a Windows Server (either 2000 or 2003) which can perform several SMS roles for an SMS site.
Next: Can we connect and develop desktop applications using SMS? >>
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