Microsoft Certified Consultants

Systems Management Server 2003 Overview of Consulting Services

 Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 is Microsoft's solution for change and configuration management. SMS 2003 enables you to:

• Deliver critical business applications quickly and reliably to the appropriate users
• Reduce software costs and stay compliant by understanding patterns of usage
• Improve Windows security by increasing your awareness of vulnerability and by delivering targeted updates
• Manage your mobile workforce through industry standards independent of connection or location
• Reduce operational costs by fully utilizing the management capabilities built into Windows

Key features of SMS 2003 that add significant business value to your IT network include:

• Detailed application deployment planning
  Detailed reports ease the application deployment process. For a planned deployment, you can easily obtain the target groups' current hardware base, existing applications and version information, and the current service pack and hotfix levels of the system.
• Rich distribution targeting
  You can finely target software distribution and other management tasks to machines and users using a wide variety of properties including network and hardware configuration, Active Directory organizational unit, or group membership and software installation status.
• Delta distribution between site servers and distribution points
  When you make alterations to previously deployed software package sources, only the source changes are propagated between Systems Management Server 2003 site servers and distribution points, rather than the entire application image.
• Elevated rights Windows Installer Service
  Because Systems Management Server 2003 supports the Windows Installer service (.MSI), SMS 2003 can switch user account contexts during a package installation allowing for self-healing application installation on “locked-down” systems.
• Add/Remove Programs support
  You can easily publish applications to the Add/Remove Programs interface to provide users with a consistent way of installing applications.
• Application usage monitoring
  You can generate summary and detail reports describing which applications were used by which users, for how long and on which managed systems. You can track usage by user or computer, and create compliance reports reports comparing concurrent usage data to current license ownership.
• Granular software inventory file level searching
  Now you can configure Systems Management Server 2003 to get you all the asset discovery you need.
• Detailed hardware inventory
  WMI enhancements allow improved client-side performance during inventory scans and a richer set of inventory data, including BIOS and chassis enclosure data.
• Web-enabled reporting
  SMS 2003 includes more than 120 pre-built reports covering hardware and software inventory as well as computer status and software deployment progress.
• Vulnerability identification
  Using standard Microsoft security tools such as the Microsoft Baseline Security Inventory Analyzer and the Office Update Inventory Tool you can inventory your systems for applicable patches and vulnerabilities.
• Patch deployment wizard
  SMS 2003 provides a simple console wizard to assist administrators in deploying required patches to managed devices.
• Vulnerability assessment and mitigation reporting
  After SMS 2003 identifies missing security patches, the results of these individual scans are then rolled up into the central database for reporting and targeting purposes. As missing patches are deployed, SMS 2003 can update this data in real time.
• Bandwidth-aware clients
  The new Advanced Client uses the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) technology to detect the capacity of the client network connection and adjust transfer rates efficiently.
• Checkpoint/restart
  Upon reconnection, any partial downloads to clients will continue where they left off; there is no need to restart transmissions because of a disconnected session. Checkpoint/restart works at a byte level, requiring only the download of those bytes in a package that haven’t already been transferred
• Download and execute
  After a new software package has been successfully downloaded to a client, it remains in cache on the client system until the prescheduled install time, at which time it is executed.
• Location Awareness
  As mobile users move through geographic locations, flexible site boundaries ensure that they always receive software packages and updates from the nearest appropriate installation source, and are not required to install software across the enterprise WAN.
• Active Directory discovery
  Systems Management Server 2003 can automatically discover the Active Directory properties of both users and systems, including organizational unit container and group level membership. Software packages can then be targeted based on these Active Directory attributes.
• Active Directory-based site boundaries
  Site boundaries can now be based on Active Directory site names, rather than simply on IP subnets.
• Advanced Security Mode
  You can use built-in computer and local system accounts for all server functions (such as database access), dramatically simplifying the management of accounts and passwords within Systems Management Server 2003 and making the enterprise more secure by not creating extra high-rights accounts.
• Improved status tools
  The status data provides real-time information about the current state of Systems Management Server 2003 processes, both on servers and clients.
• Windows XP Remote Assistance support
  The high-performance Windows XP Remote Assistance feature integrates with the manageability features for remotely troubleshooting clients directly from the Systems Management Server Administrator Console when a user is present at the remote machine.

How DCI's Consultants Provide Microsoft SMS 2003 Help
DCI has in-depth experience helping small businesses save time and money by using Microsoft Systems Management Server to streamline configuration and change processes. DCI can help you deploy SMS 2003 to minimize IT management costs, enhance network security, maximize productivity by keeping applications up-to-date, ensure compliance with software licenses, and track software usage patterns to help you make smart purchasing decisions. DCI's expertise with remote support can further leverage the economic advantages of SMS 2003, and DCI's CISSP-certified consultants and CISM-certified consultants can help you develop a comprehensive security plan that incorporates powerful security features of SMS 2003. DCI also offers world-class consulting for Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM), which is a key component of Microsoft's System Center 2005 solution for integrated network management.

For more information about DCI's consulting and support services for Systems Management Server 2003, call (866)237-2176 or send email to information@dcicorporation.com.