Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Training Kit
This course combines notes, hands-on procedures, multimedia presentations, and review questions to teach you systems management, design, and implementation methods using SMS 2.0. It is designed to be completed from beginning to end, but you can choose to complete only the sections that interest you. (See the next section, "Finding the Best Starting Point for You" for more information.) If you choose the customized track option, see the "Before You Begin" section in each chapter. Any hands-on procedures that require preliminary work from preceding chapters is explained in "Before You Begin."
The self-paced training book is divided into the following chapters:
- "About This Book" (this chapter) contains a self-paced training overview and introduces the components of this training. Read this section thoroughly to get the greatest educational value from this self-paced training and to plan which lessons you will complete. It is imperative that you complete the "Getting Started" section to properly prepare the computers for the exercises in the chapters.
- Chapter 1, "Introduction to Microsoft Systems Management Server" introduces SMS 2.0. It provides an overview of the functional areas, hierarchy, and network configurations of SMS 2.0.
- Chapter 2, "Installing a Primary Site" explains how to install SMS 2.0 to function as a primary site server. It lists the hardware and software requirements of the program, and it explains the specific information you have to supply and the decisions you have to make during the installation process. Following installation, the modifications made by SMS setup is described. Post installation procedures, making computer resources client computers, and upgrading SMS 1.2 to SMS 2.0 conclude this chapter.
- Chapter 3, "Administering Inventory Collection" describes how to install, configure, and customize inventory collection. Explains the process of inventory collection and how to use Resource Explorer to view collected inventory.
- Chapter 4, "Distributing Software" addresses how packages, programs, collections and advertisements work together to complete the software distribution process to client computers. The final lesson in this chapter explains how to use the SMS Installer.
- Chapter 5, "SMS Software Metering" discusses SMS Software Metering. The roles played by software metering site systems and client computers are delineated. How to configure and manage software metering using the Software Metering application, concludes this chapter.
- Chapter 6, "Using Remote Tools" provides information on supporting various client computer operating systems using remote support utilities accessed through the SMS Administrator console.
- Chapter 7, "SMS Network Management Components" details the use of critical network management tools, including Network Monitor, the Network Monitor Control Tool, and the Event to Trap Translator.
- Chapter 8, "Querying the Database and Producing Reports" describes the purpose and construction of queries and reports. Query Builder and Crystal Info are explored in this chapter.
- Chapter 9, "Planning for SMS" explains how to successfully design and implement SMS 2.0.
- Chapter 10, "Configuring Site Systems" describes the site system creation and configuration process. The last lesson in this chapter describes how to monitor site systems with Network Trace.
- Chapter 11, "Site-to-Site Communications" describes how SMS communicates between sites. Details are provided that explain how to create an SMS hierarchy, and install a secondary site. The chapter concludes by explaining how to successfully remove SMS software from a computer acting as a primary or secondary site server.
- Chapter 12, "Configuring SMS Security" discusses how the file system, users, groups, and the WBEM/SMS Provider interface protect SMS from unauthorized access.
- Chapter 13, "Administering SMS Databases" discusses SQL Server features important to the operation of SMS 2.0, and how to maintain SMS in case a recovery procedure is required in the future. The last lesson in this chapter explains how to restore an SMS site.
- Chapter 14, "Monitoring and Troubleshooting SMS" addresses the major categories where problems occur in SMS 2.0 and the tools included with SMS 2.0 for analysis of various problems.
- The Appendix, "Questions and Answers" lists all of the practice and review questions from the book, showing suggested answers.
- The "Glossary" provides definitions of commonly used terms relating to SMS.
Finding the Best Starting Point for You
Because this book is self-paced, you can skip some lessons and revisit them later. Note, however, that you must complete the procedures outlined in the "Getting Started" section of About This Book and any procedures outlined in Before You Begin in each chapter, before you can successfully complete exercises within the chapters:
| If you | Follow this learning path |
|---|---|
| Are planning an implementation | Read Chapters 1 and 9, and then complete SMS Chapter 2. |
| Are new to SMS | Read all chapters in consecutive order. |
| Need to learn about SMS features | Read Chapter 1, and then read Chapters 3 to 8 SMS features of this book. |
| Are having trouble completing any of the exercises in this guide | Read Lesson 1 of Chapter 14, and then locate the the function in Chapter 14, Lesson 2 that is relevant to the exercise with which you are having trouble completing. |
| Are preparing for the Implementing and Supporting Microsoft® Systems Management Server 2.0 certification exam | Read through the tested skills list that follows in the "Where to Find Specific Skills in This Book" Section, and then read all chapters and complete all exercises in this book. At the completion of certification exam your studies, return to the skills list for the exam to verify that you have a firm grasp on all the tested skills. |
Where to Find Specific Skills in This Book
The following tables provide a comprehensive list of the skills measured on certification exam 70-086, Implementing and Supporting Microsoft® Systems Management Server 2.0. The tables list the skill and indicate where in this book you will find the lesson relating to that skill.
NOTE
Exam skills are subject to change without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft.
Skills measured by exam 70-086
| Planning | Location in this book |
|---|---|
Design a Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) site; plan for various elements.
| Chapter 1, Lessons 1-3; Chapter 9, Lessons 1-3 |
Design an SMS site hierarchy.
| Chapter 9, Lessons 1-3; Chapter 11, Lesson 1 |
Plan a security strategy for SMS servers.
| Chapter 12, Lessons 1-3 |
Plan the interoperability or upgrade for various situations.
| Chapter 2, Lesson 7; Chapter 9, Lesson 2; Chapter 4, Lesson 1 |
| Installation and Configuration | Location in this book |
|---|---|
Install, configure, and modify a primary site server.
| Chapter 2, Lessons 1, 2, 4-6; Chapter 11, Lesson 3 |
Install a secondary site server.
| Chapter 11, Lesson 3 |
Configure site system roles.
| Chapter 10, Lesson2; Chapter 5, Lesson 2; Chapter 12, Lesson 2 |
Configure a site hierarchy.
| Chapter 11, Lessons 2 and 3 |
| Configuring and Managing Resources | Location in this book |
|---|---|
Configure software and hardware inventory collection for a site.
| Chapter 3, Lesson 2 |
Manage inventory.
| Chapter 3, Lesson 4 |
Distribute software.
| Chapter 4, Lessons 2-5; Chapter 8, Lesson 2; Chapter 14, Lesson 1 |
Create database reports.
| Chapter 8, Lesson 3 |
Configure and use software metering.
| Chapter 5, Lessons 2 and 3 |
Install and configure an SMS client computer.
| Chapter 2, Lessons 5 and 6; Chapter 3, Lesson 3; Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
Install and configure remote utilities on clients.
| Chapter 6, Lessons 1-3 |
| Install and configure Windows NT Event to Trap Translator. | Chapter 7, Lesson 4 |
| Install and configure Health Monitor to monitor Windows NT Server computers. | Chapter 14, Lesson 1 |
| Identify changes to a site server after SMS installation. Types of site servers are domain controllers, non-domain controllers, and secondary site servers. | Chapter 2, Lesson 3 |
Monitor SMS status messages.
| Chapter 14, Lesson 1 |
Monitor the progress of SMS functions.
| Chapter 14, Lessons 1 and 2 |
Use SMS utilities to monitor SMS functions.
| Chapter 7, Lesson 2; Chapter 14, Lesson 1; Chapter 10, Lesson 3 |
| Optimize SQL Server for SMS. | Chapter 2, Lesson 1; Chapter 13, Lesson 1 |
| Optimize sender network utilization. | Chapter 11, Lesson 2 |
Monitor the SMS database.
| Chapter 13, Lesson 2 |
| Back up an SMS site. | Chapter 13, Lesson 2 |
| Choose the appropriate diagnostic tool. | Chapter 7, Lesson 1; Chapter 14, Lesson 1 |
Diagnose and resolve installation problems in SMS site systems.
| Chapter 2, Lesson 4; Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve installation problems involving clients. | Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving software distribution. | Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving inventory collection. | Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving remote control. | Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving software metering. | Chapter 14, Lesson 2 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving SNMP integration. | Chapter 7, Lessons 3 and 4 |
Restore an SMS site.
| Chapter 13, Lesson 3 |
| Diagnose and resolve problems involving site-to-site communication. | Chapter 11, Lesson 2 |