About This Guide

The SMS 2.0 Resource Guide provides the following information:

Part 1, “Introduction,” provides an overview of the information contained in this guide, lists other resources that you can use to learn more about SMS 2.0, and explains the conventions used in this guide. “Introduction” contains the following chapter:

Chapter 1 Introducing the SMS 2.0 Resource Guide

Part 2, “Planning,” provides you with important information that will help you plan your site hierarchy and design your pilot project. This section also contains invaluable information about setting up SMS in a multilingual organization. “Planning” contains the following chapters:

Chapter 2 Designing Your SMS Site Hierarchy and Running the Pilot Project
Chapter 3 Using SMS 2.0 in a Multilingual Environment

Part 3, “Deployment,” provides specific information on how to create remote SMS Administrator consoles for help desk support and how to allow multiple administrators to cooperate in site administration. This section also contains specific procedures that will assist you in upgrading SMS 1.2 Program Group Control (PGC) applications to SMS 2.0 shared applications on servers and upgrading SMS 1.2 IDMIF and NOIDMIF files to SMS 2.0. “Deployment” contains the following chapters:

Chapter 4 Setting Up Remote Administrator Consoles
Chapter 5 Migrating or Creating SMS 2.0 Shared Applications
Chapter 6 Upgrading SMS 1.2 IDMIFs and NOIDMIFs to SMS 2.0

Part 4, “Administering and Maintaining,” introduces more in-depth technical information that will enhance your ability to use specific SMS 2.0 features such as Remote Tools, software distribution, network discovery, and hardware inventory. “Administering and Maintaining” contains the following chapters:

Chapter 7 Creating PDFs for Software Distribution
Chapter 8 Using Network Discovery Architecture
Chapter 9 Remote Tools for the Advanced User
Chapter 10 Customizing Hardware Inventory

Part 5, “Performance Tuning and Optimization,” assists you in taking advantage of the scalability of Systems Management Server (SMS) version 2.0. To anticipate system loads and maximize your system performance, you need a clear idea of how your network will respond when you deploy SMS. “Performance Tuning and Optimization” contains the following chapter:

Chapter 11 Configuring and Populating Pilot Sites

Part 6, “Integration and Interaction,” assists you in understanding the technical details of the SMS 1.2 to SMS 2.0 client upgrade process. “Integration and Interaction” contains the following chapter:

Chapter 12 Upgrading Clients from SMS 1.2 to SMS 2.0

Part 7, “Tools and Utilities,” explains how to use the tools that are available on the CD-ROM that accompanies this guide, enabling you to extend your ability to administer SMS. This section also provides an explanation of reporting options that will allow you to create business reports using the data stored in your SMS site database. “Tools and Utilities” contains the following chapters:

Chapter 13 Using SMS 2.0 Tools — Part 1
Chapter 14 Using SMS 2.0 Tools — Part 2
Chapter 15 Reporting Options for SMS 2.0

Part 8, “Troubleshooting,” provides in-depth troubleshooting information. The first several chapters provide flowcharts of SMS components and processes. As you become familiar with each flowchart, you will gain a deeper understanding of how SMS works. Also provided in this section is a listing of the status messages that you can view through the SMS Administrator console. “Troubleshooting” contains the following chapters:

Chapter 16 Introducing the SMS 2.0 Flowcharts
Chapter 17 Site Server Core Components Flowcharts
Chapter 18 Site Server Configuration and Change Control Flowcharts
Chapter 19 Site Installation Flowcharts
Chapter 20 Hardware and Software Inventory Flowcharts
Chapter 21 Software Distribution Flowcharts
Chapter 22 Software Metering Flowcharts
Chapter 23 Diagnostics Flowcharts
Chapter 24 Client Installation Flowcharts
Chapter 25 Client Features Flowcharts
Chapter 26 Status Messages

Part 9, “Disaster Recovery,” lists and describes the specific Performance Monitor counters that are provided with SMS. “Disaster Recovery” contains the following chapter:

Chapter 27 Using the SMS Perfmon Counters

Appendices provide specific reference information that will enhance your ability to understand and troubleshoot SMS. The object and hardware inventory properties will become invaluable resources as you begin to use and create SMS queries and collections. They will also provide data that can help you create in-depth reports about specific objects stored in the SMS site database. “Appendices” contains the following:

Appendix A Files and Directories
Appendix B SMS Object Properties
Appendix C Hardware Inventory Classes
Appendix D SMS 2.0 Client Logon Scripts
Appendix E Unattended Installations

Glossary defines the technical SMS terms used in this guide and builds on the glossary contained in the SMS 2.0 Administrator’s Guide.