SMS: Software Inventory Incorrect After Daylight Savings Time Change

• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2

SYMPTOMS

If you examine the Packages property within the Systems Management Server Administrator program for a client computer running Windows NT, you may notice that packages that were once reported are no longer reported.

CAUSE

Software inventory for a package may have been configured to use the File Time property, which scans for files by their "last modified time." On a Windows NT system, files are stored on an NTFS partition by using UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) for their last modified file times. The last modified time displayed for a file in Windows NT Explorer or File Manager shows the adjusted last modified time based upon the client computer's time zone setting and whether daylight savings time applies.

When performing a software inventory scan based on the file time property, the Systems Management Server Inventory Agents for Windows NT (Invwin32.exe and Inv32cli.exe) also apply the time zone and daylight savings time setting. Therefore, using the File Time property in software inventory can produce a change in results after a daylight savings time change, because the last modified time for a file will change (based on the time change applied by daylight savings time and the time zone under which the file was first created).

Another problem occurs when foreign package rules are used that may have been defined by a site further up the site hierarchy. If the site defining the software inventory rule is in another time zone, or daylight savings time area, the file's last modified time for a software package will display its own local last modified time based on the time zone and daylight savings time setting. A Windows NT client computer running the inventory agent in a different time zone with the foreign package rule will not find a match for the package defined using the file time because of the application of time zone and daylight savings time times to the file's last modified time.

WORKAROUND

Where possible, do not use the Time property in the software inventory rule. Instead, create a rule based on another property (such as the file name, date, size, and so on) that will produce a consistent match regardless of time or time zone.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2. A supported fix is now available for version 1.2, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

Additional query words: prodsms dst timezone

Keywords : kbbug1.00 smsinv kbbug1.10 kbbug1.20
Version : winnt:1.0,1.1,1.2
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug