Microsoft Systems Management Server

Key Features and Benefits of Systems Management Server

Systems Management Server has several features, providing comprehensive benefits to computer professionals who are directly concerned with the cost and complexity of building, maintaining and managing businesses that use PCs in a distributed network of any size. The tables on the following pages present a quick overview of the major features and benefits of Systems Management Server.

Systems Management Server

The comprehensive solution for managing networked PCs

Key product benefit Major product features

PC and server inventory

Automatically identifies and maintains a central inventory of PCs and servers.
Automatically installs the client management agent on the client computer, without visiting each computer.
Performs detailed hardware and software inventory, including historical changes and collected files.
Software audit identifies software packages based on an extensible database.
Collects any MIF-compatible hardware characteristics and additional inventory information defined by the administrator.

Software distribution and installation

Distributes and installs software on individual PCs and servers at remote sites. Allows administrators to drag and drop centrally defined packages on target systems.
Automatically installs software on individual PCs at a time specified by the administrator.
Installs software on specific servers to be automatically shared by specific users (based on user names or user groups).
Allows administrators to define standard desktops that users always receive when they connect to the network, independent of location.
Schedules any command on specific PCs. (For example, you can automatically run virus scanning software every Saturday at midnight on all 486 PCs with 500 MB or larger disks).

Diagnostic and remote control tools

Remote Control tools allow you to remotely control screen, keyboard, and mouse. You can monitor critical system information, execute programs, or reboot individual MS-DOS or Windows-based PCs in real-time from across the local or wide area network.
You can monitor performance and events, and manage users and services of remote computers running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation.

Network packet decoding

You can remotely capture, filter, decode, analyze, edit, and replay network protocol packets including the TCP suite, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS, AppleTalk® suite, NCP, and SMB.
Remote capture agents run on any computer running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation, as well as Windows for Workgroups and Windows 95.

Security

Control access to each Systems Management Server function. Network Monitor agents support password protection for additional security.
Users determine permissions for remote control functions and are alerted when remote control is active.

Systems Management Server

Works with your existing systems

Key product benefit Major product features

Client operating systems supported

MS-DOS 5.0 and higher
Windows 3.1
Windows for Workgroups 3.11
Windows 95
Windows NT Workstation 3.5 service pack 2 and higher
OS/2 2.x and OS/2 Warp
Macintosh System 7.x

Server operating systems supported

Windows NT Server 3.51 and higher
LAN Manager 2.1 and higher
NetWare 3.1x and 4.x
LAN Server 3.x and 4.0

Wide area network protocols supported

Any network protocol supported by Windows NT, including TCP/IP and IPX
LU 6.2 provided by Microsoft SNA Server
Remote access protocols including ISDN, X.25, and asynch

Additional support from third parties

PathWorks servers® (available from Digital)
UNIX®: AIX®, HP-UX®, OSF/1, Sun® OS, Solaris®, and Ultrix^TM (available from Digital)
VMS (available from Digital)

An open foundation which can easily be extended

Large third party support

Many Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) currently integrate, or have announced plans to integrate, with Systems Management Server. An up-to-date list can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/SMSMGMT/smsisvquery.htm

Network management products integration

Systems Management Server can integrate with any SNMP network management product through employing its support for SNMP Traps
In addition, some network management vendors have integrated their products more closely with Systems Management Server. Examples of such products are Digital's PolyCenter/NetView, Hewlett-Packard® OpenView®, and Network Managers NMC Vision.

Support for standard interfaces

Systems Management Server supports management standards, such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
The Systems Management Server database can be accessed from any ODBC application, so reports of inventory information can be quickly generated.
Systems Management Server offers support for the Management Information Format (MIF) file structure, derived from the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) specification.

Working with Existing Network Management Systems | What Do I Need to Work with Systems Management Server?

How to Use this Guide | Table of Contents | Section 2: Installation Guide

Systems Management Server The comprehensive solution for managing networked PCs
Key product benefit	Major product features
PC and server inventory	Automatically identifies and maintains a central inventory of PCs and servers. Automatically installs the client management agent on the client computer, without visiting each computer. Performs detailed hardware and software inventory, including historical changes and collected files. Software audit identifies software packages based on an extensible database. Collects any MIF-compatible hardware characteristics and additional inventory information defined by the administrator.
Software distribution and installation	Distributes and installs software on individual PCs and servers at remote sites. Allows administrators to drag and drop centrally defined packages on target systems. Automatically installs software on individual PCs at a time specified by the administrator. Installs software on specific servers to be automatically shared by specific users (based on user names or user groups). Allows administrators to define standard desktops that users always receive when they connect to the network, independent of location. Schedules any command on specific PCs. (For example, you can automatically run virus scanning software every Saturday at midnight on all 486 PCs with 500 MB or larger disks).
Diagnostic and remote control tools	Remote Control tools allow you to remotely control screen, keyboard, and mouse. You can monitor critical system information, execute programs, or reboot individual MS-DOS or Windows-based PCs in real-time from across the local or wide area network. You can monitor performance and events, and manage users and services of remote computers running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation.
Network packet decoding	You can remotely capture, filter, decode, analyze, edit, and replay network protocol packets including the TCP suite, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS, AppleTalk® suite, NCP, and SMB. Remote capture agents run on any computer running Windows NT Server or Windows NT Workstation, as well as Windows for Workgroups and Windows 95.
Security	Control access to each Systems Management Server function. Network Monitor agents support password protection for additional security. Users determine permissions for remote control functions and are alerted when remote control is active.