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Training Course Summary:

This five-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to manage Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS). Students will learn how to configure SMS components and how to manage the ongoing operations of an SMS infrastructure.

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the features and infrastructure of Systems Management Server 2003 (SMS)

• Explore the SMS Site Architecture

• Deploy SMS clients

• Discover SMS resources

• Collect inventory and monitor software usage

• Query and report data

• Distribute software

• Implement Software Update Tools

• Use SMS Remote Tools for client support

• Work with SMS Hierarchies

• Perform site maintenance, backup, and recovery tasks

Pre-Requisites:

Prerequisites
Before attending this course, students must have:

• Completed Course 2272, Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows XP Professional, or equivalent knowledge

• Completed Course 2277, Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 Network Infrastructure: Network Services, or equivalent knowledge

• System administrator–level working knowledge of:• Deployment, configuration, and troubleshooting for Windows-based personal computers

• TCP/IP networking

• SQL Server

• Active Directory directory service

Who Should Attend:

This course is intended for SMS Administrators who are responsible for configuring and managing one or more SMS sites and all supporting systems. They have one to three years of experience supporting multiple desktop and server computers running Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 in medium to large enterprise organizations.

Training Course Overview/Content:

Module 1: Overview of Systems Management Server 2003

Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 provides powerful desktop administration tools for managing hardware inventory, software inventory, software distribution, and remote client troubleshooting. As an SMS administrator, you will need to know how to configure and manage these tools. This module introduces the key features of SMS 2003, explains differences between SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003, and describes the primary components of the SMS 2003 infrastructure.

Lessons

• Where SMS Fits in the Windows Server System

• Describing How SMS 2003 Features Provide Change and Configuration Management

• Explaining SMS Hierarchies

• Explaining SMS Site-to-Site Communication

• Explaining SMS Site and Roaming Boundaries

• Discussion: Overview of Systems Management Server 2003


Practices

• Identifying Products in the Windows Server System

• Describing the Features of SMS

• Identifying SMS Site Roles

• Identifying Site-to-Site Communication Considerations

• Identifying SMS Site Boundaries


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the position of SMS in the Windows Server System

• Describe the features of SMS 2003 and how they provide change and configuration management

• Describe SMS site hierarchies

• Describe SMS site-to-site communication

• Describe the role of SMS site boundaries and roaming boundaries


Module 2: Exploring SMS Site Architecture

In this module, you will learn how Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 is implemented as a site. You will explore the properties of the principal site system—the SMS site server. You will learn how to install and use the SMS Administrator console and other tools that allow administration and support of an SMS implementation. You will also learn about the new role of the Active Directory directory service in SMS and how SMS uses related technologies such as Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), and the Windows Installer (MSI).

Lessons

• Introduction to the SMS Site Server

• Exploring the SMS Administrator Console and the SMS 2003 Toolkit 1

• Explaining the Role of Active Directory in SMS 2003

• Explaining How SMS Uses Dependent Technologies

• Discussion: Exploring SMS Site Architecture


Practices

• Reviewing the SMS Site Server Installation Log and Verifying Installed Services

• Exploring the SMS Administrator Console and the SMS 2003 Toolkit 1

• Exploring the System Management Container

• Verifying SMS Settings in WMI


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the SMS site server and its components

• Use the SMS Administrator console and the SMS 2003 Toolkit 1

• Describe how SMS uses Active Directory

• Describe how SMS uses dependent technologies such as Internet Information Server (IIS), BITS, WMI, and MSI


Module 3: Preparing to Deploy the SMS Clients

In this module, you will learn how to prepare for Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) client deployment. This process involves configuring and deploying the site systems required to support clients and using discovery methods to identify resources.

Lessons

• Introduction to the SMS Clients

• Discovering Resources

• Deploying the Site Systems That Support Client Installation and Client/Server Communication

• Discussion: Preparing to Deploy the SMS Clients


Practices

• Determining Which Clients to Deploy

• Discovering Resources

• Deploying the Site Systems That Support Client Installation


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the Legacy Client and Advanced Client, how to determine which SMS client to use, and how the SMS client gets assigned to a site.

• Describe resource discovery and the methods used to discover resources.

• Explain the guidelines to configure, deploy, and troubleshoot the site systems used by SMS to support clients