Chapter 12: Package Distribution and Management

One of the primary features of Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 is its ability to distribute packages to, and run programs on, SMS client computers. This process consists of three main elements:

Creating and distributing the package

Advertising a package program to a collection

Receiving the advertisement and executing the program on a client

The package distribution process is the focus of this chapter. Let’s begin with a discussion of what package distribution is all about. First we’ll define some terms and outline just what SMS does throughout the distribution process. Then we’ll explore the administrative tasks involved in the creation of packages and advertisements. Finally, we’ll learn how to monitor status messages and log files for the appropriate SMS components involved and how to test the package and its programs to ensure that they execute properly on the target clients.