MCSE: Systems Management Server 2
Authors: Frank Jewett
Venue:  (1999)

From the Book:PREFACE: IntroductionSo, you want to be a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer? You've come to the right place, or book I should say! Greetings, and welcome to MCSE: Systems Management Server 2.This book is a step-by-step study guide to prepare for Microsoft Certified Professional Exam 70-086. It provides system administrators and engineers with the knowledge and skills required to effectively plan, install, configure, administer, integrate, monitor, troubleshoot, and use Microsoft System Management Server (SMS), version 2.0 within your enterprise environment. The book gives an in-depth description of how to use SMS to monitor the enterprise; design SMS sites; create an SMS site hierarchy; develop an SMS security strategy plan; choose the right interoperability/upgrade plan; establish the primary SMS site; configure and modify the SMS site; configure, audit, and control network clients with SMS; manage the SMS system model; install and configure the SMS network; integrate the SMS network; monitor SMS; optimize SMS; diagnose and resolve SMS problems; and restore SMS sites. It also covers various management functions such as remote diagnostics, metering, inventory, and software distribution. More importantly, this book prepares you to meet the certification requirements to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.Each chapter in the book concludes with a summary and a set of review questions that test your knowledge of MCSE exam-specific issues. A combination of true/false, multiple-choice and open-ended questions are used. The book includes two appendices that contain answers to chapter review questions and a glossary.WhoThisBook Is ForThis book is primarily targeted toward domestic and international system managers, network administrators, system and network integrators, system engineers, and support personnel who need to optimize and maintain enterprise networks using SMS. Basically, the book is targeted to all types of professionals and organizations around the globe who have the responsibility of supporting and implementing SMS in local and wide area network environments. More importantly, this book was developed for those who plan to take the related MCSE exam 70-086, "Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0."You will come away from this book with an in-depth knowledge of the following MCSE exam-specific main components of what SMS provides to allow it to grow with any size enterprise: Year 2000 compliance checking Server health monitoring Software program removal Introduction of new wizards, status tools, canned reports, query tools, and security configurations Support of more environments like: Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Novell Netware, Alpha platform, and SMS 2.0 Remotely controlling and troubleshooting client computers Monitoring enterprise computers and network traffic Performing software management and distribution Collecting custom inventory information Querying the SMS database Exploring SMS Utilities and creating SMS alerts Configuring SQL Server for optimum SMS results Using Performance Monitor and Event Viewer monitoring toolsFurthermore, you will come away with extensive experience provided by hands-on exercises (in addition to your hands-on training experience with SMS) that provide the practical experience needed to install and configure SMS. This intermediate-to-advanced comprehensive MCSE SMS 2.0 study guide helps you install and use SMS to create enterprise solutions like: Practical tips on how tutilize SMS as a help desk tool, install Windows NT 4.0 system services, and monitor performance. How texecute SQL queries against SMS inventory for strategic business planning and plan and administer distributed SMS sites. How tuse SMS tcontrol an enterprise network using client auditing, software distribution, and remote troubleshooting. How tuse latest SMS 2.0 features in preparation for the exam.What You'll NeedThis book provides the core foundation for supporting Microsoft Windows NT Primary/Backup Domain Controller, Windows NT Member Server (must be a member of a domain), Windows NT Server, LAN Manager, Novell Netware 3.x Bindery, and Novell 4.x Netware Directory Services. Therefore, you should have a working knowledge and have taken related courses pertaining to operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows NT 3.51, 4.0, and 2000; Windows 95 and Windows 98; Windows 3.1 or higher; and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 or higher.Hardware Requirements for ExamAs a prerequisite for the exam, you should also have a working knowledge of the following SMS 2.0 hardware requirements: 133MHz Pentium processor 64 MB of RAM minimum (128 MB recommended) 1 GB of free disk space on an NTFS partition 100 MB of free space on the system drive Access to any CD-ROM drive supported by Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 4Software Requirements for Exam You should also a have a working knowledge of the following software requirements: Fresh install (recommended) of Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 4 Internet Explorer 4.01The following software is on the Systems Management Server 2.0 CD-ROM: Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 SQL Server 6.5 / Service Pack 4 or SQL Server 7.0 Microsoft Management Console Systems Management Server 2.0 SMS 2.0 Service Pack 1 (recommended)How This Book Is OrganizedThis self-paced study guide combines hands-on training, notes, and review questions to instruct the reader on how to implement and support SMS 2.0 on Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000. The book is organized into seven parts and includes two appendices, one of which is a glossary of SMS terms and acronyms. It also has an MCSE Exam 70-086 Requirements Matrix in the front of the book that cross-references all the MCSE requirements to the chapter syllabus numbers and related questions at the end of each chapter.The book provides a step-by-step approach to everything you need to know about SMS 2.0 as well as information about many topics relevant to the planning, design, and implementation. The book gives an in-depth overview of the latest SMS 2.0 features. It discusses what background work needs to be done, such as developing an SMS 2.0 installation plan, and shows how to develop these plans for all types of organizations. More importantly, this book shows how to install primary and secondary sites, along with the techniques used to test them. It covers many of the common troubleshooting maintenance issues as well as the ongoing ones. The book concludes with a discussion about how to restore an SQL Server, a site server, logon points, client access points, distribution points, and diagnose and resolve problems involving site-to-site communications.Descriptions of the different sections of the book follow.Part 1: OverviewThe introductory part of the book is a discussion about what SMS provides. The discussion centers around such MCSE exam-specific issues as ease of use, integrated and centralized management, its scalable solution, support for heterogeneous environments, and its open architecture. The part concludes with a discussion of SMS sites by examining the following components: considerations for implementation hierarchies and sites, domains, servers, clients, and SMS server services.Part 2: Site PlanningPart 2 begins with an overview of site planning by performing the following tasks: configuring your environment to provide additional computer support; checking client and server system requirements; creating user accounts and login IDs; configuring SQL Server on a remote computer if it is not installed on the site server; and configuring clients. Next, it discusses the various elements of the design of an SMS site, such as site system resources; location of resources; types of resources, which consist of computers, printers, routers, users, and user groups; and features of SMS to be implemented. Furthermore, Part 2 clarifies which MCSE exam-specific design components are needed to upgrade client operating systems at an SMS site; design the SMS site hierarchy model prior to installation for the enterprise; design the SMS security strategy plan prior to installation for the organization; upgrade an SMS site to a newer version; and plan the interoperability of a mixed SMS 1.2 and 2.0 site.Part 3: Installing and Configuring SMS ServerPart 3 covers how to install SMS and how to add clients to the database in your SMS system. It also describes the client's view of configuring, modifying, and navigating the SMS, as well as the administrator's, site.Part 4: Configuring and Managing ResourcesThis part begins by taking a look at how to test for Year 2000 compliance and how to automatically collect information on personal computer configurations. It concludes by taking a close look at how to use Crystal Reports to view data and create reports.Part 5: Interoperability of an SMS NetworkThis part examines numerous areas, including the use of diagnostic utilities for clients, client experience during remote control, and how to configure a remote control agent at the site server. Part 6: Monitoring and OptimizationThis part of the book examines the essentials of administering a distributed network. It also shows how to configure SMS database maintenance tasks.Part 7: TroubleshootingFinally, Part 7 shows how to directly monitor and control your inventoried computers by taking you through the SMS 2.0 Diagnostic and Help Desk utilities. The book concludes by taking a peek at how to use the Internet to perform a number of management tasks with SMS.AppendicesTwo appendices provide the additional information. Appendix A contains the chapter review answers. In Appendix B, you find a glossary of SMS-related terms and acronyms.About the Companion Web SiteThere's a companion Web site with this book. The Prentice Hall Companion Web site is located at ...