Microsoft Systems Management Server Topaz Software Distribution Wally Mead Program Manager Enterpris

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Microsoft Systems Management Server Topaz
Software Distribution Wally MeadProgram
ManagerEnterprise TeamMicrosoft Corporation
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Session Agenda

• Changes to SMS 2.0 software distribution features
• Removed functionality from SMS 2.0 software
  distribution
• New features in Topaz software distribution

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Overview of Changes to SMS 2.0 Software
Distribution Features

• Functionality changes to a feature that was
  present in SMS 2.0
• Quickly stopping and restarting advertisements
• Ability to re-run advertisements
• Maximum allowed run time
• Advertisement countdown display
• Additional status messaging

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Stopping and Restarting Advertisements

• Topaz menu option selection to
• Stop existing advertisement
• Restart a disabled advertisement
• Re-run existing advertisement
• Stopping existing advertisement disables the
  program being advertised
• Enabling the program makes the advertisement
  active again
• Re-running existing advertisement adds a new
  schedule to the existing schedule of assignments

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Advertisement HandlingScreen Shot
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Maximum Allowed Run TimeScreen Shot
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Advertisement CountdownScreen Shot
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Overview of Removed Functionality from SMS 2.0

• Functionality that was present in SMS 2.0 and is
  not present in Topaz
• No longer a Remove software when it is no longer
  advertised program option
• Used to automatically deinstall the program if
  the advertisement was no longer valid
• Mobile clients do not support Windows clients
  software installation account
• Use logged on user or Local System accounts
• Desktops still support Software Installation
  Account

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Overview of New Features in Topaz Software
Distribution

• Active Directory integration
• Microsoft Windows XP platform targeting
• Notification suppression
• Add/Remove Programs integration
• Program category support
• Delta replication
• MSI support improvements
• Mobile client support
• Roaming, BITS, MSMQ, and management points

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Topaz Active Directory Targeting

• Targeting computers
• Active Directory System Discovery gathers domain,
  OU, AD site, and Active Directory security groups
  for computers
• Targeting users
• Active Directory User Discovery gathers domain,
  OU, and Active Directory security groups for
  users
• Global, universal, nested groups, and
  non-security groups supported

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Topaz Active Directory Targeting (2)

• Any of these properties can be used to query and
  generate collections
• Can integrate with SMS hardware or software
  inventory as well
• Allows more complex targeting via collections
• All users in the Finance OU and the Remote User
  global group
• All computers in the Servers OU, in the Redmond
  site, in the SMS Servers universal group, and
  having at least 512 MB of RAM

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Active Directory TargetingScreen Shot
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Windows XP Platform TargetingScreen Shot
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Notification SuppressionScreen Shot
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Add/Remove Programs Integration

• In SMS 2.0, advertisements were run manually in
  the Advertised Programs Wizard
• Users had to be trained to use two different
  methods of running programs Add/Remove Programs
  and Advertised Programs Wizard
• With Topaz, advertisements can be displayed in
  the Add/Remove Programs program
• Single place for users to run programs
• Optional on per-program basis
• Program categories supported
• Single category per program

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Add/Remove Programs SupportScreen Shot
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Delta Replication

• In SMS 2.0, package updates are expensive
• The entire package is sent down to appropriate
  child sites
• The entire package is sent to each distribution
  point
• With Topaz, only the updated files are
  distributed
• To appropriate child sites
• To each assigned distribution point
• Network traffic can be reduced significantly in
  many cases

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Delta Replication (2)

• Supports sites not using delta replication
• SMS 2.0 child sites
• Supports five deltas per package
• Configurable
• If required update delta version not available at
  a child site, Topaz resends entire package
• Self-healing if a child site receives corrupt
  package data

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Delta Replication Example

• Sample package is Office XP Professional
• CD size was 450 MB
• Administrative share was 629 MB
• The SMS compressed file size was 350 MB
• It took two hours to compress locally, send to
  child site, and decompress at child site
• When adding a new file (.mst) of 78 KB
• Update file size to child site was 30 KB
• It took two minutes to compress locally, send to
  child site, and decompress at child site
• Only the 78 KB file was sent to local
  distribution point

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MSI File Support Improvements

• Improved MSI file support in three areas
• SMS Installer can write native MSI files
• Package creation from MSI files
• Elevated rights for MSI programs
• No longer require Installer Step-Up utility to
  create MSI files from SMS Installer
• Easy mention option in SMS Installer
• MSI files contain all necessary data to be used
  as package definition file
• Just browse to the MSI file instead of a .sms
  file when creating a package

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SMS Installer MSI File CreationScreen Shot
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MSI Package Elevation

• MSI packages can run under current user or Local
  System context
• Current user to update user data
• Local System to install files
• A single MSI can run portions in each context
• Topaz client processes monitor SMS advertisements
  to be run, and if MSI program, Topaz requests
  elevated rights
• Gives elevated rights to run under Local System
  for portions of program that require it
• Automated process through Topaz

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Overview of Mobile Client Software Distribution
Support

• SMS mobile clients have special features to
  support remote, slow, inconsistent connections to
  SMS servers
• BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service)
• MSMQ (Microsoft Message Queue)
• Roaming
• The Topaz desktop client does not contain any of
  these special features
• Basically SMS 2.0, with enhancements already
  mentioned in this presentation

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SMS Mobile Client Software Distribution

• BITS allows download and execute model for
  package execution
• Local cache of stored programs
• Program downloads during connections
• Byte-level checkpoints in program downloads
• Bandwidth sensitive to user bandwidth
  requirements
• After full program downloaded, local execution
  can occur
• Distribution points must be configured to support
  BITS

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Enabling BITS on a Distribution Point Screen Shot
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SMS Mobile Client Roaming

• SMS mobile clients find a management point for
  the local site from Active Directory
• Knows it assigned sites management point from
  the Active Directory
• When roaming to other sites, uses Active
  Directory to find a management point local to the
  roamed site
• This allows discovery of local distribution
  points for advertised programs
• Site properties dictate which boundaries are
  local versus remote
• If no local management point, uses management
  point from assigned site

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Mobile Client RoamingScreen Shot
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SMS Mobile Client Roaming (2)

• Roaming allows policies from assigned site, but
  content from local site
• MSMQ used for policy downloads
• Policies come from local site
• Regional versus global roaming
• If available, the client finds a management point
  in roamed site to find distribution point for
  content
• Each advertisement configures local versus remote
  distribution point handling for program
• After full program downloaded, execution can
  occur
• MP tells client if DP supports BITS

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Mobile Client AdvertisementsScreen Shot
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Session Summary

• Topaz improves on the software distribution
  functionality of SMS 2.0
• Many changes to make administration experience
  better
• New features to add to the functionality
• Support for mobile clients is a key addition
• Delta replication reduces bandwidth consumption
  for package updates
• Active Directory integration provides additional
  targeting capabilities
• Add/Remove Programs support eases end-user
  confusion
• MSI file support is improved

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