Configuration Manager Site System Planning
Updated: December 1, 2008
Applies To: System Center
Configuration Manager 2007, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2,
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3, System Center
Configuration Manager 2007 SP1, System Center Configuration Manager 2007
SP2
Each Configuration Manager 2007 site contains a site server and
one or more site systems. A site system is a server or server share
that provides functionality to the Configuration Manager 2007 site. A
site system role is a function that a site system performs within a
Configuration Manager 2007 site. For example, the management point site
system role provides a communication point between the Configuration
Manager 2007 site server and Configuration Manager clients.
All Configuration Manager 2007 site systems must be members of
an Active Directory domain. It is not supported to change the domain
membership or computer name for a Configuration Manager 2007 site system
after it is installed.
Although a site server can perform multiple site system roles
simultaneously, this configuration is not recommended for production
sites with large numbers of resources. To decrease the load on your
primary or secondary site server, you might want Configuration Manager
2007 to perform some server tasks on computers other than the site
server. Some site system roles are assigned during installation, while
others must be assigned after site setup has completed. After setup has
been completed, the Configuration Manager console can be used to assign
site system roles to the primary site server or distribute them among
several different site systems.
 Note |
|
Configuration Manager site system role servers are often referred to by
their site system role name. For example, a server that performs the
distribution point role is often called a distribution point. |
Basic Site System Roles
The basic site system roles that you can assign to site systems within a site are described in the following table.
|
Site System
|
Description
|
Configuration Manager component server role
|
Any site system that runs the SMS Executive service
component provides the component server role. A component server can run
only selected threads of the SMS Executive. Use this role to lessen the
processing burden on the site server or to provide duplicate threads.
This role is required to support other roles, such as a
management point, and is installed and removed with the other server
roles.
|
Configuration Manager site server
|
The site server role is automatically filled by the
Windows Server computer where Configuration Manager 2007 Setup has been
run.
This role is assigned during Configuration Manager 2007 installation.
|
Configuration Manager site system
|
Site systems are computers or server shares that
provide Configuration Manager functionality to a site. Each site system
hosts one or more site system roles. Some site system roles can be
assigned to site systems within the site by using the
Configuration Manager console. Other site system roles are automatically
assigned to a site system and cannot be configured.
|
Configuration Manager site database server
|
The site database server is a computer running a
supported version of Microsoft SQL Server that stores information for
Configuration Manager 2007 sites, such as discovery data, hardware and
software inventory data, and configuration and status information.
Every primary site in the Configuration Manager 2007
hierarchy contains a site database and a server assigned the site
database server role. You can install SQL Server on the primary site
server, or you can reduce the site server's processing load by
installing SQL Server on a computer other than the primary site server.
|
Note |
|
Hosting the site database for more than one Configuration Manager 2007
site on a single SQL Server computer is supported. However, installation
of more than one site on the same computer is not supported for the SMS
Provider. |
The site database can be installed on the default or on
a named instance on a single SQL Server computer, or it can be
installed on a named instance on a clustered SQL Server instance. For
more information about installing Configuration Manager sites using a
clustered SQL Server instance, see How to Install Configuration Manager Using a Clustered SQL Server Instance.
|
Note |
|
The only SQL service required to host the Configuration Manager site database is the SQL database service. |
This role is assigned during Configuration Manager 2007 primary site installation.
|
SMS Provider
|
The SMS Provider is the interface between the
Configuration Manager console and the site database. The SMS Provider
can be installed on the site server, the site database server (unless
the site database is hosted on a clustered SQL Server instance), or on
another computer. The SMS Provider can also be moved to another computer
after installation by running Setup again.
|
Note |
|
It is not supported for the SMS Provider for more than one site to be installed on the same computer. |
This role is assigned during Configuration Manager 2007 primary site installation.
 Important |
|
The SMS Provider must be installed on a computer with the same operating
system language as the site server's operating system language when a
site contains site servers or clients with different language operating
systems installed. |
For more information about the SMS Provider, see SMS Provider Overview. For more information about choosing where to install the SMS Provider, see Choose the SMS Provider Installation Location.
|
Management point
|
The management point is the primary point of contact
between Configuration Manager clients and the site server. Management
points can provide clients with installation prerequisites, client
installation files, configuration details, advertisements, and
distribution point locations. Additionally, management points receive
inventory data, software metering information, and status and state
messages from clients.
A Configuration Manager 2007 site can have only one
default management point that intranet-based clients will use to
communicate with the site server. When clients are managed on the
Internet, they do not locate a default management point but connect
directly to a specified management point that is configured to accept
connections over the Internet.
Multiple site systems hosting the management point site
server role can be configured with the Windows Network Load Balancing
(NLB) Service to provide high availability and can then be designated as
the default management point for the site.
This role can be assigned during Configuration Manager 2007 primary site installation or at any time after setup has completed.
|
Server locator point
|
The server locator point stores site information and
locates management points for Configuration Manager clients. The primary
purpose of the server locator point is to support client deployment.
Only one server locator point is required for a Configuration Manager
site hierarchy, and this site role is typically installed on the central
site server. The server locator point performs the following functions:
-
Provides client site assignment information when this information is not available in Active Directory Domain Services.
-
Locates a management point for clients if this information is not available in Active Directory Domain Services, DNS, or WINS.
This role can be assigned at any time after setup has completed.
|
Note |
|
By default, server locator points are not automatically registered in
WINS. If the Active Directory schema has not been extended for
Configuration Manager, you must manually add the server locator point
information into WINS. For more information about registering server
locator points in WINS, see How to Manually Add Configuration Manager Site Information to WINS. |
|
Reporting point
|
A reporting point is a site server that hosts the
site's reporting Web site. A reporting point obtains report information
from its Configuration Manager 2007 site database server. Before you can
begin using reports in Configuration Manager, you must enable one or
more of your site systems as a reporting point.
This role can be assigned at any time after setup has completed.
|
Fallback status point
|
A fallback status point is an optional site system role
that receives state messages from Configuration Manager 2007 client
computers. State messages are primarily sent to a fallback status point
when a client installation or site assignment failure has occurred but
are also sent when the client initially installs or assigns to the
Configuration Manager 2007 site. The fallback status point also receives
state messages from clients when they fail to communicate with their
assigned management point. State messages received by the fallback
status point are forwarded to the site server and can be reviewed by
running client deployment success and failure reports from the
Configuration Manager reporting point configured for the site.
The fallback status point site system role can be
assigned to multiple site systems within a Configuration Manager 2007
site; however, both computer and mobile device client computers will
send state messages only to their assigned fallback status point. For
more information about the fallback status point, see About the Fallback Status Point in Configuration Manager. For more information about assigning a fallback status point to client computers, see How to Assign the Fallback Status Point to Configuration Manager Client Computers.
|
Feature-Specific Site System Roles
In addition to the basic site system roles, some site system
roles are required only when specific Configuration Manager features are
used.
Device Management
|
Site System
|
Description
|
Device management point
|
The device management point is the primary point of
contact between Configuration Manager 2007 mobile device clients and the
site server. Device management points provide mobile device clients
with policy. Additionally, device management points receive inventory
data, software metering information, and status and state messages from
clients.
Mobile device clients are configured with their
device management point during installation. Administrators can
configure the mobile device client to allow users to change the device
management point. For more information about how to enable device
management points, see How to Enable a Mobile Device Management Point.
|
For more information about the device management feature, see
Mobile Device Management in Configuration Manager.
Network Access Protection for Configuration Manager
|
Site System
|
Description
|
System Health Validator point
|
This site system must be installed in sites where you
have a Windows Network Policy Server installed and configured with
policies for Network Access Protection to enforce compliance with
software updates.
|
For more information about Network Access Protection for Configuration Manager, see
Network Access Protection in Configuration Manager.
Operating System Deployment
|
Site System
|
Description
|
State Migration Point
|
The state migration point (SMP) is a Configuration
Manager 2007 site role that provides a secure location to store user
state information before an operating system deployment. You can store
the user state on the SMP while the operating system deployment proceeds
and then restore the user state to the new computer from the SMP. Each
SMP site server can only be a member of one Configuration Manager 2007
site.
|
PXE Service Point
|
This site system must be installed to initiate the
operating system deployment process for PXE deployments. The PXE service
point must be configured to respond to PXE boot requests made by
Configuration Manager 2007 clients on the network and then interact with
Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure to determine the appropriate
deployment actions to take.
|
For more information about the Operating System Deployment feature, see
Operating System Deployment in Configuration Manager.
Software Distribution
|
Site System
|
Description
|
Distribution point
|
A site system that stores package source files
received from a site server performs the distribution point role. Client
computers contact distribution points to obtain programs and files
after they have received software distribution advertisements. A
distribution point can be a Windows Server or a Windows Server share. If
you plan to provide a large number of packages to a site's client
computers, consider assigning this role to one or more computers other
than the site server.
Server distribution point site systems can be
BITS-enabled to allow Configuration Manager 2007 clients to throttle
network usage during package downloads. To install a BITS-enabled
distribution point, IIS must first be installed on the site system
computer and BITS-enabled in IIS.
|
Note |
|
It is not supported for the same computer to be assigned the
distribution point site system role for more than one Configuration
Manager 2007 site. |
This role can be assigned at any time after Configuration Manager Setup has completed.
|
Note |
|
A distribution point site system role is automatically created during
primary or secondary site setup. To install a site without a
distribution point site system role, you can use a scripted installation
method and specify the DistributionPoint=0 parameter. |
Mobile device clients contact distribution points to
obtain programs and files after they have received policy indicating
content is available.
For more information about enabling distribution point support of mobile devices, see How to Enable Distribution Points to Support Mobile Devices
|
Branch distribution point
|
The branch distribution point site system role allows
smaller or distributed offices to host a distribution point on an
existing client computer without requiring a secondary site to be set
up. Branch distribution points provide an option for efficient package
distribution to a small office with limited bandwidth. Branch
distribution points function like standard distribution points, but can
be installed on workstation-class computers and usually have a very
limited number of client computers (often 10 or less).
|
For more information about the software distribution feature, see
Software Distribution in Configuration Manager.
Software Updates
|
Site System
|
Description
|
Software update point
|
The software update point site system role is created
on a server that has Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0
installed. The software update point is required before software updates
can be synchronized, assessed for compliance on clients, and deployed.
There can be multiple site system servers with the software update point
site system role, but only one site system server can be configured as
the active software update point. When the site is in native mode, an
additional active Internet-based software update point can be assigned
to a remote site system server that allows communication from only
Internet-based client computers.
This role can be assigned at any time after
Configuration Manager Setup has completed. For more information about
planning for and configuring the software update point, see Planning for the Software Update Point Installation.
|
For more information about the Software Updates feature, see
Software Updates in Configuration Manager.
Out of Band Management
|
Site System
|
Description
|
Out of band service point
|
Applies only to Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and later.
A site system role that discovers, provisions, and
manages desktop computers that have management controllers (such as
AMT-based computers). This site system role works in concert with the
out of band management component.
This role can be assigned at any time after
Configuration Manager Setup has completed. For more information about
planning for and configuring the out of band service point, see the
following topics:
|
For more information about the out of band management feature, see
Out of Band Management in Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and Later.
Asset Intelligence
| Site System |
Description |
Asset Intelligence synchronization point
|
Applies only to Configuration Manager 2007 SP1.
Using this site system role, Microsoft Software
Assurance license customers can request on-demand Asset Intelligence
catalog synchronization with System Center Online or schedule automatic
catalog synchronization to occur.
The Asset Intelligence synchronization point site
system role must be installed at the central site of a Configuration
Manager 2007 SP1 site hierarchy and on a computer in the same forest as
the central site server computer.
|
For more information about the Asset Intelligence synchronization point site system role, see
About the Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point.
SQL Reporting Services
| Site System |
Description |
Reporting services point
|
Applies only to Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
A site system role that is installed on a server
running Microsoft SQL Server with the Reporting Services component
installed. A reporting services point must be configured in order to use
SQL Reporting Services with Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
|
This role can be configured at any time after Configuration
Manager R2 setup has been completed. For more information about the
reporting services point site system role, see
How to Create a Reporting Services Point for SQL Reporting Services.
No comments:
Post a Comment