Re: Newbie and SMS2003
- From: "Greg Ramsey" <ramseyg@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 00:23:54 GMT
No -- doesn't need to be .msi -- can be .exe, .cmd, .bat, etc.
MSI packagers for non-MSI -- IMHO that's a preference thing -- I prefer to
repackage as little as possible. Any time you repackge, you run the risk of
omitting something that's needed, or adding something extraneous. . . . I
always repackage as a last resort. If you have a very solid standard build
process, repackaging can be a lot more successful than if you have multi-OS,
multi-build processes.
The .sms (and .pdf) package files are nice, but you won't find them for most
things you want to install. One nice feature of SMS 2003 is that if you're
deploying a .msi you can do a Right-Click on Package | New | Package From
Definition , and browse to the .msi, and it will create unattended and
attended installations. However, I usually tweak the command lines for .msi
installations too.
The Scenarios and Procedures guide (from MS) is also good. And the SMS
Administrator's Companion by Steve Kaczmarek (check amazon.com or
a1books.com) is a nice reference. It has a little bit of all the MS
documentation in it, and a bit more too.
SMS is a powerful (and complex) product, but the rewards can be great!
Greg
"Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E15A125C-BB05-4FB7-8FB7-337B1637CCD0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Steve,
>
> Thanks for those links, following reading your reply I happened to stumble
> across TechNet's VirtualLabs. Have done 2 of their SMS labs and I feel
> much
> more confident about how to install a working SMS server now - that's not
> to
> say your links weren't helpful but sometimes having to following basic
> instruction and do something yourself helps more than reading mountains of
> technical manuals and whitepapers - it's how I learnt about AD to
> successfully implement that. I got a test-server, did a few 'example
> do-this'
> sort of guides and just played with it really.
> I used the technical stuff when I wasn't familiar with something or wasn't
> sure how to do something complex.
>
> That all said - I'm curious about software deployment with SMS - does the
> piece of software you want to install HAVE to be an MSI? Is it better if
> it
> is an MSI?
> Would you recommend me looking at MSI packagers for any non-MSI software?
>
> I ask because various posts refer to installing software using MSIs which
> is
> a good way of doing it but we have lots of software that is not MSI
> format -
> how would I install them (as an example - winzip 7)?.
>
> Also (thanks to the VirtualLab), I've found out something above SMS
> package
> files, these files appear to define how a package is built and how it
> should
> be installed, what would I do if software I bought didn't have this? Could
> I
> easily build my own or am I getting confused somewhere?
>
> Thanking you in advance.
>
> "Steve Thompson" wrote:
>
>> "Arkane" <Arkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:0AF246AF-FCA6-468B-8258-C68D6E3F571E@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Quick question - I'm going to be performing an implementation of
>> > SMS2003
>> on
>> > our school network. All clients are Windows 2000/XP, all servers are
>> Windows
>> > 2000 and DCs are Windows 2003. We don't plan/nor intend to support any
>> > 'legacy' systems such as Windows 9x/NT.
>>
>> Sounds good so far!
>>
>> > Does anyone know of any good places to start in terms of documentation,
>> > hints/tips etc.. with the install of SMS? I'm familiar with how AD
>> > works
>> if
>> > that's any help (which I doubt). I'd rather go through documentation
>> > and
>> at
>> > least have some idea of what I'm getting myself into BEFORE I start,
>> rather
>> > than get it installed/setup and then realise I made a huge mistake at
>> > the
>> > start or something.
>>
>> Here are some links to get you going:
>> SMS 2003 home page
>> http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/default.asp
>>
>> Scenarios and Procedures for Systems Management Server 2003: Planning and
>> Deployment
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=E0644BB4-2336-4254-8A18-9BC180713F7E&displaylang=en
>>
>> Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=784838B3-34E0-4122-B3E2-17C5B4EEF8F4&displaylang=en
>>
>> www.myitforum.com
>>
>> Steve
>>
>>
>>
.
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