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SMS vs ActiveDirectory


3 replies to this topic

InstallDev

InstallDev
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Posted 03 December 2004 - 19:13

Hi all,
What is the difference between deploying an msi package through Active Directory or through SMS. We created an msi package and we test it with active directory. It is working fine. We are wondering if it will work with SMS. I don't understand Why would people use SMS if they have Active directory.

Any comments would be appriciate it because for sure it will help me understanding the difference between the two....
Thank you

Bogdan Iosif

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Posted 12 December 2004 - 10:10

Active Directory and SMS offer a method of installation that is called sometimes "push" because the server has complete control over the package that is installed on it's clients.

Unlike AD, SMS also gives you control over "how" it's installed. You have central control over clients at all times, you can push a package anytime not just when the user performs a login or when the computer is restarted.

Also unlike AD, you can push packages other than MSI and it works with Windows 9x.

SMS offers the capability to inventory the hardware and software that each client has and display this information in a central location. You can find out quickly and precisely answers to questions like "If I install AppX on 3000 computers and the app requires 200Mb HDD and 256Mb RAM what clients don't have the necessary minimum reqs and which ones will be dragging behind because the min requirements are not acomplished when cumulated with other installed apps."

SMS can be aware of mobile devices and it can take care of these being updated in hotspots, etc. etc.

It is a very complex and powerfull tool, destined for large (100+), highly heterogen, networks.

At some time in the future it's capabilities will be merged into Active Directory and Windows Server but there still is a long way to that.

InstallDev

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Posted 13 December 2004 - 23:17

Hi,
Thank you very much for your great explanation....
I was wondering if there is any advantage of using the Active Directory over the SMS. Is there anything we can do only with Active directory and not with SMS? For example, I know that we can deploy software to systems where people don't have admin rights using active directory through advertising. Can we still do advertising using SMS???
Many thanks

InstallDev

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Posted 07 January 2005 - 19:27

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