Chapter 13 -- Microsoft Systems Management Server Installer 2.0

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Chapter 13

As we saw in Chapter 12, SMS 2.0's package distribution function is primarily a delivery tool. It is ultimately the SMS administrator's responsibility to create the package, including all scripts and information files, and to test the veracity of the package. Thus the ability to create scripts and somehow bundle the package to ease the installation becomes an integral part of the package distribution process for many organizations and administrators.

For software applications that need to be installed on client computers, the most sought after characteristic of the script is that it be fully unattended—in other words, you don't want the user to have any interaction with the installation process. This separation ensures a standard installation and minimizes questions and confusion on the part of the user. SMS 2.0, of course, does not offer this kind of functionality natively. Installation is not the responsibility of the SMS package distribution process. Remember our package delivery example in Chapter 12. Package delivery services such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service are entrusted with getting your package to its destination, but not with the assembly of its contents—the same holds true for SMS.

Fortunately, several third-party applications are available whose main function is to create package bundles. The Sysdiff utility in Windows NT, for example, essentially takes before and after snapshots of a system in order to bundle application installation with operating system installation. Microsoft provides a package scripting utility for SMS called SMS Installer.

NOTE

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The SMS 2.0 CD includes SMS Installer 2.0, an upgrade to the earlier version of this utility. Throughout this chapter, when we refer to SMS Installer we are referring to SMS Installer 2.0

In this chapter, we'll look first at SMS Installer and its initial installation; then we'll explore the software repackaging process. Next we'll focus on modifying installation scripts using the Installation Expert and Script Editor. Finally, we will explore rolling back and uninstalling a scripted installation and look at some of the updates to SMS Installer.