Client Installation Process Flow

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Suppose Windows Networking Logon Discovery and Windows Networking Logon Client Installation are both enabled. When a user logs on to a logon point, the SMSls.bat script is executed. This script initiates a process that installs the discovery agent on the client, as illustrated in Figure 8-3.

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Figure 8-3. The client installation process.

The discovery agent generates a discovery data record (DDR) file and copies it to the logon point. The discovery agent checks the client's IP subnet address and subnet mask against the site assignment rules. If the client can be assigned to the site, the client is directed to connect to a CAP to begin the component installation process. If the client cannot be assigned to a site, the installation process stops.

NOTE
Client discovery does leave a footprint on the discovered computers. About 5 MB of data is copied to the client during discovery, including the discovery agent itself and the programs needed to complete installation when the client is assigned to an SMS site.

Each client installation process varies slightly, but all perform the same basic tasks:

  • Bootstrap
  • Discovery
  • Assignment
  • Installation

Because logon client installation is the most common installation method, as we'll see in the section "Installation Methods" later in this chapter, we will concentrate here on that process. Figure 8-4 outlines the logon client installation process in detail.

click to view at full size.

Figure 8-4. The installation process flow in more detail.

Client installation begins with the bootstrap phase. A 16-bit executable, SMSboot1.exe, is started. This application performs one task. It copies and starts the bootstrap program on the client—Boot32wn.exe for 32-bit clients or Boot16wn.exe for 16-bit clients.

The bootstrap program launches Clicore.exe. This program creates the MS\SMS\Core directory structure, copies and installs the discovery agent support files, and starts Cliex32.dll to begin the discovery phase of installation. Cliex32.dll generates a DDR file, saves it as SMSDisc.ddr in the client's MS\SMS\Core\Data folder, and copies it with a randomly generated filename to the SMSLogon\Ddr.box folder on the logon point.

The assignment phase is next. Cliex32.dll checks the client's IP subnet address and subnet mask against the site assignment rules, stored in Netconf.ncf in the SMSLogon\Sites\sitecode folder. If the client can be assigned to the site, the client is directed to connect to a CAP to begin the component installation process. The site assignment for the client is recorded in the WN_Logon.log in the MS\SMS Logs folder on the client.

As the installation phase begins, the bootstrap program writes the list of CAPs (Caplist.ini) found in the SMSLogon\Sites\sitecode folder on the logon point to the client's registry. It then starts Clicore.exe again to copy base SMS client files and to load and start Client Component Installation Manager (CCIM). CCIM builds the rest of the MS\SMS folder structure and copies the SMS client components to the client. CCIM will subsequently wake up every 23 hours to connect to a CAP and update the client with any changes to the configuration that have been made, including the removal of client components.

After the client has been installed, CCIM generates status messages and writes them to the CAP_site\Statmsgs.box folder on the CAP. Inbox Manager Assistant then moves the status messages to Status Message Manager's inbox (SMS\Inboxes\Statmgr.box) on the site server.

NOTE
The installation process for 16-bit clients is remarkably similar to that for 32-bit clients. The main difference is that 16-bit versions of the bootstrap, client installation, discovery agent, and CCIM programs are used. These versions are named Bootwn16.exe, Clicor16.exe, Cliex16.dll, and CCIM16.exe.



Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Administrator's Companion
Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Administrators Companion (IT-Administrators Companion)
ISBN: 0735608342
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 1999
Pages: 167

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