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Checkpoints

If you’ve been reading carefully and experimenting with Remote Tools as we go along, you should already be aware of the most frequent problem areas. Let’s recap the main “gotchas.”

Configuring the Client as an SMS Client

Remember that in SMS 2003, unlike earlier versions of SMS, the SMS client isn’t required to collect any kind of inventory to the SMS site database. Nevertheless, the client does have to be discovered and installed as an SMS Legacy or Advanced Client.

Using NetBIOS Names for Session Communication

All the remote tasks you can perform have been enhanced or rewritten in SMS 2003. However, one fact remains the same as in earlier versions of SMS: Remote Tools sessions are still NetBIOS-based. This means that SMS will require a NetBIOS name resolution server such as WINS or DNS to successfully initiate the session, particularly for any SMS 2.0 clients that you need to support.

Remote Control Protocol

The SMS Administrator Console computer and the client computer must share a common protocol. If all clients are SMS 2003 clients, all clients will be using TCP/IP. However, down-level clients (SMS 2.0 clients) can still use IPX and NetBEUI. You must ensure that these down-level clients “listen” for connection attempts using TCP/IP.

Reconfiguring the Client Agent

Normally, if you make a change to any client agent setting, that change is propagated to the client at its next maintenance cycle. This is true for most Remote Tools settings. However, changes to settings made in the Advanced tab in the Remote Tools Client Agent Properties window after the client agent has been installed on the client will propagate only to new clients.

To update existing clients, you need to either uninstall and then reinstall Remote Tools from all the clients, run the Repair Installation procedure through the Systems Management program in Control Panel on each client (called Repair on Advanced Clients), or create an SMS package to force an update of the client agent settings. The SMS package program should contain the command line %Windir%\MS\SMS\Clicomp\Remctrl\Rchwcfg.exe with the command option Install.



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