Express Administrative Console—The primary user interface for configuring and using Express Software Manager. You can also use the Administrative Console to install the Express Client on client workstations.

System administrator’s workstation, and on any workstations where you plan to allow other administrators to have full or limited permissions. (See the online Help that accompanies the Administrative Console for information on user policies if you plan to have multiple administrators.)

Express Reports Web Site—A Web site that presents Express Software Manager data in reports you can view, filter, and save.

A Windows 2003 Server or above running Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 6.0 or above. (Note: For evaluation purposes, the Express Reports Web Site may be installed on a workstation running Windows XP or above.)

Express Reports Console—A collection of reports. The Reports Console accesses the Express Reports Web Site (above) in order to present that information.

The Express Reports Console is not an installed component; it is presented within a web browser running Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0  or above, or Firefox 3.0 or above.

Express Server—A collection of server-resident components that sits between the administrative workstation component and the data store. These components provide the management functionality presented in the Administrative Console.

Recommended locations (in order of preference) are: the system administrator's workstation where Express Administrative Console is installed, the server where you are installing the Express Database, or on a non-database server.

Express Database—The Express data store that holds inventory and usage data from client workstations, and stores its data in a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE), or above, format. Reports are generated from the data in the Express Database.

A Windows 2003 Server or above running Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or above  (including Express editions). SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is provided with the product and can be installed on a workstation running Windows XP or above for smaller implementations or for evaluation purposes.

Express Access Point—A conduit that facilitates communications between the client machines and the Express Database. The access point is a Web service that runs under Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS).

A Windows 2003 Server or above running Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 6.0 or above. (Note: For evaluation purposes, the Express Access Point may be installed on a workstation running Windows XP or above.)

Express Client—The software that gathers inventory and software usage data from client machines. The clients pass this data to the Express Access Point, which writes the data to the Express Database.

Any Windows workstation or server running Windows 2000 or above.