Overview

This chapter summarizes some of the security-related issues we've looked at in earlier chapters, such as Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) standard and advanced security and the use of Microsoft Windows accounts, and introduces a few new topics. We'll begin with an overview of the NTFS security SMS itself places on various directories. Then we'll review the differences between standard and advanced security modes in SMS and the use of internal and manually created SMS accounts and group accounts. You'll also learn how to set permissions on SMS objects through the SMS Administrator Console and how to create a custom SMS Administrator Console that incorporates SMS object security.

SMS builds several levels of security into its overall security model. You can choose to install standard security mode, which is basically the same security model used in SMS 2.0, or the advanced security mode. This security mode relies primarily on the use of internal and system accounts to carry out site- related and client-related tasks, such as running packages. SMS uses Windows security-NTFS and share permissions-to protect SMS-related folders and files on SMS servers. The SMS Provider and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) security are established, including access control over SMS objects, in the SMS Administrator Console. You can apply this level of security at the class or instance level, as we'll see in the section entitled 'Permissions and Security Objects' later in this chapter. Finally, security is enforced at the SQL Server level through the use of integrated or standard security, as discussed in Chapter 2, 'Primary Site Installation.'

More Info

This chapter is intended to provide you with information about the most common aspects of SMS security, especially those areas of security that you're most likely to be involved with in a smaller organization. A far more complete and detailed treatment of SMS security can be found in Chapters 5 and 12 of the Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Concepts, Planning, and Deployment Guide, available on the SMS 2003 CD, through Microsoft TechNet, and as a print book orderable through the microsoft SMS Web site (http://microsoft.com/smserver/downloads).