Can SMS be used in a non-domain environment?

[glenross21]

Hi

I wonder if there are any SMS experts out there that might be able to answer a quick question for me??

It’s a simple one; at least I think it is.

I have moved into a role working on a network that requires me to update a piece of software on all our client machines.

The clients all run NT4, SP6a but are all linked as peers i.e. there is not domain and no central server/administration.

My question. Can I use SMS on a network like this to distribute software updates etc? Or am I confined to emailing batch files produced by packaging software such as WinBatch?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[whompem]

You must have a domain at the very least for your SMS servers (you can't even install SMS unless you are a member of a domain).

 

[crobin1]

I just heard from an MS consultant yesterday that the next version of SMS might allow this. Until then, no.

 

[Jpoandl]

This is a pretty common question. It is true that in order for an SMS server to be installed, it must belong to a domain.

However, it is very easy to create links into non-trusted or isolated workgroups (even stand alone machines.) As you result, you can manage systems in foriegn domains/workgroups.

The key to this is security. Admin of the workgroups, stand along machines, remote domains must give you administrative privledges for SMS to work.

A common practice for this type of situation is to create a new admin account in each environment specifically for SMS. Then you configure the SMS site for this user name and password.

This works really well... You can even create a new domain just for you SMS server. Then create the proper security to manage remote systems.

-hope this helps..

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

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