Yes, you can configure the fequency of HARDWARE scans through the SMS administrator MMC. This is under Site Settings. In my environment, I use a one time a week schedule.
I believe the client will scan hardware based on the time the client installation occurred. For example, if the SMS client software was installed Monday at 1:35pm (and the site setting for hardware scans were set to once a week.), the client would scan every Monday at 1:35pm. If a client installed on a Wednesday at 8:23am, every Wednesday at 8:23am the local client inventory scan will take place.
In this way, your network traffic caused by inventory reporting will be distributed based on client installation.
This is true for both HARDWARE and SOFTWARE scanning....although the fequency of scanning can be configured individually.
(After changing the inventory fequency, how long did you wait for the client to "see" the schedule change?) Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000