SMS Installer running installs from different servers.

[smsdude]

I have several installs, that have been copied out to mutiple servers. One install needs to call several other installs. Is there a easy way for SMSInstaller to call the other installs, without hardcoding the server name. And having a install that varies per server.

 

[Schoenberg]

Once you identify what the relationship is between (1.) the machines that are running the install and (2.) the server you want it to be run from, then you're almost home.

For instance, if you have a server per company department, then you would have to use a unique identifier (like a "file name" or a "machine name" or a "workgroup" or even the user's "Group Membership" or on large networks, IP address) for those machines in "Accounting". Then you would write an SMS Installer script that uses the appropriate command for how you choose to identify the machine (InGroup, ipaddr, etc.). This command would then run the code from it's assigned server based on the criteria.

Alternatively, if the relationship is strictly for level loading your installation servers, then you should be using SMS's inherent level loading features of the Distribution Point role.

No matter what, SMS Installer has very many features to variablize server loactions for software distribution. That's one of it's primary purposes as a tool.