Applies To
Express Software Manager version 4.x and higher
Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2 (Service Pack 3)
Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0

Summary
This technical note describes how to install Express Software Manager in an environment that uses Microsoft's Systems Management Server (SMS). It also describes the Express data that can be viewed in SMS Administrator.

Installing Express Software Manager
Installing Express Software Manager in an environment managed by Microsoft's SMS is similar to installing in a non-SMS environment. As with a typical installation, there are three tasks:

1. Install Express Console on an administrator's workstation, following the instructions in the Express documentation.

2. Create an Express library on a server, following the instructions in the Express documentation for Creating an Application Library. Note: In an SMS environment, Express libraries should not be installed on the SMS site server or on the SMS login servers because of conflicts with opportunistic file locking (Oplock). For more information about Express and file locking, see Technical Note 1316.

3. Deploy the Express Client to users' workstations using an SMS package, as described below.

Note: You can also deploy the Express Client using a login script or using the Express Client Install Manager service, a component of Express Enterprise Services. These options are described in your Express documentation.

1. Verify that the Clients folder exists in the Express library on the SMS server.

2. Create an SMS package with the following information, depending on whether users are running the SMS Package Command Manager (PCM) as a Windows NT service or as an application:

• Source Directory

  UNC path name for the Clients folder in the Express library on the SMS server

• Command Line (when PCM is running as a service)

Exinst.exe -Q

• Command Line (when PCM is running as an application)

Exinst.exe

Note: If PCM is running as a service, users must be logged in with administrative rights. When you create the SMS package, be sure to use the -Q switch for unattended installation.

For instructions on creating a package, refer to your SMS documentation. See your Express documentation for a list of other Exinst.exe command line switches.

3. Create and run an SMS job for the package you created in step 2. For instructions on creating and running an SMS job, refer to your SMS documentation.

4. Once the job has run on all workstations, instruct users to restart their PCs, if necessary, based on the rules below.

• If you are installing Express for the first time (rather than upgrading) in a Windows NT-only environment, it is not necessary to restart the workstations. The Express Client will run as soon as it is installed.

• If you are upgrading from Express Meter version 3.6 or earlier, users must restart their workstations to activate the Express Client.

• Windows for Workgroup workstations must restart to activate the Express Client.

• Windows 3.x workstations must be restarted twice to activate the Express Client.

Note: If PCM is running as an application, a message will appear telling users to restart their workstation, if necessary.

An administrator can view the MIF data in SMS Administrator by double-clicking the name of the client machine in the Machine Properties window. The data gathered from the MIF file includes:

Express Client name
Client version
Path to the Express library
Total number of scanned files
BIOS date
Results of the Year 2000 BIOS test
Date the MIF file was created

Viewing Data Gathered by the Express Client
Data gathered by the Express Client can be exported to an ODBC-compliant database and viewed using Express Reports for Microsoft SQL Server. Express Reports for Microsoft SQL Server is a component of the Express Software Manager Resource Toolkit, which is included with Express Software Manager version 4.5 and higher. For more information on exporting data and using Express Reports for Microsoft SQL Server, see your Express documentation.

Related Technical Notes

1316	Express Meter and Windows NT Server File Locking
9989	Express Software Manager Technical Notes