SMS Tutorials :: SMS Package Creation

SMS Packages are groups of installation files for a given application that are copied to an SMS Distribution Point and made available to SMS Administrators for installation on their managed machines.  In the SMS console, the location of the program files, what command-line switches are used and the behavior of the installation are defined, among other things.

Creating SMS Packages

Installation files preparation

To create a package for SMS Distribution, you must obtain the installation files for a program and copy them to a network share so that SMS may upload them to its distribution point.  When you define your package in SMS, you will include the network path to these files.  On the share where your installation files are, you will need to grant access to:

1. The machine account of the SMS server in Active Directory (ITSNT129.iowa.uiowa.edu for the production server and ITSNT164.iowa-test.ad-test.uiowa.edu for the test domain server).

2. The Active Directory account for package installation must be given Modify rights. (Iowa\SMSNETX_UI1 for the production side and Iowa-test\SMSNETX_UI2 for the Test domain).

NOTE:  This network share is not the SMS Distribution Point but merely a network share from which the SMS server copies the installation files to the SMS distribution point.

Components of a Package

In each packages there are three components:

1. Access Accounts - These are the Active Directory accounts used in the distribution of the packages.  You will not have to change these

2. Distribution Points - You will need to define a distribution point from which the installation files will be downloaded.  There is only one distribution point set up for each SMS site (UI1 and UI2) and they reside on the respective SMS Servers, ITSNT129 and ITSNT164.

3. Programs - This is where most of the actual installation configuration is defined for a package including which operating systems the package should run on, what command-line switches are used and whether a user needs to be logged on or not for the package to run. 

Note:  Multiple programs can be defined for a single package.    For example, one program can be created that installs an application silently and another to provide an interactive installation that the user can see.  When distributing such a package, you will then have the choice of an interactive or silent installation when advertising it.

Steps to define a package

First, you will need to define the general preferences for a package.

1. In the SMS Console, right-click Packages and select  New | Package. 
    

2. The following window will appear.  Type the name of the package starting with the name of your department, a space, a dash and another space in order to keep your packages distinguishable from others' packages.  Click on the Data Source tab.
   
   
    

3. On the Data Source tab, you will define where SMS will find the installation files.  Click in the checkbox next to "This package contains source files".  Click the Set button and the window in the next step will appear.
   
   
    

4. The Source Directory should be a Network path.  Type the UNC path to the folder that contain the source files.  Click OK and OK again in the Package Properties window.  The package will now be created.  This may take a minute or two.
   
   

Defining the Access Accounts for the Package

Click the plus sign next to the name of your newly created package.  Under the package name will be Access Accounts, Distribution Points and Programs.

The Access Accounts node lists the permissions that SMS will assign to the package.  By default, the Administrators group is given Full Control access and the Users group is given Read access.  These permissions should be fine and shouldn't need to be changed.

 

Defining the Distribution Point for your Package

Both the UI1 and UI2 SMS sites operate from a single distribution point for each.  The distribution points reside on the respective SMS server.  However, the distribution point must still be defined according to the instructions below.

1. Under the name of your package, right click Distribution Points and select New | Distribution Point.  The following window will appear, click Next.
   
   
    

2. Select the checkbox next to the distribution point as shown below and click Finish.

Defining the Program Properties for your package

In the Program Properties is where the behavior of the package is defined when it runs on a managed machine.

1. The name of the Program should include the product name, version and whether it is silent or interactive.  The comment field is optional but it is generally considered good practice to include a description of what the program does, especially is there are any specific unique characteristics about the program. 
   
   The Command line field is the most important part of the package.  It should be typed as though you are running the installation from a DOS prompt or batch file within the folder that contains the source files for the application.  The installation program may be a batch file, executable (.exe) or Windows Installer file (.msi).  You should find out what command-line switches are used for that particular installation program in order to accomplish what you need it to do.  For example, to make an installation program install silently (i.e. with no interaction from the user) you would often use the /s switch.  However for some applications, you would use the /qn switch.  You should be able to find the specific switches in the product documentation or on the manufacturer's website.
   
   Click on the Requirements tab for the next step.
   
   
   
    

2. On the Requirements tab, you can define requirements that the system must meet before the package is run.  Most importantly, you can define which operating systems the machine must be running before the program is run.  This isn't usually an issue since we only support Advanced SMS clients that only run on windows 2000/XP, which generally support the same version of an application. 
   
   Hypothetically, if there was an application that used a different installer for Windows 2000 and Windows XP, you would need to create separate programs to install each. 
   
   
   
   
    

3. On the Environment tab, you define whether the installation program runs.  The options are to have it run when a user is logged on, when a user is NOT logged on or whether or not a user is logged on.  In most cases, programs are made to run whether or not a user is logged on.  The other options may generally be left as default.
   
   
   
    

4. You won't generally need to do anything on this tab.  One situation where you would is when you wanted to run another program first.  For example, when installing Symantec AntiVirus, it may be beneficial to run a script that checks for other antivirus software running on the machine before installing Symantec AntiVirus 9.  In this case, you would create a separate program and instruct this program to run it first before installing.  The program that you are running first may be part of a different package.
   
   This should be all that is needed to define your package.  Click OK to finish creating the package.

Continue to Creating SMS Advertisements... >>>