Professional MOM 2005, SMS 2003 and Microsoft Update provides a single source for IT administrators to understand how these systems and operations management technologies can be used in their environments. It also serves as a comparative tool that helps readers understand which tool is right for which job.

It is designed and written for anyone who is involved with implementing, supporting, or managing a set of tools for systems and operations management, including IT operators, IT administrators, IT infrastructure managers and system architects. The readers that have some background in systems and operations management will probably get the most of this book, however no specific level of skill or knowledge is assumed. The writing is aimed at readers who have a basic understanding of IT infrastructure on the Windows platform and have familiarity with Windows XP (and earlier) client deployments and Windows Server technologies.

Some of the topics covered include:

• basics of operations management
• how the MOM 2005, SMS 2003 and other update technologies fit together
• installing and deploying MOM
• installing and deploying SMS
• installing and deploying MU and WSUS
• configuring and administering the MOM environment with MOM and alert tuning
• MOM and SMS agents
• Deploying and using MOM management packs
• Third party management packs
• Security and patching with MOM and SMS
• Monitoring and security MOM and SMS deployments
• MOM and SMS reporting
• Microsoft System Center Solutions

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

For enterprises from small businesses to the largest corporations, Microsoft has built a well-integrated set of monitoring and systems management solutions that can provide a comprehensive approach to automating IT operations. This book explains the practical implementation and best practices of a Microsoft environment using this core set of tools-Microsoft® Operations Manager (MOM 2005), Systems Management Server (SMS 2003), and Windows® System Update Services (WSUS)-and goes beyond the basics to show the best methods for keeping your system patched, secure, and up to date.

The author team of experts explains how MOM 2005, SMS 2003, and WSUS can help make your operations and systems management tasks easier. They also offer you an informative look at what you can expect from Microsoft in the future.

What you will learn from this book

• Installation and deployment procedures of MOM, SMS, WSUS, and Microsoft Update
• How to get the most out of the operations monitoring tools
• The agent technologies that allow MOM and SMS to work in your environment
• How to implement product-specific MOM management packs, including third-party management packs and product connectors
• The security and patching features that are supported by MOM and SMS
• The reporting capabilities of MOM and SMS and how to customize them for your environment

Who this book is for

This book is for IT professionals who manage PCs and servers on the Microsoft platform and need to keep their software up to date and properly configured.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working technologists to meet the real-world needs of IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help IT professionals do a better job.

Randy Holloway works for Microsoft Corporation as a technology specialist in the US Central Region. Prior to joining Microsoft, Randy worked in various software development and technology architecture roles; he has written a number of articles on software and systems development on the Microsoft platform. His blog is located at http://randyh.wordpress.com.

Telmo Sampaio is an IT consultant and trainer with 14 years of experience dealing with Microsoft, IBM, and Symantec technologies. He has worked for companies such as Microsoft and IBM. Telmo has been involved in medium to large network infrastructure projects, security audits, database implementations, and application development. Telmo works as a Senior Technical Training Consultant for Signal Learning in Indiana. In his spare time, he plays Xbox and reads with his kids.

Marcus Oh, a senior administrator and architect, has been leading initiatives in systems management technologies for a private telecommunications company since 1999. He is a columnist for myITforum.com and has had articles published in TechTarget newsletters as well as the book Windows Server Hacks. Marcus has been recognized by Microsoft with the Most Valuable Professional award in Windows Server Management since 2004. To get a glimpse of Marcus's latest reflections, visit his blog at http://marcusoh.blogspot.com.

Russ Kaufmann, MCSE+I, MCT, and MVP, is a consultant, speaker, trainer, technical editor, and author. He has been working in IT for more than 15 years and has worked with both small clients and large clients spanning multiple countries. He specializes in Microsoft server products with special emphasis placed on Exchange, IIS, SharePoint Portal Server, and, of course, MOM. He currently works for Infocrossing, an infrastructure outsourcing company, in their Broomfield, Colorado, office.

Derek Comingore is the software development manager for Hosting.com. He holds the MCAD/MCDBA Microsoft certifications, the Carnegie Mellon Personal Software Process (PSP) credential, and an AAS/BS in Computer Information Systems. In addition to his role for Hosting.com, Derek enjoys writing articles for Hosting.com's newsletter and has written his first article for MSDN (soon to be published) on leveraging SQL Server 2005 Service Broker to obtain real-time ETL. He is also starting up a new SQL Server community, www.sqlserver360.org, which promises to deliver a rich and rewarding experience for the SQL Server professional.