Configuration Manager 2012 uses site system roles to support operations at each site. Computers that host the Configuration Manager site are named site servers and computers that host the other site system roles are named site system servers. The site server is also a site system server.
Site system servers within the same site communicate with each other by using server message block (SMB), HTTP, or HTTPS, depending on the site configuration choices that you make. Because these communications are unmanaged, and can occur at any time without network bandwidth control, consider the available network bandwidth when you install site system servers and configure site system roles.
At each site, you can install available site system roles on the site server or install one or more site system roles to another site system server. Configuration Manager does not limit the number of site system roles that you can run on a single site system server. However, Configuration Manager 2012 does not support site system roles from different sites on the same site system server. Additionally, Configuration Manager supports some site system roles only at specific sites in a hierarchy, and some site system roles have other limitations as to where and when you can install them.
Use the following topics to help you plan for site systems.
- Site System
Roles in Configuration Manager 2012
- Planning Where to Install Sites
System Roles in the Hierarchy
Site System Roles in Configuration Manager 2012
By default, when you install a site, several site system roles automatically install on the servers that you specify during Setup. After a site installs, you can install additional site system roles on those servers or on additional computers you decide to use as site system servers. The following sections identify the default site system roles and the optional site system roles that are available in Configuration Manager 2012.
Default Site System Roles
When you install a Configuration Manager 2012 site, several default site system roles are installed for the site. These site system roles are required for the core operation of each site and while certain default site system roles can be relocated to other servers, they cannot be removed from the site. Additionally, some default site system roles are installed on additional site system servers when you install optional site system roles.
The default site system roles are described in the following table:
| Site System Role | Description |
|---|---|
|
Configuration Manager site server |
The site server role is automatically installed on the server from which you run Configuration Manager 2012 Setup when installing a central administration site or primary site. When you install a secondary site, the site server role is installed on the server you specify to be the secondary site server. |
|
Configuration Manager site system |
Site systems are computers that provide Configuration Manager functionality to a site. Each site system hosts one or more site system roles. Most site system roles are optional and you only assign them if needed. Other site system roles are automatically assigned to a site system and cannot be configured. This role is assigned during Configuration Manager 2012 site installation or when you deploy an optional site system role to another server. |
|
Configuration Manager component site system role |
Any site system that runs the SMS Executive service also receives the component site system role. A component server can run only selected threads of the SMS Executive. This role is required to support other roles, such as a management point, and it is installed and removed with the other site system roles. This role is always assigned to the site server when you install Configuration Manager 2012. |
|
Configuration Manager site database server |
The site database server is a computer that runs a supported version of Microsoft SQL Server and it stores information for Configuration Manager 2012 sites, such as discovery data, hardware and software inventory data, and configuration and status information. Each site in the Configuration Manager 2012 hierarchy contains a site database and a server assigned the site database server role. You can install SQL Server on the site server, or you can reduce the site server's processing load by installing SQL Server on a computer other than the site server. Secondary sites can use SQL Server Express instead of a full SQL Server installation. The site database can be installed on the default instance or on a named instance on a single SQL Server computer. It can be installed on a named instance on a clustered SQL Server instance. Typically a site system server supports site systems roles from only a single Configuration Manager site; however you can use distinct instances on clustered or non-clustered SQL Servers to host the database from different Configuration Manager 2012 sites. To do so each instance must be configured to use distinct ports. This role is installed when you install Configuration Manager 2012. |
|
SMS Provider |
The SMS Provider is the interface between the Configuration Manager console and the site database. This role installs when you install a central administration site or primary site. Secondary sites do not install the SMS Provider. You can install the SMS Provider on the site server, the site database server (unless the site database is hosted on a clustered SQL Server instance), or on another computer. You can also move the SMS Provider to another computer after installation or install multiple SMS Providers on additional computers. To move or install additional SMS Providers for a site, run Configuration Manager Setup and select the option to Perform site maintenance or reset the Site, and then select Manage SMS Provider configuration. |
Optional Site System Roles
Optional site system roles are site system roles that are not required for core operation of a Configuration Manager 2012 site. However, the management point and distribution point which are optional site system roles, install by default on the site server when you install primary or secondary site. While these two site system roles are not required for the core operation of the site, you should maintain at least one of each to support clients at those locations. After installation of a site you can relocate the default instance of the management point or distribution point to another server, install additional instances of each site system role, and install other optional site system roles to meet your business requirements.
The optional site system roles are described in the following table:
| Site System Role | Description |
|---|---|
|
Application Catalog web service point |
An Application Catalog web service point provides software information to the Application Catalog website from the Software Library. |
|
Application Catalog website point |
An Application Catalog website point provides users with a list of available applications. |
|
Asset Intelligence synchronization point |
An Asset Intelligence synchronization point connects to System Center Online to download Asset Intelligence catalog information and upload custom catalog information. This site system role can only be installed on the central administration site or a standalone primary site. |
|
Distribution point |
A distribution point contains source files for clients to download. You can control content distribution by using bandwidth, throttling, and scheduling options. |
|
Fallback status point |
A fallback status point helps you monitor client installation and identify the clients that are unmanaged because they cannot communicate with their management point. |
|
Management point |
A management point provides policy and content location information to clients. It also receives configuration data from clients. You must install at least one management point at each primary site that will manage clients, and at each secondary site where you want to provide a local point of contact for clients to obtain machine and user polices. |
|
Mobile device and AMT enrolment point |
A mobile device and AMT enrolment point uses PKI certificates to complete mobile device enrollment and provision AMT-based computers. |
|
Mobile device enrollment proxy point |
A mobile device enrollment proxy point manages enrollment requests from mobile devices so that they can be managed by Configuration Manager. This role provides management of devices directly through Configuration Manager. To manage devices connected to Exchange Servers you must use an Exchange Server connector. |
|
Out of band service point |
An out of band service point provisions and configures AMT-based computers for out of band management. |
|
Reporting services point |
A reporting services point integrates with SQL Server Reporting Services to create and manage reports for Configuration Manager. |
|
Software update point |
A software update point integrates with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to provide software updates to Configuration Manager clients. |
|
State migration point |
A state migration point stores user state data when a computer is migrated to a new operating system. |
|
System Health Validator point |
A System Health Validator point validates Configuration Manager Network Access Protection (NAP) policies. It must be installed on a NAP health policy server. |
Planning Where to Install Sites System Roles in the Hierarchy
Before you deploy site system roles, identify the site types that can or cannot support specific site system roles, and how many instances of each site system role you can install at a site or across a hierarchy.
You can deploy some site system roles at only the top-level site in a hierarchy. A top-level site can be a central administration site of a multi-primary site hierarchy or a stand-alone primary site if your hierarchy consists of a single primary site with one or more secondary child sites.
Additionally, some site system roles support only a single instance per hierarchy. However, most site system roles support multiple instances across the hierarchy and at individual sites.
Site System Role Placement in the Hierarchy
Use the following table to identify the site system roles that you can install at each type of site in a Configuration Manager 2012 hierarchy, and whether the site system role provides functionality for its site only, or for the entire hierarchy.
| Site System Role | Central Administration Site | Child Primary Site | Standalone Primary Site | Secondary Site | Site Specific or Hierarchy wide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Application Catalog web service point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Hierarchy |
|
Application Catalog website point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Hierarchy |
|
Asset Intelligence synchronization point1 |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Hierarchy |
|
Distribution point2 |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Site |
|
Fallback status point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Hierarchy |
|
Management point2,4 |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Site |
|
Enrollment point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Site |
|
Enrollment proxy point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Site |
|
Out of band service point |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Site |
|
Reporting services point2 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Hierarchy |
|
Software update point3 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Site |
|
State migration point2 |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Site |
|
System Health Validator point2 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Hierarchy |
1 Configuration Manager supports only a single instance of this site system role in a hierarchy.
2 Configuration Manager supports multiple instances at each site, and at multiple sites in a hierarchy.
3 Configuration Manager supports only a single instance of this site system role per site, but multiple instances in a hierarchy.
4 This role is required to support clients in Configuration Manager. For more information about site system roles that you need to support clients in Configuration Manager 2012, see Determine the Site System Roles You Need for Clients in Configuration Manager 2012.
Considerations for Placement of Site System Roles
Use the following table to help you decide where to install the site system roles:
| Site System Role | Considerations | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Asset Intelligence synchronization point |
Configuration Manager 2012 supports a single instance of this site system role in a hierarchy and only at the top-level site in the hierarchy. |
||
|
Out of band service point |
Install this site system to support out of band management. In Configuration Manager 2012, this site system must be installed in a primary site that also contains the mobile device and AMT enrollment point. |
||
|
Software update point |
Install this site system in the central administration site to synchronize with Windows Software Update Services and in all primary sites that will use the Software Updates feature. Also consider installing a software update point in secondary sites when data transfer across the network is slow. |
||
|
State migration point |
Install this site system role in either a primary site or a secondary site. Consider installing a state migration point in secondary sites when data transfer across the network is slow. |
||
|
Reporting services point |
Install this site system role in the central administration site and at any primary site.
|
||
|
Distribution point |
Install this site system role in primary sites and secondary sites to distribute software to clients by using Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows BranchCache, multicast for operating system deployment, and streaming for application virtualization. |
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