Package Properties Dialog Box: Data Access Tab

Use this tab to configure how users can access distribution points for a package.

Access distribution folder through common SMS package share

Users will access the package through the common SMS package share (SMSPKGx$, where x is the drive letter) on distribution points. By default, this option is selected.

Share distribution folder

The package will be created on distribution points with an administrator-specified share (and path name).

Share name

A unique share name and path to be created for the package source files on distribution points. The value can either be a share, which must be unique among all packages, or a share and a path, where the path must be unique among all packages. See the following table for examples.

Share name	Resulting path on distribution points
Office	\\Dpservername\Office
Packages\Office98	\\Dpservername\Packages\Office98
Packages\Spreadsheets\Excel	\\Dpservername\Packages\Spreadsheets\Excel

If the share name is entered as a share only, as in the first example, all files and subdirectories within that share will be deleted and re-created each time the package is updated or refreshed. If the share name is entered as a share name and a path, only the bottom path (Office98 and Excel in the above examples) will be deleted and re-created each time the package is updated or refreshed.

To control which drive either the default or custom package folder is created on, assign the distribution point role to a Windows NT share rather than a computer running Windows NT Server. For more information, see Site Systems Configuration Overview. For distribution points on Windows NT shares, if a share name is entered for a package, it is treated as a path beneath the distribution point share (\\MyServer\MyShare):

Package share name	Resulting path on distribution points
Office	\\MyServer\MyShare\Office
Packages\Office98	\\MyServer\MyShare\Packages\Office98
Packages\Spreadsheets\Excel	\\MyServer\MyShare\Packages\Spreadsheets\Excel

Note    If you distribute the package to clients that do not support long file names, make sure that the share value does not contain share or path directory names longer than 11 characters (8-character name plus the 3-character extension). Failure to do so will prevent such clients from accessing the package folder, and any advertisements for programs in the package will fail on those clients.

Important     If you are distributing the package to SMS version 1.2 clients, you must leave this box empty.

Package update settings

Specify the disconnect settings that will take effect when SMS updates packages on Windows NT distribution points.

Disconnect users from Windows NT distribution points

Notifies users before disconnecting them from distribution points when SMS updates package data. By default, this check box is cleared.

Number of retries before disconnecting users

The number of times that SMS tries to update the package source files before starting to disconnect users who are connected to the distribution point. The default setting is 2; you can specify 0 to 99, inclusive.

User grace period

The number of minutes SMS should wait after notifying users before disconnecting them from distribution points. The default setting is 5 minutes; you can specify between 0 and 59 minutes, inclusive.

Other tabs in this dialog box: General, Data Source, Distribution Settings, Reporting, Security

Related Topics

Create a Package

Packages Overview