The Console Tree and Details Pane

When you first open the SMS Administrator console, you see a screen similar to the one in the following figure:

SMS Administrator console tree

Note the two panes in the SMS Administrator console, the console tree on the left and the details pane on the right. The details pane displays the results (contents) of clicking an item in the console tree. For example, when you click a specific collection in the console tree, the contents of that collection will be displayed in the details pane.

Although software and hardware inventory, product compliance, software distribution and installation, software metering, Remote Tools, and network diagnostics tools are the primary SMS features, most of these terms do not appear in the console tree. Each console item (Site Hierarchy, Collections, Queries) provides access to the specific tasks you use to accomplish management operations as categorized by the SMS features. For example, you can use a specific SMS feature, software distribution, by using a combination of console tree items (Packages, Programs, and Advertisements).

Related Topics

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Console Tree Items

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The SMS Administrator Console