Choose Between a Server and Server Share Distribution Point

Topic last updated—November 2007

A distribution point is the only site system role that can be created as a server share. All other site system roles must be created as servers. The main reason for you to create a share on a server and define that share as a distribution point is that this allows you to choose a specific drive where Configuration Manager will create and write the support files for the distribution point role. However, if you choose to make the distribution point a server, there are still a few options to control how the packages are stored.

Note
Both the server and the server share option allow support for mobile device clients.

The following table describes the advantages and disadvantages of opting for a server versus a server share.

Option	Advantage	Disadvantage
Server	Configuration Manager 2007 automatically creates a common package share when the first package is copied to the distribution point. There is less chance of failing to copy a package because Configuration Manager 2007 creates a new SMSPKGx$ share when more space is needed. The server can be configured as a branch distribution point. The server can be configured to support Internet-based clients.	Every time Configuration Manager 2007 copies a package to the distribution point, it chooses the NTFS drive with the most free space, making it difficult to determine which drive letter will hold the new package. Configuration Manager 2007 can take over all available NTFS disk space on the server.
Server share	Configuration Manager 2007 will not use space reserved for other functions on other partitions.	Administrator must manually create a shared folder before creating the new site system server share. Configuration Manager 2007 might fail to create a package if there is no free space on the partition where the shared folder was created. Configuration Manager 2007 does not create a data discovery record (DDR) to monitor the health of the site system. The server share cannot be configured as a branch distribution point. The server share cannot be configured to support Internet-based clients.

Option

Advantage

Disadvantage

Server

Configuration Manager 2007 automatically creates a common package share when the first package is copied to the distribution point.

There is less chance of failing to copy a package because Configuration Manager 2007 creates a new SMSPKGx$ share when more space is needed.

The server can be configured as a branch distribution point.

The server can be configured to support Internet-based clients.

Every time Configuration Manager 2007 copies a package to the distribution point, it chooses the NTFS drive with the most free space, making it difficult to determine which drive letter will hold the new package.

Configuration Manager 2007 can take over all available NTFS disk space on the server.

Server share

Configuration Manager 2007 will not use space reserved for other functions on other partitions.

Administrator must manually create a shared folder before creating the new site system server share.

Configuration Manager 2007 might fail to create a package if there is no free space on the partition where the shared folder was created.

Configuration Manager 2007 does not create a data discovery record (DDR) to monitor the health of the site system.

The server share cannot be configured as a branch distribution point.

The server share cannot be configured to support Internet-based clients.

See Also

Tasks

Reference

Other Resources