Configuration Manager 2007 sites must have one or more senders to communicate and can only be installed on primary or secondary site server systems. The sender itself does not provide connectivity to sites. Instead, senders use existing network connectivity to manage the connection, ensure the integrity of transferred data, recover from errors, and close the connection when it is no longer needed.
Configuration Manager 2007 supports the following connectivity systems:
- Network communication protocols that are
supported by Microsoft Windows operating systems.
- Windows Remote Access Service (RAS) systems
that use NetBIOS-based transport protocols, including asynchronous,
X.25, and ISDN lines.
- Windows RAS systems that use Systems Network
Architecture (SNA).
 Note |
|---|
| The Remote Access Service is provided with Windows Server operating systems. For information about how to install and use Windows RAS, see your Windows RAS product documentation. |
Types of Configuration Manager Senders
- Standard Sender
- The standard sender is installed and configured by default on all primary and secondary sites. If your site-to-site communications occur over a LAN that uses a supported protocol, you do not need to install another sender.
- Courier Sender
- The courier sender is installed and configured by default on all primary and secondary sites. It is not displayed, and cannot be created, in the Configuration Manager console because it must be manually started from the Configuration Manager programs folder on the Start menu. Courier senders are used only for software distribution to send package data to other sites by using physical media instead of sending data over the network. To use the courier sender, you must first create a standard sender connection between the parent site and the child site. Once the standard sender is created, you then create a courier sender address for each site to use the courier sender functionality.When you have large packages that require excessive time or bandwidth to be sent over the network, this sender can be useful. You can use courier sender at the source Configuration Manager 2007 site to create a parcel (that is, a collection of files transferred from one site to another using courier sender); write the parcel to a tape, CD, or other physical medium; and then ship the tape or CD to the destination site by mail or a courier service. At the destination site, you can then use courier sender at that site to receive the parcel and import the package data into the site.
- Asynchronous RAS Sender
- Used for communication over an asynchronous line.
- ISDN RAS Sender
- Used for communication over an ISDN line.
- X25 RAS Sender
- For RAS communication over an X.25 line.
- SNA RAS Sender
- For RAS communication over an SNA link.
Courier Sender Configuration
The courier sender is installed and configured by default on all primary and secondary sites. It is not displayed in the results pane because it must be manually started from the Configuration Manager 2007 program files on the start menu.
RAS Sender Configuration
The sending site must have a RAS Sender installed and a RAS Sender address for the receiving site. The RAS Sender address specifies a RAS-related phone number, account, and password used to dial in and connect to the RAS server at the receiving site.
To enable two-way RAS communications, you must create a RAS Sender on each site and a RAS Sender address for the other site on each site. Then both sites can send and receive Configuration Manager 2007 data and instructions on RAS.