The following scenarios are examples of how to install Device Manager 2011 in a distributed server role environment.

Scenario 1:The site server is located on one computer, the SQL Server database is located on another computer, and the Configuration Manager Console Add-in component is located on a third computer.

In this scenario, you install Server Core Components on the computer where the provider role is located. Because the site server communicates with the database computer, the installer retrieves the database computer information from Configuration Manager without user input.

Scenario 2:The site server and Configuration Manager Console Add-in component are located on one computer and the database is located on another computer.

This resembles the previous scenario. The difference is that the installer can install Configuration Manager Console Add-in component on the same computer as the site server.

Scenario 3:All server roles are located on the same computer.

In typical deployments, the computer that is running the SQL Server database is a separate computer. However, if all the server roles are on one computer, the installer installs both the Server Core Components and the Configuration Manager Console Add-in components on the same computer.

Scenario 4:Embedded Device Manager is installed on different peer-level primary site servers.

You can install Device Manager 2011 on different peer-level primary site servers at the lowest level that manages devices under a central site server in the Configuration Manager hierarchy. Device Manager 2011 data on a primary site server is not replicated up the hierarchy to the central site server, and site servers cannot share Device Manager 2011 objects. Inventory and collections data is replicated across site servers. A hierarchy chain of site servers (for example, central to primary to primary) should not have more than one primary site server where Device Manager 2011 is installed. One primary site server cannot manage the devices of another primary site server. Installing Device Manager 2011 server on a central site server or on a secondary site server is not supported.