MORE INFORMATION
Apply Systems Management Server 1.2 Service Pack 3
When you run SMSLS on versions earlier than Systems Management Server 1.2
Service Pack 3, client inventory files are read from the Windows NT Server
computer into memory on the client. This process occurs every time SMSLS is
run. This is a large amount of data to transfer (megabytes worth), which is
why SMSLS takes so long to run. With Systems Management Server 1.2 Service
Pack 3, the files are copied to the local client the first time SMSLS is
run after the upgrade. Every subsequent time SMSLS runs, it reads the
client files from the local client's hard disk (as opposed to the Windows
NT Server computer), so the SMSLS process takes significantly less time.
For more information on Systems Management Server Service Pack 3, see the
following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
157677 Systems Management Server 1.2 Service Pack 3 Fixlist
158864 How to Obtain Systems Management Server 1.2 Service Pack 3
Use Netspeed.com
When a user runs the SMSLS batch file on a Systems Management Server client
computer, the Netspeed.com utility evaluates the link to the client's logon
server. If the link has a transmission rate that is slower than specified
by the Inventory Strategy When Network Is Slow setting, the Netspeed.com
utility identifies it as a slow network. Netspeed.com detects how long it
takes to read 1 KB of data from the logon server. By default, the slow
network threshold is 850 milliseconds.
For more information on Netspeed.com, see the "How SMS Determines a Slow
Network" and "Setting the Slow Network Threshold" topics in the Systems
Management Server Books Online. Also see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge base:
151184 Disabling Inventory Collection over Slow Connections
131011 SMS: Netspeed.com Internals
142267 SMS: Netspeed Returns False Speed Over Compression-Capable Link
Use the Checkras.exe Utility
You can use the BackOffice Resource Kit CHECKRAS utility to determine if a
RAS connection is being used. Using CHECKRAS, the Systems Management Server
logon script can be skipped for anyone that dials in over a RAS (or Dial Up
Networking) connection. This method works well for client computers running
either Windows 95 or Windows NT.
In the following example of CHECKRAS in a Windows NT logon script, the
Checkras.exe file is located on the Netlogon share:
%0\..\checkras.exe > nul
if errorlevel 1 goto SKIPINV
call %0\..\smsls
GOTO END
:SKIPINV
REM Perform any RAS-specific actions
GOTO END
:END
In the following example of CHECKRAS in a NetWare logon script, the
Checkras.exe file is located in the SYSTEM subdirectory of the SYS volume:
WRITE "Checking for RAS Connections"
#%SYS\SYSTEM\checkras.exe
set RAS=ERROR_LEVEL
if <RAS> > "0" then GOTO SKIPINV
set SMS_LOGON="SYS:SMS\logon.srv"
INCLUDE %<SMS_LOGON>\SMSLS.SCR
set SMS_LOGON=
GOTO END
SKIPINV:
REM Perform any RAS-specific actions
GOTO END
END:
Use the IPCONFIG Utility in Windows NT
This is another method to disable the SMSLS login script; it works well for
Windows NT clients whose IP configuration differs depending on whether they
are dialing in over a RAS connection or connected to the LAN locally. Add
the following lines to a batch file that will call the Smsls.bat file:
REM RAS BYPASS
REM The following line looks for the presence of the string
REM "255.255.0.0." in a user's IPCONFIG information.
REM If found, the user is using RAS, and should not run SMS.
REM If 255.255.0.0 is found, the ERRORLEVEL is set to 1.
REM If 255.255.0.0 is not found, the ERRORLEVEL is set to 0.
ipconfig | find "255.255.0.0" > nul
IF errorlevel 1 GOTO SKIP_RAS
:SKIP_RAS
NOTE: This method does not work for client computers running Windows 95,
because they do not have the IPCONFIG utility.
Use a File or Environment Variable
This method is similar to the preceding method of checking for a specific
IP configuration. You can place a file on the hard disk, or set an
environment variable, and a batch file can look for it. Based on this
environment setting or file's existence, the batch file can determine
whether or not to run SMSLS.