DOCUMENT:Q133111  31-JUL-2001  [sms]
TITLE   :Systems Management Server Hierarchy Manager
PRODUCT :Microsoft Systems Management Server
PROD/VER:winnt:1.0
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kbnetwork kbsetup kbDatabase kbHMan kbsmsAdmin smsadmin smssetup smsdatabase smshierman

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The Systems Management Server Hierarchy Manager is a Win32 service that manages
the multiple-site hierarchy when the user has multiple sites. It coordinates the
transfer of configuration information between sites, handles the construction,
modification, and destruction of the multiple site hierarchy, and controls the
actual setup, installation, upgrade, and deinstallation of secondary sites. For
single site installations, the Hierarchy Manager assists in the setup and
reconfiguration of the site.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Multiple site hierarchies are constructed in two ways; by connecting Primary
Sites together, and by creating Secondary Sites immediately beneath Primary
Sites.

All Primary sites are created by running Systems Management Server Setup.
Secondary Sites are created using the SMS Administrator. Primary Sites have a
Systems Management Server Administrator and a SQL database. Secondary sites have
no Systems Management Server Administrator or SQL database.

The terms parent and child, when applied to SMS sites, have their standard
meanings used in any tree-based data structure. The site hierarchy tree formed
can be any arbitrary multi-way tree, subject to the following rules:

1. A site can only have one parent. A strict multi-way tree structure is
   observed, where each node can only have one parent and an arbitrary number of
   children. A directed cyclic graph is not possible, nor are kind of cycles
   possible. In other words, the site tree cannot contain any kind of circular
   references and sites cannot have more than one parent.

2. Secondary sites cannot report to each other in a parent-child relationship.
   Each secondary site must report to a primary site as its immediate parent.
   There is no mechanism at secondary sites to forward information to another
   site in this way.

3. Primary sites are added to the tree from the bottom up. A parent site does
   not acquire a primary child site. A primary child site must decide to report
   to a parent and attach to the parent site after creating an address to that
   site.

4. Primary sites can decide to detach themselves from their parent site and
   become a top-level site with no parent. When they do this, the parent
   receives instructions to eliminate that site and all its children from its
   hierarchy tree. The primary site can then reattach to a different parent, if
   needed. The primary Site can also simply switch to a new parent site in one
   operation.

5. Secondary sites are deleted through their parent site. The site is physically
   deinstalled when this happens.

6. The structure of the site tree can be altered by changing parent site codes
   for the various sites. A primary site can detach from its current parent and
   attach to a new one or become independent, as stated in rule number four
   above. Secondary sites can also have their parent code altered to another
   site. While this is technically possible, this usage is not officially
   supported in Systems Management Server 1.0.

Additional query words: prodsms

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Keywords          : kbnetwork kbsetup kbDatabase kbHMan kbsmsAdmin smsadmin smssetup smsdatabase smshierman 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS100
Version           : winnt:1.0

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