How to Select the PCM Distribution Server Selection Logic (180151)

SYMPTOMS

Package Command Manager (PCM) is designed to be robust in its capability to select a distribution server to find a given package. The selection logic algorithm for PCM to find a package is:

Check the client's current Systems Management Server logon server.
If necessary, check each of the client's drive mappings.
If necessary, select a server at random from the client's PCM instruction file (<SMS_ID>.ins), located in the SMS\Logon.srv\Pcmins.box directory on the client's Systems Management Server logon server.

Without the hotfix mentioned below, there is no way to control the selection logic.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, obtain the hotfix mentioned in the STATUS section of this article, or wait for the next Systems Management Server service pack. The hotfix should have the following timestamps:

   Date      Time     Size      File name    Platform
   --------------------------------------------------
   01/15/99  02:52am  268,784   Pcmsvc32.exe (x86)
   01/15/99  02:53am  468,912   Pcmwin32.exe (x86)
   01/15/99  02:54am  453,904   Pcmwin16.exe (x86)
   01/15/99  02:53am  797,968   Pcmsvc32.exe (Alpha)
   01/15/99  02:54am  1,172,752 Pcmwin32.exe (Alpha)

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server versions 1.1 and 1.2. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression- tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

With the hotfix, it is now possible to set the selection logic level for PCM by adding a value to the [Local] section of the Sms.ini file on the client. To do this, use the following:

To disable any selection attempts beyond trying the client's current Systems Management Server logon server, add the following line to the [Local] section of the client's Sms.ini file:
```
DisableRandomPCMServers=LOCALONLY
					
```
To disable any selection attempts beyond trying the client's current Systems Management Server logon server and any servers to which the client has a drive mapped, add the following line to the [Local] section of the client's Sms.ini file::
```
DisableRandomPCMServers=DRIVEMAPPINGS
					
```
To leave the behavior at the default algorithm, you can either not modify the client's Sms.ini file, or you can add the following line to the [Local] section:
```
DisableRandomPCMServers=RANDOM
					
```
To have PCM only select a random distribution server, add the following line to the [Local] section of the client's Sms.ini file:
```
DisableRandomPCMServers=RANDOMONLY
					
```

Unless it is specifically necessary to disable a particular level of selection logic, Microsoft Premier Support recommends that you do not add this setting to the client's Sms.ini file.