Is SCOM only for Servers or for clients too?

[Frosty5F11]

This is a true noob question here. I have been using SCCM for over a year now and have done a lot with it. We just got a CAL package that covers the entire SC suite for all computers. So licensing isn't a problem.

I'm completely new to SCOM though and from what I can tell it's meant primarily for servers. However, when I briefly tested out SCE a few years back it installed the scom functionality onto clients too.

 

I know there are management packs for Win 7 & XP and Dell even makes them available for their business-line desktops.

 

Anyone here running it on clients too?

Is there a reason against doing so?

[willisj318]

Its for both. You can manage whatever you want really if you know how to do it. We only run it on select machines in specific OUs. Im a complete novice with it as well but I would imagine if you run it on clients and dont configure it correctly you would get never ending amounts of notices.

[AdinE]

Willisj318 is right, SCOM can monitor workstations, though I haven't seen that feature used very much. It's more adept at monitoring servers, and specific technology stacks/platforms.

 

None-the-less, here is an excerpt:

• Client system monitoring—Added in recent updates to SCOM is the ability to monitor and report on not just servers, but also client workstations in a network. Client system monitoring is commonly used to monitor and help manage and support critical client systems. A critical client system might be a laptop that belongs to a key executive, or it could be a workstation that serves as a print server or data collection device. Whatever the case, SCOM has the ability to monitor servers as well as client systems in the enterprise.

Source: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1581426&seqNum=3

[mriston]

I have our SCOM agents on all of my clients, though most of the 'basic' MPs that throw alerts for these computers quickly get their thresholds raised as well as (more commonly) disabled completely.

 

They just tend to create a LOT of noise until you get it dialed in just right.

[AdinE]

As an additional reference, here is the link for the Windows Client XP/Vista/Windows 7 Operating System Monitoring Management Pack.

 

http://systemcenter.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/Windows-Client-XP-Vista-Windows-7-Operating-System-Monitoring-Management-Pack-12884902219