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Q215469: SMS: Support Options for Crystal Info (Reports)

Article: Q215469
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): 2.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsms200 kbReportkbfaq
Last Modified: 22-MAR-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The information contained in this article is from the Systems Management Server
2.0 Release Notes. You can find the Release Notes on the Systems Management
Server 2.0 CD through the Taskpad or by opening Readme.htm in your browser.

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

Crystal Info Version 6 (Reports)
--------------------------------

Do Not Install Crystal Info Version 6 on the Primary Site Server for Sites with
500 or More Clients Crystal Info version 6 (also called Crystal Reports) is a
sample SMS 2.0 snap-in provided by Crystal Decisions. This sample reporting tool
is fully integrated with SMS and allows you to run reports against data stored
in the SMS site database. Microsoft provides this tool as an example of the type
of SMS snap-ins you can create by using the SMS 2.0 Toolkit, which is included
in the Microsoft BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit.

If you use the Express Setup option to install SMS, Crystal Info version 6 is
installed automatically on your site server. If your SMS site hierarchy will
have more than 500 SMS clients, however, you should not install SMS by using
Express Setup.

WORKAROUND: To use Crystal Info version 6 at a site with more than 500 clients,
configure your site hierarchy so that your central site has SMS with only
Crystal Info installed. That is, the only component you select in the Setup
Installation Options screen is Crystal Reports; all other check boxes are
cleared.)

This reporting site will be your central site, but no administrative actions will
be performed from this computer. Instead, install an SMS site immediately
beneath the central reporting site. You will administer your site from this site
and from remote SMS Administrator consoles on various computers on your network.
The procedure for this workaround is as follows:

Install SMS using the Custom Setup option on a stand-alone server that is not a
domain controller. This site will be the central site, and it will be used only
for reporting; it is referred to in the remainder of this procedure as the
reporting site. When installing the reporting site, select Crystal Info as the
only optional SMS component (note that Crystal Info is listed as Crystal Reports
in the user interface). Do not install any other optional SMS components on this
server.

On a computer other than the site server, install the SMS Administrator console.
At the Information screen, specify the reporting site, and at the SMS
Administrator Console Installation Options screen select only Crystal Reports
Console. Restrict access to the Crystal Reports feature to remote administrators
who are domain users or domain administrators only in the reporting domain,
without granting such users any SMS security permissions in the target site.
Users with such limited rights can view, but cannot access or manipulate, other
SMS component settings at the target site (for example, they can see, but not
access the contents of, Queries).

Configure this reporting site as the central site in your SMS hierarchy. Install
remote SMS Administrator consoles on other computers that are running Windows NT
4.0 or later in your site, and use them to connect to the site to run reports.

Install a first-tier child site that you can use to perform all administrative
tasks for your site hierarchy. This site will serve as your functional central
site. When you install additional child sites, have them report to the central
reporting site through this site.

For information about installing remote SMS Administrator consoles, see the
BackOffice Resource Kit version 4.5, and Chapter 6, "Installing SMS 2.0 Sites"
in the SMS 2.0 Administrator's Guide. Administrators who need to administer site
configuration, software distribution, and so on, should set up remote SMS
Administrator consoles that connect to the first-tier child site (the site
directly below the reporting site).

Technical Support for Crystal Info Version 6 and Crystal Reports. For technical
information about using Crystal Info version 6, visit the Microsoft Knowledge
Base at http://www.microsoft.com/support/ and the Crystal Decisions Support Web
site at http://community.crystaldecisions.net/homepage/.

Before contacting Crystal Decisions Technical Support, make sure that you have
registered your copy of Crystal Info and you have the following information
available:

- The version of Crystal Info you are using. Version 6 is supplied with SMS
  2.0.

- The type of data you are using.

- The number of versions of the Crpe32.dll file on the computer, and their
  locations, file sizes, and dates.

- A list of files in the following directories: CRW, %windir%\System32, Report,
  and Database.

  TIP: You can create a file that lists all files sorted by extension by typing
  "dir /oe > filename.dir" (without the quotation marks) from each of these
  directories.

Crystal Services provides online (modem), fax, CompuServe, and telephone support.
These support options are described in more detail as follows:

- Online dial (604)662-8298: If you have a modem, online support is the most
  convenient and effective way to solve your problems. To use it, on the Help
  menu, click Technical Support. Provide the appropriate information about your
  problem and attach any relevant files. To transmit your data, click Connect.
  Your request is electronically sent to the Crystal Reports Technical Support
  server and is immediately given an identification number. Telephone charges
  are minimal because the connection time to the server is brief.

  After your information is received, a technical support representative will
  review your request and send a response. To check for a response, on the Help
  menu, click Technical Support, and then click Connect. Updated information
  about all outstanding requests is immediately transmitted back to you. If
  your problem is still being reviewed by technical support, a reply such as
  "requires liaison with the Crystal Research and Development team in progress"
  will be sent.

  NOTE: You do not require any communications software to use online support.
  Because the software is built into the product, all you need is a modem.

- Fax dial (604) 681-7163: To prepare your fax request, on the Help menu, click
  Technical Support, and provide the appropriate information about your
  problem. After you provide the necessary information, print the completed
  form and fax it to Crystal Services.

- CompuServe (CompuServe address 72223,2632): Please leave the word "CRYSTAL"
  in the title of CompuServe messages on the MSBASIC forum in the Third Party
  area, to make it easy for other users to benefit from the discussion.

- Telephone dial (604) 669-8379: When you are on the phone with a technical
  support representative, make sure that Crystal Reports and the problem report
  are both open.

Reports Provided with SMS: Documentation Update
-----------------------------------------------

The reports provided with SMS might differ from the reports listed in Chapter 19,
"Creating Administrative Reports" in the SMS 2.0 Administrator's Guide.

WORKAROUND: None.

Additional query words: prodsms relnotes

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Keywords          : kbsms200 kbReport kbfaq
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200
Version           : :2.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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