SMS: PCM Service Is Now Available for Windows NT Clients

In the past, the Package Command Manager (PCM) has been installed as a service (Pcmsvc32.exe) on Systems Management Server logon servers, but only as an application (Pcmwin32.exe) on Systems Management Server Windows NT clients. Because the client version runs as an application, packages that are run from PCM are run in the security context of the currently logged-on user.

You can now install PCM as a service on any computer running Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server stand-alone (Intel or Alpha) that is a member of a Windows NT Server domain and is a Systems Management Server 1.2 client. In addition to the new Pcmsvc.exe file, the Pcmwin32.exe file has been changed and will need to be replaced on the client computers.

The PCM service requires a user account that has:

• Administrator privileges on the client computer.
• Domain user authority to read a PCM instruction file on the Systems Management Server logon server and to run a setup program in the package directory on the Systems Management Server distribution server.

Because it works through a user account with administrative privileges, the PCM service can perform tasks that the PCM application cannot. For example, it can install files into secured directories or make changes to secured registry keys.

You can download installation instructions and file updates on the following Microsoft Web site: On the Web site, select "Download & Trial", then "PCM as a Service."

The PCM as a service update can also be downloaded from the Microsoft Web site: Click Download to download the Pcmupdte.exe file to your computer. In addition to the files necessary for running PCM as a service, this self- extracting executable file also contains an Install.doc file that contains comprehensive information about how to install and use PCM as a service on client computers that are running Windows NT.