Systems Management Server is Unable to Get Global Groups

• Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.10

SYMPTOMS

When Systems Management Server is unable to obtain a domain controller address (via the browser service), Systems Management Server is unable to get global groups.

For example:

Assume a Windows for Workgroups client is on a network segment, and a logon domain server is on a different segment connected through a router. The computers are running TCP/IP as their only protocol, and are using the LMHOSTS file for name resolution. There is also a resource domain on the client segment to which inventory is reported through SMSLS.INI mapping. Further assume there are no computers on the client segment acting as Segment Master Browser for the logon domain, (which thus causes domain-wide browsing to fail.)

CAUSE

The failure occurs because SMS Program Group Control (PGC) issues a browse list request (NetServerEnum2 API call) to look for domain controllers in the logon domain, yet there is no Segment Master Browser to respond. The router prevents browse request broadcasts from propagating to other segments, so no browse list is ever received.

NOTE: for more information on browsing with LMHOSTS files, see Q150800 - Domain Browsing with TCP/IP and LMHOSTS Files.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.1. This problem has been corrected in Systems Management Server version 1.2.