SMS 2003 SP1 Ships
After much blood, sweat and beer it ships.
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0ddfeb0a-86fd-4681-b65f-dfa67629932e&displaylang=en
Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is primarily a rollup of a number of fixes for SMS 2003, but also introduces some changes to the supported configurations and broadens the configurations allowed.
Configuration Changes
§ To enhance security, the SMS Legacy Client will be supported on Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0 SP6a operating systems only. Note that SMS 2.0 clients and Legacy Clients running on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 will not upgrade to SMS 2003 SP1.
§ Reduced requirement for WINS in SMS. If DNS is configured to enable SMS clients and servers to resolve each other’s NetBIOS names then SMS 2003 SP1 does not require WINS.
§ Product keys are required to install SMS 2003 SP1 and can be found on the SMS 2003 product CD case or through Volume Licensing
Broadened Configurations
§ Workgroups
§ Advanced Client support for Virtual Server 2005 and Virtual PC 2004
§ Advanced Client and Distribution Point support for Windows Storage Servers
§ Support for English site server installation on localized operating systems
SMS 2003 SP1 also includes incremental improvements to usability, security, and performance.
Usability
§ Categorize queries, packages, advertisements, reports, and software metering rules easily - with the addition of folders in the Administrator console
§ Over 100 accessibility changes to meet the needs of government and private industry.
Security
§ Authorize critical updates immediately without waiting for inventory scans
§ Track the status of updates with more granular reporting
§ Tightened data privacy for client inventory information provided through encryption of inventory data
§ Enhanced security through the ability to configure the server and Advanced Client ports used for communication
§ Apply signed security at the time the client is provisioned to operate at a higher level of security
§ SMS 2003 had server authentication only. SP1 now has client authentication to protect servers from client spoofing
Performance
§ Improve inventory performance by excluding the Windows Directory during software inventory scans
§ Control bandwidth utilization by specifying the size of the data packages and by using pulse mode to define the time between packages when sending data between sites
§ Improved client inventory performance to minimize user interruption during software inventory scans through enhancements for Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)-based inventory
§ Reduced time for package distribution and support for a greater number of distributions points per site
§ Improved software distribution and less network impact in 3-tier hierarchies by allowing the sending site to send content directly to the recipient sites without having to send multiple copies through a middle site