Using ConfigMgr 2007 to Control Automated Teller Machines

In this article, I will try to summarize the main points that you might want to consider if you decided to use Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (ConfigMgr 2007) to control & manage Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in a banking corporation. ConfigMgr 2007 cannot be used with its full capabilities when it comes to ATM environment, this is due to several reasons, and some of them are listed below: o Absence of Microsoft Active Directory Infrastructure: Usually, banks never connect their ATMs with a Microsoft Active Directory environment for security & connectivity reasons. I’ve seen in that in some banking environments. o Connectivity Perspective: ATMs are connected to the bank main hub or other branches with a very low speed connections like 4.8 Kbps & 9.6 Kbps! Discussing this with the banking IT officers, they’ve told me that a single financial transaction done by a customer on an ATM in the street doesn’t require more than 1.5 Kbps! Thus, they consider a 9.6 Kbps link a wasted resource for example. So we will not be able to use the full functionalities of ConfigMgr 2007 because we will be working on a Non Active Directory environment. Nevertheless, this article assumes that the installation and configuration of the ConfigMgr 2007 will be in a Workgroup environment. The main features that usually are used by ConfigMgr 2007 in an ATM environment are: o Software Distribution o Security Update Management o Asset Management, Inventory Collection & Reporting From the ATM side, you will have to consider update the current banking corporation’s computer image with the below: BITS: The local policy of the image should be edited to allow the BITS communication. In addition to local policy of the ATMs HOSTS & LMHOSTS files: The hosts and lmhosts files should be both edited to allow the communication in the absence of WINS and DNS structure between the ATMs (as ConfigMgr Clients) and the site server. Service Pack 2 of Windows XP: The image should have at least Service Pack 2 of Windows XP. Client Agent Installation: The client agent should be installed on the image, but without any attempt to discover the ConfigMgr site server. Any discovery of the site server should take place in the production environment. Adding Robocopy (Robust File Copy): Robocopy is a command-line directory replication command. It is available as part of the Windows Resource Kit. Robocopy is a reliable mirroring utility of directories & directory trees. Robocopy.exe must be added to the System32 folder under the Windows Directory of the ATM image.