System Center Service Manager:System Center Service Manager

History

System Center Service Manager:System Center Service Manager provides an integrated platform for automating and adapting your organization's IT service management best practices, such as those found in Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). It provides built-in processes for incident and problem resolution, change control, and asset lifecycle management. Official documentation can be found here.

This service was setup to enable internal sysadminafterdark operations staff to receive tickets from devices and track internal change management requests. This enables us to have one central console for everything alert related so we can easily prioritize and track our time.

Deployment

It is recommended to snapshot often when deploying Microsoft System Center Products. To deploy Service Manager, follow these steps:

1. Begin with a clean install of Windows Server 2022 Desktop Edition. You can find specific VM requirements for this server at Servers:SAD-SCSM01.
   1. A total of five virtual disks are needed for a proper installation:
      1. 128GB OS Disk - For Windows Server 2022.
      2. 256GB Program Data Disk - For Database: Microsoft SQL Server 2022 and System Center Service Manager:System Center Service Manager program files.
      3. 256GB Database Disk - To store database files.
      4. 256GB Logs Disk - To store SQL log files.
      5. 64GB TempDB Disk - To store SQL TempDB files.
2. Install Microsoft SQL Server 2022.
   1. Mount the Microsoft SQL 2022 ISO and run setup.exe.
   2. Click "Installation" on the sidebar then click "New SQL Server standalone installation or add features to an existing installation".
   3. On the Edition screen, enter your product license key.
   4. On the License Terms screen, Accept the license terms.
   5. No action needed for section Global Rules.
   6. Choose whether or not to use Windows Update on the Microsoft Update tab. I choose not to.
   7. Click Next on the Install Rules tab.
      1. Note: I received a warning about Windows Firewall, there's no need to worry about this.
   8. Perform the following actions on the Feature Selection screen:
      1. Check "Database Engine Services" and "Full-Text and Semantic Extractions for Search"
      2. Change the "Instance root directory", "Shared feature directory", and "Shared feature directory (x86)" drive letter to your Program Files disk. In my case, this is drive D. Leave the rest of the path untouched.
   9. On the Instance Configuration screen, the defaults are fine. Click Next.
   10. Perform the following steps on the Server Configuration page:
       1. Open Active Directory Users and Groups and create a service account for SQL to run under. I am using Users and Groups:svc_scsmsql.
       2. Change the Account name for both services and input the password. Make sure this account is documented. SQL Server Browser cannot be modified.
       3. Set the Startup Type to Automatic.
       4. On the Collation Page, the default of SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CL_AS is fine, just note you will not be able to change the language without reinstalling SQL. I only speak English.
       5. Click Next.
   11. On the Database Engine Configuration section, perform the following tasks:
       1. On the Server Configuration Tab: The default of "Windows Authentication Mode is fine. Add Domain Admins and your SQL Service account Users and Groups:svc_scsmsql to the SQL Server Administrators box.
       2. On the Data Directories tab: set "Data Root Directory" to your database drive. In my case that would be E:\Database. The other data directories should change to reflect this new path. Do not change those paths! Change the "User database log directory" to your Logs drive. In my case it would be F:\Logs\SQL. The Backup Directory is fine. Mine defaulted to E:\Database\MSSQL16.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup.
       3. On the TempDB Tab: Remove the default data directory and specify your TempDB drive. In my case, it is G:\TempDB. Change the Log Directory to your logs drive. I choose to use path F:\Logs\TempDB.
       4. On the Memory tab: Click "Recommended" then accept the recommended configuration.
       5. All other tabs can be left at default values. Click Next.
   12. On the Ready to Install Screen, Click Install.
3. Configure SQL Post-install by launching "SQL Server Configuration Manager" from the Start Menu.
   1. Expand "SQL Server Network Configuration" then click "Protocols for MSSQLSERVER" Enable "Shared Memory", "Named Pipes" and "TCP/IP".
4. Install Microsoft System Center Service Manager 2022
   1. Mount the ISO and run setup.exe.
   2. On the Product Registration screen, enter the name of your organization (for both fields), your product key, and agree to the License Terms. Click Next.
   3. We will need to install some prerequisites as defined by the Prerequisites screen. I had to install the following:
      1. Microsoft .Net 3.5 - Install from Windows Server Manager
      2. Microsoft OLE DB Driver - There is a link provided in the second column.
      3. Click Next once finished installing prerequisites.
   4. On the Configure the Service Manager Database screen, enter the server name and instance name. For me, this was SAD-SCSM01\MSSQLSERVER. Ensure you create a new database. You can leave everything else default.
   5. On the Configure The Service Manager Management Group Screen, perform the following:
      1. Enter a management group name. In my case I entered "sysadminafterdark".
      2. Open Active Directory Users and Computers. Create a group that will be used to perform administrative tasks. I am using Users and Groups:sg_scsm_mgmt. Add your administrator account to this group.
   6. On the Configure The Account For Service Manager Services page, perform the following actions:
      1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers. Create a user that will be used to run the Service Manager service. In my case, I am using Users and Groups:svc_servicemanager.
      2. Launch lusrmgr.msc from the start menu. Navigate to Groups then double click on Administrators. Add Users and Groups:svc_servicemanager as a local Administrator.
      3. Click Next once the credentials are accepted.
   7. On the Configure The Account For Service Manager Workflow Account page, perform the following actions:
      1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers. Create a user that will be used to run the Service Manager Workflow service. In my case, I am using Users and Groups:svc_sm_workflow.
      2. Launch lusrmgr.msc from the start menu. Navigate to Groups then double click on Administrators. Add Users and Groups:svc_sm_workflow as a local Administrator.
      3. Click Next once the credentials are accepted.
   8. On The Diagnostic and usage data screen, click Next.
   9. On the Use Micrsoft Update Screen, I choose to proceed without updates.
   10. On the Installation Summary Screen, click Install.

A base configuration of Microsoft System Center Service Manager is now installed. There are many more processes and procedures that must be configured to gain full functionality. Please refer to the Post-Install section for more info.

Post-Install Configuration

Post installation configuration procedures have been split off into different articles. Please take a look at the System Center Service Manager category page for a full list or choose a procedure from the list below to get started:

• System Center Service Manager:Disable Outdated Crypto
• System Center Service Manager:Active Directory Connector
• System Center Service Manager:Exchange Connector

Updates

It is HIGHLY recommended that you upgrade your System Center server to the latest update roll up. Please see Microsoft's article System Center – Service Manager build versions for additional information and download links.

Status

This setup guide has successfully been deployed to sysadminafterdark production.