[Today's post is provided by My Phuong Le]

Some users have encountered 32-bit limitations in monitoring System Center Configuration Manager with Operations Manager.  This post is intended to clear up confusion about what is currently supported and why.

By design, the OS operates in two distinct address spaces - 64-bit or 32-bit.  System Center Configuration Manager 2007 is a 32-bit application.  This is true for the RTM, SP1 and R2 releases.

If Configuration Manger 2007 RTM or SP1 is running on a 32-bit OS with the 32 bit Operations Manager 2007 agent

• All 32-bit applications can be monitored normally, including the OS and Configuration Manager 2007.

If Configuration Manager 2007 RTM or SP1 is running on a 64-bit OS, with the 64-bit Operations Manager 2007 agent

• You will be able to monitor 64-bit native applications.
• You will not be able to monitor Configuration Manager 2007. The counters will not be visible.
• The underlying x64 OS and x64 SQL instances are monitored.

If Configuration Manager 2007 RTM or SP1 is running on a 64-bit OS, with the 32-bit Operations Manager 2007 agent

• See Manageability Team Blog for details on how to use the 32-bit Operations Manager 2007 agent on a 64-bit OS.
• You will be able to monitor Configuration Manager 2007.
• You will not be able to monitor native 64-bit applications or the OS itself.
• You will lose some functionality with the Operations Manager 2007 agent.
• You can't automatically install, uninstall or upgrade the agent.
• You can't use your normal method to deploy agents.
• You can't use your normal method to patch agents.
• You can't use your normal method to repair agents.

We are not offering a 64-bit Configuration Manager 2007 Client.  However, we are making changes to allow the 32-bit application to work with both the 32-bit and 64-bit Operations Manager 2007 agent. 

To take advantage of the new functionality, you will need the following applications when they are released:

• System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 or a System Center Operations Manager 2007 SP1 hotfix. This module change will allow Management Packs to query the 32-bit registry hive on a 64-bit Windows install to successfully perform discoveries, i.e. the "SMS" hive. This release is currently scheduled for the second quarter of calendar year 2009.
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 R2. This is updated to take advantage of the new Operations Manager 2007 R2 discovery method. This release is currently scheduled for the third quarter of calendar year 2009.
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 - Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 will have native 64-bit performance counters added. This release is currently scheduled for the third quarter of calendar year 2009.

- My Phuong Le

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.