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What is the difference between CSS & EMS ?
What is the difference between CSS & EMS ?
- Hi everyone,
I was reading an article that I have found online ( Installing Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Beta 2 ) and using it I was able to install TMG. However there is something that I do feel that I'm lost and need to understand it. I have read the TMG deployement guide but it didn't cover this thing that is misleading somehow.
Is EMS = CSS ?
If you have looked at the different installation options that you have with the TMG installation wizard, you can see that there when you choose to installa EMS, then you have the options to install the remote MMC and the CSS ! so is EMS = CSS ?
All Replies
- It's actually very simple...
CSS == Configuration Storage Server. This is where TMG keeps the persistent form of the configuration. This is installed on any standalone server or the first server in an array. When a server joins an array, it uses the CSS designated by that array configuration.
EMS == Enterprise Management Server. This is a server that is tasked with management of at least one Enterprise array and possibly a standalone server or so.
EMS includes CSS (as it must), but CSS does not require EMS.
HTH,
Jim Harrison Forefront Edge CS- Proposed As Answer byJim Harrison IsaDewd Tuesday, March 10, 2009 3:45 PM
- Its actually confusing, if you check the screen shots that in the article, you will notice that CSS is listed in both scenarios. As the author has mentiond :
Selecting scenario # 3 : Install Enterprise Management Server and you will have this screenshot
So why in the wizard, when i choose to install EMS, it provides me with the same 3 installation options but with Forefront TMG not selected, and EMS in the wizard is shown as if it includes the management console and the CSS. i hope that i made my point clear. - I agree , in the first option CSS should not be shown as optional install , but should be a mandatory install.
A feedback is given to product team and will be corrected in post beta 2 builds.
All TMG installations will need a local CSS as they all by default gets installed in a stand alone array server.
After the install , once you run the join array wizard , they join the Enterprise and use the Enterprise CSS (EMS = third option in the installation doc). After they joing enterprise css ( EMS) the local CSS is disabled.
Clear?
-Bala Natarajan
TMG Beta support team - Actually it is confusing and I've recieved plenty of emails after i posted my article Installing Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Beta 2.
People are asking me why in the installation wizard when you choose to install EMS, they actually get the CSS installation that is present in the installation of the first option of the wizard.
Maybe at the time being, its best to have a blog post at the ISA/TMG blog, explaining for the users what is CSS and what is EMS, and to show the comparison between them , maybe in a table or so.and that CSS is not EMS, as the installation wizard does show it is !!
_________________________
Tarek Majdalani
MS Forefront Edge Security MVP
http://www.elmajdal.net - Thank you all for your input.
This bring another question, if I already installed TMG by choosing Install Forefront Threat management Gateway services and selected all the options available . then i intend to install another TMG server and I want to create a Standalone Array that consist of 2 TMG servers, on the 2nd TMG server, do I need to install CSS as well ? or I can have a single CSS only ? - You will install the second server like the first one , then you will run the join array wizard and join to the existing ( first server) array . At that time css on second is disabled
-Bala Hi everyone,
I was reading an article that I have found online ( Installing Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Beta 2 ) and using it I was able to install TMG. However there is something that I do feel that I'm lost and need to understand it. I have read the TMG deployement guide but it didn't cover this thing that is misleading somehow.
Is EMS = CSS ?
If you have looked at the different installation options that you have with the TMG installation wizard, you can see that there when you choose to installa EMS, then you have the options to install the remote MMC and the CSS ! so is EMS = CSS ?
Hi,
Check this : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee207136.aspx
HTH,
Tarek
Tarek Majdalani | MS Forefront Edge Security MVP | http://www.elmajdal.net- Proposed As Answer byElMajdalMVPFriday, July 10, 2009 10:13 PM
