Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Support Advisory Center

Best practices and Guidelines for Deployment of Windows XP SP2 Step 2 - Assess Impact An important part of the planning process is to assess the impact that XP SP2 will have your applications and environment. XP SP2 will not affect every application on your PC, but you should know your applications well enough to know whether they need to be looked at more closely.  Know what applications you use on machines you plan to deploy XP SP2 on. Know how you are using the applications so you will know what functionality may be affected by XP SP2 Network access for DCOM client/server connections is the most likely place problems will occur Other applications that go out on the network to get data via specific TCP/IP Port #'s Remote applications that access services on the XP SP2 machine by means other than DCOM – i.e. specific TCP/IP port #s. Example – if you are running our modbus Ethernet TOP Server in slave mode, you may need to open TCP/IP port #502 for access so that the Modbus Ethernet master applications can get in and connect to the Modbus Slave. Example – Our AB Unsolicited Driver Example – TOP Server UCON configurations using Unsolicted Ethernet messaging By knowing the exact FUNCTIONALITY in your applications that may be affected by XP SP2, you can avoid having to re-system test everything after deployment of XP SP2, and thus minimize your downtime. Contact the vendors of all applications to determine if they have tested their product on XP SP2 and are prepared to provide support. Know the interactions from your XP machines that will get SP2 with other computers on your network Remote client server connections that use DCOM are the most important ones to be aware of. Know the operating system and service pack level of those machines if they are not XP SP2.  Realize that putting XP SP2 on one machine can have an affect on applications on other PCs that are not running XP or XP SP2. If the remote PC accesses services or applications on the XP SP2 machine, the enhanced firewalling on XP SP2 could block access from those machines. If applications on the XP SP2 machine are accessing services or applications across the network using DCOM, problems still could occur if The XP SP2 firewall blocks the outbound requests The XP SP2 firewall blocks callbacks coming from the remote machine in response to requests for data from the remote machine. Disclaimer: The information contained in these pages is based on our testing with the release candidate of XP Service Pack 2. Although this information is based on "best practices" as judged by the authors, Software Toolbox and the authors of this document assume no responsibility or direct, indirect, or consequential liability for its accuracy or suitability for a users particular application. The reader is responsible for proper application to their particular situation.

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