In addition to the topics described in the previous section, a number of key factors should be taken into consideration when migrating from a previous version of ZENworks to ZENworks Configuration Management.:
If a customer already has a mature deployment of ZENworks Desktop Management, it is likely that the customer manages an extensive application repository. In many cases, the customer is using the Tiered Electronic Distribution component of ZENworks Server Management to tightly manage the distribution of application software code to the file servers needed to support deployment to end-users. In addition to these components, the customer might have already invested in processes and work flows to facilitate application delivery, and therefore might be reluctant to start again with a new system.
ZENworks Configuration Management provides an encrypted data store, known as the Content Repository, that stores delivery content for applications, patch remediations, and ZENworks system updates. When creating an application bundle, the delivery content is uploaded to the Management Zone, encrypted, and subsequently synchronized to all ZENworks Primary Servers. This process allows for applications to be delivered securely to devices using HTTP, regardless of the device's physical location.
However, it is possible to create application bundles that refer to application repositories that are external to ZENworks. For example, a customer might want to deliver applications with ZENworks Configuration Management but refer to the same application content (MSIs) that ZENworks Desktop Management is pointing to. The advantages of this approach are as follows:
Existing repositories can be used.
Existing processes for application management can be used. If a customer has invested in this heavily, this is a compelling case to use the existing methods.
Some disadvantages of the approach are as follows:
The management of content is controlled outside of ZENworks Configuration Management. Where the files reside and the rights users have to these locations must be managed outside of the ZENworks Configuration Management management tools.
Using standard file and print delivery mechanisms restricts content deliver to devices inside the firewall.
With the ZENworks Content Repository, devices download content though HTTP. This allows content to be made available to external users via a Primary Server location in the DMZ.
ZENworks Configuration Management ships with a migration utility designed to migrate applications, policies, and associations from a ZENworks Desktop Management system to ZENworks Configuration Management. When applications are migrated to ZENworks Configuration Management by using this tool, the data for the applications is automatically placed in the Content Repository. If a customer wants to use existing application repositories, the migration tool should not be used for their applications.
For more information on the migration tool, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management ZENworks Migration Guide.
If your organization's preferred server and directory platforms are Windows Server and Active Directory, and you're currently using ZENworks middle tier architecture and Identity Manager directory sync, ZENworks Configuration Management makes it possible to eliminate both of these stepping-stone technologies and interact directly with Active Directory for user authentication and content association. This can be performed as simply as configuring the ZENworks Configuration Management Zone to point directly at Active Directory as a user source.
Customers commonly want to reuse hardware when possible. If a customer is migrating from previous ZENworks technologies such as ZENworks Patch Management, ZENworks Asset Management, eDirectory, and ZENworks Desktop Management, the hardware utilized for this functionality can be re-purposed.
In some instances, it might be beneficial to reuse the hardware to provide the additional ZENworks Primary Servers and ZENworks Satellite devices that are required by the migration project. Planning the reprovisioning of hardware is an important step in a migration project and can help reduce the architecture costs for the ZENworks Configuration Management deployment.