When your ZENworks Management Zone includes more than one server (Primary Servers and Satellites), devices need to know which server to contact. The Closest Server Rules panel lets you create rules to determine which servers a device contacts.
With respect to Closest Server rules, devices that are configured as Satellites are considered as servers and can be listed for selection in the , and lists.
The following sections provide information you should understand before you start creating Closest Server rules:
There following are basic functions for which devices contact a server:
Collection: Inventory and message log information is collected from each device, to be viewed in ZENworks Control Center and output to reports. Each ZENworks Primary Server and any Satellite can act as a collection server.
Content: Content is provided to managed devices. Each ZENworks Primary Server and any Satellite can act as a content server.
Configuration: Configuration settings and registration information are applied to devices. Only ZENworks Primary Servers can act as configuration servers.
Authentication: Managed devices contact a ZENworks Server to authenticate to the Management Zone. Each ZENworks Primary Server and any Satellite can act as an authentication server.
A device can contact the same server for all functions, or it can contact different servers for each function.
A Closest Server rule maps devices with specific network addresses to the following lists:
list
list
list
list
For example, assume that you want to create a rule for devices that fall within the IP address range of 192.168.67.1 to 192.168.67.100. You specify the IP address range, then create the following lists:
|
Collection Server List |
Content Server List |
Configuration Server List |
Authentication Server List |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Server 1 |
Server 3 |
Server 1 |
Server 2 |
|
Server 2 |
Server 1 |
Server 3 |
Server 3 |
|
Server 3 |
|
Server 2 |
Server 1 |
Based on the lists, any device whose IP address falls within the range contacts Server 1 for collection, Server 3 for content, Server 1 for configuration, and Server 2 for authentication. If any of these servers are unavailable, the device contacts the next server in the list.
You can configure Closest Server rules at three levels:
Management Zone: The rules are inherited by all device folders and devices.
Device Folder: The rules are inherited by all devices contained within the folder or its subfolders. They override the Management Zone settings.
Device: The rules apply only to the device for which they are configured. They override the settings set at the Management Zone and folder levels.
Each device can have only one Closest Server rule applied to it. A device’s effective rule is determined as follows:
Device Settings: Evaluate all rules that are set on the device. If the device meets a rule’s criteria, that rule becomes the device’s effective rule.
Folder settings: If no device rule applies, evaluate all rules that are set on the device’s parent folder. If the device meets a rule’s criteria, that rule becomes the device’s effective rule. If not, evaluate the rules on the next folder up in the hierarchy.
Management Zone: If no folder rule applies, evaluate all rules that are set in the Management Zone. If the device meets a rule’s criteria, that rule becomes the device’s effective rule. If not, apply the Default rule to the device.
Default Rule: If no device, folder, or Management Zone rule applies, apply the default rule to the device. The Default rule is simply a listing of all content servers in the order you want devices to contact them.