14.4 ZENworks Agent Settings

14.4.1 General

You can configure the ZENworks Adaptive Agent’s cache, whether or not users can uninstall the Adaptive Agent, and set retry settings.

If you are configuring the ZENworks Agent settings on a device folder or a device, click Override settings.

The following settings can be configured:

  • Allow Users to Uninstall Agent: Enable this option if you want users to be able to uninstall the ZENworks Adaptive Agent. This option is applicable only for the local uninstallation.

  • Cache Life: The ZENworks Adaptive Agent’s cache directory contains content data used by the agent. Each piece of data, referred to as a cache entry, is stored in the cache database.

    When a cache entry is added to the cache database, it is assigned a creation time and an expiration time. The creation time is simply the time it was added to the database. The expiration time is the creation time plus the number of hours specified by the Cache Life setting (by default, 336 hours or 14 days). For example, suppose that a cache entry is added on June 10 at 3:00 p.m. With the default Cache Life setting, the expiration time is set to June 24 at 3:00 p.m.

    The agent does not attempt to update a cache entry until after the entry’s expiration time. At that point, the agent updates the cache entry the next time it contacts the ZENworks Server to refresh its information.

    NOTE:Updates to expired cache entries occur only for cache entries that are content-related (bundles, policies, configuration settings, registration settings, and so forth). Updates to cache entries that are event-related (remote management, inventory, reporting, and so forth) only occur at the time the event takes place on the device.

    A higher Cache Life setting reduces the traffic load on your network because cache entries are refreshed less frequently. A lower setting provides newer information but increases the traffic load.

    This setting affects only how often the agent requests updates to a cache entry. Cache entries can also be updated before their expiration time if information is changed in ZENworks Control Center that causes the information to be pushed from the ZENworks Server to the agent.

  • Cache Orphaning Threshold: Over a period of time, it is possible for entries to be inserted in the cache database but not removed. This can cause the cache to grow unnecessarily.

    An orphan is an entry that is inserted into the cache but not accessed within the number of days specified by the Cache Orphaning Threshold setting. For example, suppose that a cache entry is accessed on July 1 at 10:00 a.m. Without the default Cache Orphaning Threshold setting (30 days), the entry becomes an orphan if it is not accessed again before July 31 at 10:00 a.m.

    A higher Cache Orphaning Threshold setting ensures that infrequently accessed information is not removed from the cache database. A lower setting can reduce the cache size.

  • Times to Retry Requests to a Busy Server: Lets you specify the number of times that the agent retries a request to a busy server before considering the server as bad instead of busy.

    The default value is 15. The maximum value that you can specify is 20.

  • Initial Retry Request Wait: The Initial Retry Request Wait setting lets you specify the initial amount of time that the agent waits before retrying a Web service request after receiving a busy response from the server. The wait time increases by one second with every busy response. The default setting is four seconds. The maximum value that you can set is ten seconds. Each subsequent request is incremented by one second.

    For example, suppose that you leave this setting at the default (four seconds). After receiving a busy response from the server, the agent waits four seconds for the first retry attempt. If the server is still busy, the agent waits five additional seconds (4 + 1) before making the second retry attempt. The third retry attempt is 15 seconds after the initial retry attempt (4 + 5 + 6). The time increments until the value specified in the Maximum Retry Request Wait setting is reached. The retry attempts stop when the value specified in the Times to Retry Requests to a Busy Server setting is reached.

  • Maximum Retry Request Wait: Lets you specify the maximum amount of time to wait before retrying a Web service request after receiving a busy response from the server.

    The default setting is 16 seconds. The maximum value that you can specify is 20 seconds.

14.4.2 Agent Features

The ZENworks Adaptive Agent uses modules to perform the following functions on managed devices:

  • Asset Management

  • Bundle Management

  • Image Management

  • Patch Management

  • Policy Management

  • Remote Management

  • User Management

    If you are viewing the properties of a Windows 2000 device, the User Management options are disabled because user management cannot be disabled or uninstalled from Windows 2000 devices. If you are viewing the properties of the Management Zone or a folder, user management settings are ignored for Windows 2000 devices.

NOTE:You can use ZENworks 10 Asset Management with ZENworks 7 Desktop Management installed in your environment.

If you enable any Agent feature besides Asset Management, and you are running ZENworks 7 Desktop Management in your environment, you are prompted that the ZENworks 7 Desktop Management Agent will be uninstalled.

Ensure that you enable only the Asset Management feature if you want to use ZENworks 10 Asset Management and you want to continue using ZENworks 7 Desktop Management in your environment.

By default, all modules are installed on a device. However, you can uninstall any of the modules. You can also disable (or enable) any of the installed modules.

You can install, uninstall, enable or disable the modules at three levels:

  • Management Zone: The setting applies to all devices in the Management Zone.

  • Device Folder: The setting applies to all devices contained within the folder or its subfolders. It overrides the Management Zone setting.

  • Device: The setting applies only to the device for which it is configured. It overrides the settings established at the Management Zone and folder levels.

To modify a module’s state:

  1. (Conditional) If you are configuring the ZENworks Agent settings on a device folder or a device, click Override settings.

  2. To install a module, select the Installed check box.

    or

    To uninstall a module, deselect the Installed check box.

    By default, the Installed check boxes for all modules are selected, meaning that all modules are installed on devices when they register to your ZENworks Management Zone. If you deselect a module’s Installed check box, that module is uninstalled from the device the next time it refreshes.

  3. To enable an installed module, click the Enabled button.

    or

    To disable an installed module, click the Disabled button.

    By default, the Enabled option for all installed modules is selected, meaning that all modules are enabled on devices. Disabling a module does not cause that module to be uninstalled from currently managed devices. The module remains installed on the device, but it is disabled.

  4. Specify the reboot behavior if a reboot is required.

    This option applies only when installing or uninstalling a module. In some cases, Windows Installer might require a reboot of the device when installing or uninstalling the module. If a reboot is required during install, the module does not function until the reboot occurs. If a reboot is required during uninstall, the module’s files are not completely removed until a reboot occurs, but the module stops functioning.

    • Prompt user to reboot (Default): The user is prompted to reboot the device. The user can reboot immediately or wait until later.

    • Do not reboot device: No reboot occurs. The user must initiate a reboot.

    • Force device to reboot: The device is automatically rebooted. The user is notified that the device will reboot in 5 minutes.

  5. Click Apply to save the changes.

  6. (Conditional) If you install the Remote Management or Image Management module on a device, reboot the device for the install to be effective.

To understand the effects of enabling, disabling, or uninstalling the modules, see the following tables:

Table 14-1 Bundle Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Bundle Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Bundle Management status as Running

  • The Bundle Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Bundle Management status as Disabled.

  • The Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle that are assigned to the device are not displayed in the NAL window or in the shortcut locations such as Desktop, Start Menu, Quick Launch, or System Tray of the device.

  • You cannot execute Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle related zac commands.

  • If you disable the Bundle Management module when a bundle is being applied to the device, the module is disabled after the bundle is applied and the device is refreshed.

  • The Bundle Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Bundle Management status in the Agent Status panel

  • Bundles with content such as Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle that are assigned to the device but are not yet installed on the device are deleted from the device.

  • If the ZENworks license expires, you cannot create, edit, enable, or disable bundles. However, you can view the existing bundles in ZENworks Control Center or by using zman commands.

  • If the ZENworks license is deactivated, then the Bundles tab is no longer displayed in the left navigation pane of the ZENworks Control Center and you cannot use bundles related zman commands.

Table 14-2 Image Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • novell-ziswin is installed and enabled on Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-ziswin is installed but disabled on Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is installed and enabled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The Image Management Agent is installed and enabled if the managed device has Update for ZENworks 10 Configuration Management SP2 (10.2.1) or later installed.

  • The icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Running.

  • novell-ziswin is only disabled but it is not uninstalled on all the Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is only disabled but it is not uninstalled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Disabled.

  • novell-ziswin is uninstalled on all the Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is uninstalled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The Image Management Agent is additionally uninstalled from the device that has ZENworks 10 Configuration Management SP2 (10.2.1) or later installed.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Image Management in the Agent Status panel.

When the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management license expires:

  • On the ZENworks Server: You cannot install the agent with Image Management module on any new device. Also, you cannot enable or disable the Image Management module for the existing devices.

  • On the Managed Device: novell-ziswin and the novell-zisdservice are disabled but are not uninstalled. Also, the icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Disabled.

Table 14-3 Patch Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Patch Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Patch Management status as Running

  • The Patch Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Patch Management status as Disabled

  • The patch bundles that are assigned to the device are not displayed in the NAL window or in the shortcut locations such as Desktop, Start Menu, Quick Launch, or System Tray of the device.

  • You cannot execute patch bundle related zac commands.

  • The Patch Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Patch Management status in the Agent Status panel.

  • Patch bundles that are assigned to the device but are not yet installed on the device are deleted from the device.

  • If the ZENworks license is deactivated, you cannot download any new patch bundles. However, the existing patches can be used for assignments.

Table 14-4 Policy Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Policy Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Policy Management status as Running.

  • The Policy Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Policy Management status as Disabled.

  • All the policies assigned to the device are unenforced from the device.

  • You can use ZENworks Control Center to assign policies to a device. However, the policies are not enforced on the device until the Policy Management feature is enabled.

  • You cannot execute policy related zac commands.

  • If you disable the Policy Management module on a device that is running a Dynamic Local User (DLU) policy, the module is disabled after the device is rebooted

  • The Policy Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Policy Management status in the Agent Status panel.

  • All the policies assigned to the device are unenforced from the device.

  • If you uninstall the Policy Management module on a device that is running a Dynamic Local User (DLU) policy, the module is uninstalled after the device is rebooted.

  • If the ZENworks license expires, you cannot create, edit, enable, or disable policies. However, the policies that are already enforced and enabled on a device continue to work on the device.

  • If the User Management is disabled:

    • The Roaming Profile policy and the DLU policy is not enforced on a device even if the user to whom the policy is assigned has logged in to the device

    • The Windows Group Policy with user configuration settings is not enforced on the managed device even if the policy is assigned to the device.

Table 14-5 Remote Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Remote Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Remote Management status as Running.

  • The device can be remotely managed.

  • The Remote Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Remote Management status as Disabled.

  • The Remote Management policy is unenforced from the device.

  • The device cannot be remotely managed.

  • The Remote Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Remote Management status in the Agent Status panel

  • The Remote Management policy is unenforced from the device.

  • The device cannot be remotely managed.

If the ZENworks license expires, the Remote Management service continues to run and the device can be remotely managed.

14.4.3 Agent Preferences

To provide optimal performance the default status upload frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent is 30 minutes. You can choose to override the default status upload frequency by configuring the following preferences on a Windows or Linux managed device:

Changing the Default Status Upload Frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent on a Windows Managed Device

  1. On a Windows managed device, open <CONF_DIR>/StatusSenderConfig.xml in a text editor.

  2. Provide the following values:

    <configuration>
<StatusSender>
  <Parameter SleepTime=nnn>
</StatusSender>
</configuration>

    Where nnn is the SleepTime in seconds.

Changing the Default Status Upload Frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent on a Linux Managed Device

  1. On a Linux managed device, open /etc/opt/novell/zenworks/conf/xplatzmd.properties in a text editor.

  2. Add the SleepTime parameter as: SleepTime=nn

    Where nn is the repeat frequency in minutes.