Closest Server Default Rule

The Closest Server Default Rule panel lets you define the rule that is used by a device to determine the closest collection, content, configuration, and authentication servers when no Closest Server rules have been defined or when none apply. This rule is simply a listing of the servers in the order you want the devices to contact them.

For Closest Server Default rules, devices that are Satellites are considered as servers and can be listed for selection in the various sections.

By default, all ZENworks Servers function as collection, content, configuration, and authentication Servers and are displayed in the appropriate lists. In addition, Satellite devices that are defined with the Content or Imaging role are also displayed in the Content Servers list, any Satellite devices that are defined with the Collection role are also displayed in the Collection Servers list, and Satellite devices that are defined with the Authentication role are also displayed in the Authentication Servers list, and Linux or Windows Satellite devices that are defined with the Join Proxy role are also displayed in the Join Proxy Servers list.

NOTE:The Join Proxy Servers are not added to the closest servers by default. The administrator should define the closest server rules for that Join Proxy. The Join Proxy satellite Server can be assigned to any location or network environment.

For information on configuring the Servers listed in the Collection Servers, Content Servers, Configuration Servers, Authentication servers and Join Proxy Servers lists, see Collection, Content, Configuration, Authentication and Join Proxy Servers.

Remove Current Satellite Servers

Removes all the Satellites from the server lists for the Closest Server Default rule. You can again add the Satellites to the server lists of the default rule by clicking Add Current Satellite Servers.

Add Current Satellite Servers

Adds the entries of all Satellites into the server lists, depending on the individual roles defined for each Satellite device.

Validate Server Lists

Verifies whether all ZENworks Servers are contained in the server lists of the Closest Server Default rule. If any existing server is missing from the list, it is added to the list.

New and Modified Satellite Servers Should be Added to These Default Rule Lists

If selected, automatically adds new Satellites to the server lists of the Closest Server Default rule and synchronizes the settings of the existing Satellites with their corresponding entries in the Closest Server Default rule. By default, the New and modified Satellite Servers should be added to the these default rule lists check box is selected.

Limit Servers Returned to Agent

Specifies the number of ZENworks servers whose data must be sent to the managed devices at a time. The available options are:

Unlimited: By default, the contact information about all the servers listed in the effective rule’s lists are sent to the managed devices. In addition, unless they are excluded in the effective rule, the servers listed in the Closest Server Default rule are appended to the servers listed in the effective rule.
Limit to <a _numeric_value_that_you_specify> Servers per list: If you want to balance bandwidth between the server and the managed devices, specify the number of servers whose data must be sent to the managed devices at a time.

While calculating the Limit Servers Returned to Agent value, ZENworks considers a group or an L4 switch as a single unit, regardless of the number of servers contained within the group or L4 switch. This is because groups and L4 switches are used to balance traffic among the servers contained within them. For more information on groups, see Groups.

For more information on L4 switches, see L4 Switches.

NOTE:If you have devices with ZENworks 10 Configuration Management SP2/SP3 installed, you can also configure the Limit Servers Returned to Agent setting for each Closest Server rule. The limits that you set in the Closest Server rule override the limits that you set in the Closest Server Default rule.