The Database Engine

ZENworks Server Management is shipped with the Sybase database engine. This can only be installed once on a server. However, you can install Sybase to multiple servers.

Oracle* and SQL are not supported.

The Database File

Policy and Distribution Services uses a Sybase database file named zfslog.db. Server Management can function normally without the database, because it uses zfslog.db only to log information for Policy and Distribution Services reporting.

Zfslog.db is normally located in the \zenworks\pds\db directory on a server. Its location is determined when using the installation program. It can reside on both NetWare^® and Windows servers.

The Database Object

A Novell eDirectory^TM database object is created during installation, named Server Management Database_server_name. In its properties, the location of the database file (zfslog.db) is listed, if established during installation; otherwise, you can configure the ZENworks Database policy (Service Location Package) to specify the database object. The location and policy are necessary for the database file to be found for logging information.

Running the Database

On NetWare servers, the database is run by using the mgmtdbs.ncf file (located in the sys:\system directory), which is executed from autoexec.ncf.

On Windows servers, the database is run by using the Novell Database - Sybase service.

Database Caching

Database files can become very large, which is why a 32 MB cache is recommended on the server where you are running the database. Caching improves server performance because of how frequently information is logged to zfslog.db.

Database Information

Zfslog.db is used by Policy and Distribution Services to log successes and failures for the Server Policies or Tiered Electronic Distribution components. You can purge policy information automatically according to a policy setting. You can purge Tiered Electronic Distribution information manually from the database object. For information on purging, see Purging the Database.

Zfslog.db does not contain any configuration information.

The following information is written to zfslog.db by the agents:

For information on obtaining reports on the database information, see Reporting.

The following provides information on gathering data for the database:

• A Distributor keeps track of each Subscriber in its routing hierarchy, so it knows which parent Subscribers have received a Distribution.
• The Distributor knows which Subscribers are at the end of a particular route, so it can know if Subscribers have not received a Distribution because a Subscriber higher up in the hierarchy failed to receive the Distribution.
• Subscribers send messages directly to the Distributor indicating that they have received a Distribution. The Distributor does not return a confirmation that it received the Subscriber's message.
• If a Distributor is not running when a "Successfully Received" message is sent from a Subscriber, this information is not written to the database. Because a message receipt confirmation is not received by the Subscriber, it does not re-send the message.

Coexisting Databases

You can have multiple Server Management databases in the tree. The number you have depends on whether you want consolidated reporting and can live with the additional network traffic in a WAN environment.

If you do not require consolidated reports, you can install one database file and object on different servers for each of your WAN segments. This eliminates writing to the database file over a WAN link by the Distributor.

For the server selected for a database file, you should not install a ZENworks Desktop Management database when a ZENworks Server Management database exists for Policy and Distribution Services. The Desktop Management database file replaces the ZENworks Server Management database file, causing all ZENworks Server Management database information to be lost. However, you can install a ZENworks Server Management database where a Desktop Management database exists and not lose any Desktop Management database information.

However, the databases for Management and Monitoring Services, Server Inventory, and Policy and Distribution Services can coexist on a server, because their database files use different filenames. You only need to name the database objects differently from each other, because they all have the same default object name of ZENworks Database.