After you have installed Automatic Workstation Import using the ZENworks Desktop Management Server installation, importing workstations is a one-step process. The Workstation Registration program in the Desktop Management Agent accesses the Automatic Workstation Import service, which creates the Workstation object in Novell eDirectory™ and registers the workstation. For more information about using ZENworks Desktop Management with either the Novell Client™ or with the Desktop Management Agent, see Section I, Understanding ZENworks 7 Desktop Management. For more information about installing Automatic Workstation Import, see Installing the ZENworks Desktop Management Server
in the Novell ZENworks 7 Desktop Management Installation Guide.
The actual process of importing unregistered workstations into eDirectory depends on the physical location of the workstation (whether it is located inside or outside of the firewall).
If the workstation is located inside the firewall, the workstation accesses the Automatic Workstation Import service directly. In this scenario, the hostname (zenwsimport) must resolve to the Import Service as in previous versions of ZENworks.
If the workstation is located outside the firewall, the workstation accesses the ZENworks Desktop Management Middle Tier Server via HTTP using the Desktop Management Agent. The Middle Tier Server then acts as a proxy to pass the request on to the Automatic Workstation Import service. In this scenario, the hostname on the Middle Tier Server (zenwsimport) must resolve to the server running the import service. You should ping the server from the Middle Tier Server to make sure that it is pointing to the correct address.
The following sections provide additional information:
The Automatic Workstation Import service creates network traffic; however, the import service is used only when one of the following occurs:
A workstation boots and a corresponding Workstation object does not exist.
This is normally the first time the workstation is registered. The Automatic Workstation Import service initially creates the Workstation object in the tree, populates the object with default values, and updates the properties with the current registration information.
The Workstation Import policy is used to determine where the Workstation object is created and how it is named.
A workstation attempts to log in to the tree and its Workstation object was either moved or renamed.
The registration program calls the import service to synchronize the workstation with its Workstation object.
At all other times when a workstation is logged in to the network, the Workstation Registration program registers the workstation and updates the Workstation object. The import service is not contacted for these operations, so network traffic to and from the Workstation Import service is not an issue. Workstations that authenticate and update Workstation objects still generate some network traffic.
For more information, see Section 13.4, Workstation Import Policy.
After a workstation has been imported into the directory, it only needs to be registered each time it logs in to the tree. The Workstation Registration program updates the Workstation object when one of the following occurs:
The Workstation Manager program starts
A user logs in to the tree
A Windows 2000/XP user logs out
The Workstation Registration program updates the workstation's registration time, network address, last server, and last user information.
Network traffic is minimized because the Workstation Registration program doesn't need to access the import service.
You should periodically remove unused Workstation objects from the directory so that inventory reporting is more accurate.
Automatic Workstation Removal uses the Workstation Removal policy to determine when Workstation objects are considered to be unused so that they can automatically be removed from the directory.
Workstation objects can be automatically removed when a workstation has not been registered within the time frame you specify in the effective Workstation Removal policy.
You can specify any number of days for how long a workstation can go without registering before it is considered unused.
For more information, see Section 13.5, Workstation Removal Policy.