In contrast to earlier versions, ZENworks Linux Management currently places a greater emphasis on individual machines and does not require that you use a group if you are updating a single machine. Groups do, however, make most operations much easier, and tend to prevent mistakes.
ZENworks Linux Management organizes client machines using the following groupings:
| Grouping | Description |
|---|---|
Machine |
Represents an individual client machine. Individual client machines are the objects of nearly every ZENworks Linux Management action. A client machine is assigned one or more administrators and notification recipients, and can also belong to groups and be granted access to channels. |
Group |
Represents a pre-defined group of client machines. A group is assigned one or more administrators, and can have report notifications, channel access, and transactions. |
Machine Set |
Represents the set of machines you are currently working with in the Web interface. This can include any number of groups and individual machines. Transactions and permissions changes in the Web interface are performed through the machine set. For example, you would add a group to the machine set, then grant channel access to the machine set. See Working with the Machine Set. |
The machine set is a special sort of grouping of machines. There is only one, and it consists of whatever machines you wish to manipulate at any given time. When you create a transaction in the Web interface, it is assumed that it is going to be applied to the current machine set.
The machine set is only used in the Web interface. For the command line, the rcman transaction commands are used to create associations between machines and transactions.
To understand the difference between groups, activation profiles, and the machine set, picture a room with a variety of buckets: each bucket contains some machines, and there are other machines loose on the floor. When a new machine arrives in the room, your assistant tags it with a sticker and places it in a bucket.
Each bucket is a group, your assistant sorting the new machines is an activation profile, and the machines you're holding are the machine set. If you pick up a bucket, then the machine set consists of all the machines in the bucket. If you pick up another bucket and a pair of loose machines from the floor, then the machine set consists of all the members of both groups, plus the two loose machines.