E.5 Session (Multicast) Mode (img session)

Use the Session (Multicast) mode to take an image of one device and put it down on multiple other devices simultaneously over the network in a single operation.

IMPORTANT:For multicasting to work properly, the routers and switches on the network must have multicast features configured. Otherwise, multicast packets might not be routed properly.

For multicasting to work, each participating device must boot from an imaging boot media and run the ZENworks Imaging Engine in this mode, as explained below. The device from which the image is taken is called the master, and the devices that receive the image are called participants.

You can start the multicast session from the imaging server. If you start the session this way, you specify an image file for multicasting rather than a device as the session master. Otherwise, if you start the session from a client device, you can specify one of the session participants as the session master. In that case, an image of the session master’s hard drive is sent to the session participants. For more information, see Initiating a Multicast Session from Each Client.

Using the bash prompt, the following example explains the syntax and available parameters that you can use with the session parameter:

img session name [master|client] [clients=count [t=minutes]]

Commands

Table E-9 session Commands

Parameter

Specifies

name

The name of the multicast session. Each device joining the session uses the same value for this parameter.

IMPORTANT:The name must be unique among concurrent multicast sessions. It is hashed by the ZENworks Imaging Engine to produce a Class D IP address for the multicast session. To facilitate troubleshooting (wire sniffing), all Linux Management imaging multicast addresses start with 231. For example, the session name mcast01 can produce the multicast address 231.139.79.72.

master|client

Specifies that this device is the session master or a session client.

If you omit this parameter, the ZENworks Imaging Engine waits for the user at the master device to press m to designate that device as the master, or it waits for another device to be declared master for the imaging session to be started from the imaging server by selecting Manually start multicast, providing the required information, then selecting Yes.

clients=count

The number of participating devices that must register with the master before imaging begins. This option only applies to session masters.

If you omit this parameter, the ZENworks Imaging Engine waits for the user at the master device to press g. After imaging has begun, any participating devices attempting to register are denied.

time=minutes

The number of minutes the master device waits for the next participant to register before starting the imaging process without reaching count registered participants. This option only applies to session masters.

If you omit this parameter, the imaging process does not start until count is reached, or the user at the master device presses g. After that, any participants attempting to register are denied and queued for the next multicast session.

Examples

Table E-10 session Examples

Example

Explanation

img session mcast01

Starts a multicast session named mcast01. Each successive device that issues this same command before the imaging begins joins the session. Imaging doesn’t start until one of the users presses m to designate himself as master and presses g to start the imaging, or the imaging session is started from the imaging server by selecting Manually start multicast, providing the required information, then selecting Yes.

img session mcast01 m

Starts a multicast session named mcast01 and designates this device as the master. Each successive device that issues img session mcast01 before the imaging begins joins the session as a participant. Imaging doesn’t start until the master user presses g.

img session mcast01 master clients=5

Starts a multicast session named mcast01. Each successive device that issues img session mcast01 before the imaging begins joins the session. Imaging doesn’t start until one of the users presses m to designate himself as master, or until the imaging session is started from the imaging server by selecting Manually Start Multicast, providing the required information, then selecting Yes. Five other devices must also register as participants before the session begins.

img session mcast01 master clients=5 time=20

Starts a multicast session named mcast01. Each successive device that issues img session mcast01 before the imaging begins joins the session. Imaging doesn’t start until one of the users presses m to designate himself as master, or until the imaging session is started from the imaging server by selecting Manually Start Multicast, providing the required information, then selecting Yes. Either five other devices must register as participants or more than 20 minutes must elapse between any consecutive participant registrations, whichever occurs first, and then the session begins.