The ZENworks Configuration Management capabilities are as follows:
The Discovery process is used to find devices in the network through querying a set of provided IP addresses and to collect inventory information by using technologies like SNMP, WMI, and SSH. Discovery process can also find devices from Novell eDirectory™ or Active Directory, and migrate your traditional ZENworks devices from Novell eDirectory.
The Deployment process is used to distribute and install ZENworks Adaptive Agent to a collection of devices that are identified by the discovery process or by providing a list of devices explicitly. These devices then become managed devices.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Discovery, Deployment, and Retirement Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management lets you configure, distribute, install, remove, and roll back applications on your devices. This is done through the use of software bundles.
When you assign a bundle to a device, you can install and launch it on the device according to the schedules (distribution, launch, and availability) that you define.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Software Distribution Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management lets you use policies to create a set of configurations that can be assigned to any number of managed devices. It helps you to provide the devices with a uniform configuration, and it eliminates the need to configure each device separately.
ZENworks Configuration Management policies help you manage the Internet Explorer favorites, Windows Group policies, local file rights, printers, SNMP service settings, roaming profiles, and configure dynamic local user accounts and manage them on the managed devices. You can also configure the behavior or execution of a Remote Management session on the managed device, and administer as well as centrally manage the behavior and features of ZENworks Explorer.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Policy Management Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management includes a preboot service that enables you to perform tasks on devices before their operating systems boot up. Using Preboot Services, you can automatically or manually do the following to a device when it boots up:
Run ZENworks imaging scripts containing any commands that you can issue at the bash prompt
Take an image of the device’s hard drives and other storage devices
Restore an image to the device
Take part in a session where an existing image is applied to multiple devices
Take or restore a WIM image by using ImageX
Take or restore a Ghost image by using Symantec Ghost
To accomplish some of these tasks automatically, you simply need to have PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) enabled on your devices, then configure prebootable tasks in ZENworks Control Center and assign them to the devices. Then, the devices can automatically implement these tasks when they boot.
To manually implement the tasks, you can configure devices to require user intervention during bootup.
Using ZENworks Control Center, you can also replicate the tftp directory changes from a Primary Server to other Imaging servers (Primary Server or Satellite device with the Imaging role).
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Preboot Services and Imaging Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management provides the ability to remotely and securely manage devices through operations such as Remote Control, Remote View, Remote Execute, Remote Diagnostics, and File Transfer.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Remote Management Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management provides advanced reporting capabilities with ZENworks Reporting Server. ZENworks Reporting Server uses an embedded BusinessObjects Enterprise XI R3.1 engine to create customized reports. You can use the predefined reports in ZENworks Reporting Server to report on Asset Management, Patch Management, Inventory, Discovery and Deployment, Bundles and Policies, and ZENworks Systems. You can also create custom reports, edit reports, assign rights on reports, and schedule reports to a set of users.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Reporting Server Installation Guide and the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management System Reporting Reference.
ZENworks Configuration Management can gather extensive software and hardware inventory for all managed and inventoried devices, and it also enables you to create and export standard and custom reports.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management Asset Inventory Reference.
You can update your ZENworks Configuration Management software on all devices in the Management Zone where the software is installed. Update downloads can be scheduled. Software updates are provided at the Interim Release level and you can choose whether to apply each update after viewing its content (interim releases are cumulative). You can also download the latest Product Recognition Update (PRU) to update your knowledgebase so that ZENworks Inventory can recognize newer software.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Configuration Management System Administration Reference.
ZENworks Asset Management provides various tools to help you manage your software assets. These tools encompass three areas:
Software Usage: You can track usage of software applications (including run time, active time, logged in user, machine, and application used) in your existing inventory. You can also track and report on software run via Terminal Server and Citrix, as well as Web applications run through the browser. You can run a full range of predefined software usage reports, as well as create, save, and run custom reports.
Contract Management: You can define and track IT contract details, including key dates and vendor, financial, SLA, lease, and renewal information; attach related documents; associate contracts with assets, licenses, and demographic data; and create automated e-mail notifications for specified dates. You can also run a full range of predefined contract management reports, as well as create, save, and run custom reports.
License Management: You can import and enter software purchase records, define license entitlements, attach supporting documentation, reconcile discovered software products to entitlements, and track ongoing compliance status. You can also run a full range of predefined license management reports, as well as create, save, and run custom reports.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Asset Management Reference.
Purchasing ZENworks Configuration Management Standard Edition provides you with a 60-day evaluation of Asset Management. After the evaluation period, you must purchase Asset Management to continue using it.
Patch Management lets you apply software patches automatically and consistently to minimize vulnerabilities and issues.
Patch Management stays current with the latest patches and fixes by regular Internet communication with the ZENworks Patch Subscription Service. After the initial 60-day evaluation period, Patch Management requires a paid subscription for you to continue the daily download of the latest vulnerability and patch information.
When a new patch is available from the subscription service, a ZENworks Server downloads information about it. You can deploy the patch to devices or disregard the patch.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Patch Management Reference.
Personality Migration allows you to automate the process of migrating a set of customized system and application settings. A typical set of settings can be desktop wallpaper, e-mail account settings, browser proxy settings, files and folders, archived e-mails, Microsoft office templates, MS Excel Macros etc.This process significantly reduces the time and effort required in setting up or re-configuring a desktop for users.
For more information, see the ZENworks 10 Personality Migration Reference.