23.4 ZENworks Agent Settings

The following sections provide details about the configuration settings available for the ZENworks Adaptive Agent. Each section assumes that you have accessed the settings at the level (zone, device folder, or device) where you want the settings applied.

23.4.1 Agent Features

The ZENworks Adaptive Agent uses modules to perform the following functions on managed devices:

  • Asset Management

  • Bundle Management

  • Endpoint Security Management

  • Image Management

  • Patch Management

  • Policy Management

  • Remote Management

  • User Management

    If you are viewing the properties of a Windows 2000 device, the User Management options are disabled because user management cannot be disabled or uninstalled from Windows 2000 devices. If you are viewing the properties of the Management Zone or a folder, user management settings are ignored for Windows 2000 devices.

By default, all modules are installed on a device. However, you can uninstall any of the modules. You can also disable (or enable) any of the installed modules.

To modify a module’s state:

  1. (Conditional) If you are configuring the ZENworks Agent settings on a device folder or a device, click Override settings.

  2. To install a module, select the Installed check box.

    or

    To uninstall a module, deselect the Installed check box.

    By default, the Installed check boxes for all modules are selected, meaning that all modules are installed on devices when they register to your ZENworks Management Zone. If you deselect a module’s Installed check box, that module is uninstalled from the device the next time it refreshes.

  3. To enable an installed module, click the Enabled button.

    or

    To disable an installed module, click the Disabled button.

    By default, the Enabled option for all installed modules is selected, meaning that all modules are enabled on devices. Disabling a module does not cause that module to be uninstalled from currently managed devices. The module remains installed on the device, but it is disabled.

  4. Specify the reboot behavior if a reboot is required.

    This option applies only when installing or uninstalling a module. In some cases, Windows Installer might require a reboot of the device when installing or uninstalling the module. If a reboot is required during install, the module does not function until the reboot occurs. If a reboot is required during uninstall, the module’s files are not completely removed until a reboot occurs, but the module stops functioning.

    • Prompt user to reboot (Default): The user is prompted to reboot the device. The user can reboot immediately or wait until later.

    • Do not reboot device: No reboot occurs. The user must initiate a reboot.

    • Force device to reboot: The device is automatically rebooted. The user is notified that the device will reboot in 5 minutes.

  5. Click Apply to save the changes.

  6. (Conditional) If you install the Remote Management or Image Management module on a device, reboot the device for the install to be effective.

To understand the effects of enabling, disabling, or uninstalling the modules, see the following tables:

Table 23-1 Bundle Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Bundle Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Bundle Management status as Running

  • The Bundle Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Bundle Management status as Disabled.

  • The Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle that are assigned to the device are not displayed in the NAL window or in the shortcut locations such as Desktop, Start Menu, Quick Launch, or System Tray of the device.

  • You cannot execute Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle related zac commands.

  • If you disable the Bundle Management module when a bundle is being applied to the device, the module is disabled after the bundle is applied and the device is refreshed.

  • The Bundle Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Bundle Management status in the Agent Status panel

  • Bundles with content such as Windows bundle, File bundle, or Directive bundle that are assigned to the device but are not yet installed on the device are deleted from the device.

  • If the ZENworks license expires, you cannot create, edit, enable, or disable bundles. However, you can view the existing bundles in ZENworks Control Center or by using zman commands.

  • If the ZENworks license is deactivated, then the Bundles tab is no longer displayed in the left navigation pane of the ZENworks Control Center and you cannot use bundles related zman commands.

Table 23-2 Image Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • novell-ziswin is installed and enabled on Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-ziswin is installed but disabled on Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is installed and enabled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The Image Management Agent is installed and enabled.

  • The icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Running.

  • novell-ziswin is only disabled but it is not uninstalled on all the Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is only disabled but it is not uninstalled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Disabled.

  • novell-ziswin is uninstalled on all the Windows XP and Windows 2003 managed devices.

  • novell-zisdservice is uninstalled on the Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 R2 managed devices.

  • The Image Management Agent is additionally uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Image Management in the Agent Status panel.

When the ZENworks 11 Configuration Management license expires:

  • On the ZENworks Server: You cannot install the agent with Image Management module on any new device. Also, you cannot enable or disable the Image Management module for the existing devices.

  • On the Managed Device: novell-ziswin and the novell-zisdservice are disabled but are not uninstalled. Also, the icon properties page displays the status of Image Management as Disabled.

Table 23-3 Patch Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Patch Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Patch Management status as Running

  • The Patch Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Patch Management status as Disabled

  • The patch bundles that are assigned to the device are not displayed in the NAL window or in the shortcut locations such as Desktop, Start Menu, Quick Launch, or System Tray of the device.

  • You cannot execute patch bundle related zac commands.

  • The Patch Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Patch Management status in the Agent Status panel.

  • Patch bundles that are assigned to the device but are not yet installed on the device are deleted from the device.

  • If the ZENworks license is deactivated, you cannot download any new patch bundles. However, the existing patches can be used for assignments.

Table 23-4 Policy Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Policy Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Policy Management status as Running.

  • The Policy Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Policy Management status as Disabled.

  • All the policies assigned to the device are unenforced from the device.

  • You can use ZENworks Control Center to assign policies to a device. However, the policies are not enforced on the device until the Policy Management feature is enabled.

  • You cannot execute policy related zac commands.

  • If you disable the Policy Management module on a device that is running a Dynamic Local User (DLU) policy, the module is disabled after the device is rebooted

  • The Policy Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Policy Management status in the Agent Status panel.

  • All the policies assigned to the device are unenforced from the device.

  • If you uninstall the Policy Management module on a device that is running a Dynamic Local User (DLU) policy, the module is uninstalled after the device is rebooted.

  • If the ZENworks license expires, you cannot create, edit, enable, or disable policies. However, the policies that are already enforced and enabled on a device continue to work on the device.

  • If the User Management is disabled:

    • The Roaming Profile policy and the DLU policy is not enforced on a device even if the user to whom the policy is assigned has logged in to the device

    • The Windows Group Policy with user configuration settings is not enforced on the managed device even if the policy is assigned to the device.

Table 23-5 Remote Management

Installed and Enabled

Installed and Disabled

Uninstalled

Additional Details

  • The Remote Management service is running on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Remote Management status as Running.

  • The device can be remotely managed.

  • The Remote Management service is stopped and disabled on the device.

  • The icon properties page displays the Remote Management status as Disabled.

  • The Remote Management policy is unenforced from the device.

  • The device cannot be remotely managed.

  • The Remote Management service is uninstalled from the device.

  • The icon properties page does not display an entry for the Remote Management status in the Agent Status panel

  • The Remote Management policy is unenforced from the device.

  • The device cannot be remotely managed.

If the ZENworks license expires, the Remote Management service continues to run and the device can be remotely managed.

23.4.2 Agent Preferences

To provide optimal performance the default status upload frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent is 30 minutes. You can choose to override the default status upload frequency by configuring the following preferences on a Windows or Linux managed device:

Changing the Default Status Upload Frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent on a Windows Managed Device

  1. On a Windows managed device, create the StatusSenderConfig.xml file in <CONF_DIR>.

  2. Open <CONF_DIR>/StatusSenderConfig.xml in a text editor.

  3. Provide the following values:

    <configuration>
    <StatusSender>
      <Parameter Name="SleepTime" Value="milliseconds"/>
    </StatusSender>
    </configuration>
    

Changing the Default Status Upload Frequency of the ZENworks Adaptive Agent on a Linux Managed Device

  1. On a Linux managed device, create the StatusSenderConfig.conf file in /etc/opt/novell/zenworks/StatusSenderConfig.conf.

  2. Add the SleepTime parameter as: SleepTime=<nnn>

    Where nn is the interval frequency (in minutes) which Status Sender will rollup the status messages.