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Advanced ZENworks Management

Advanced ZENworks Management. Ryan Radschlag Network Manager Hartford Joint #1 School District radschlagr@hartfordjt1.k12.wi.us. Whaddya Wanna Do?. Imaging - How to make ZCM make you look like you’re working Bundle Conquering - Combating educational “software”

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Advanced ZENworks Management

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  1. Advanced ZENworks Management Ryan Radschlag Network Manager Hartford Joint #1 School District radschlagr@hartfordjt1.k12.wi.us

  2. Whaddya Wanna Do? • Imaging - How to make ZCM make you look like you’re working • Bundle Conquering - Combating educational “software” • Policies - Unleash your inner Network Nazi • Best Practices - according to $variable

  3. Imaging The Ronco Way! • Automated imaging can be your saving grace with limited time and resources • Quit troubleshooting pointless windows/user errors • Easily deploy new machines without starting from scratch • Banish golden images • Image machines without leaving your desk • AKA...go golf 9 while you image your entire district

  4. The Imaging Process Phase 5 Build Process Cleanup - Build files are deleted from machine -Other cleanup tasks can also be run in this process Phase 3 ZENworks Agent Installation - ZENworks Agent silently installed - “-x -q -k” command line arguments to perform silent install & registration Phase 1 Build Setup Phase 2 Driver Installation - Drivers for machine downloaded in addon image. - dpinst run to install drivers for hardware - Import necessary registry keys from ZIE.reg - Set build run on start Phase 4 Build Bundle Installation - Bundle specified by registry key is installed -Reboot after bundle install completes ZENworks Imaging Environment autoImage Script Customize Machine “Profile” Operating System Drivers Build Process Naming Convention Build Type

  5. ZENworks PXE Menu

  6. autoImage Script Simple Prompt Driven Imaging Script1. Choose OS 2. Choose Building/Context 3. Choose Build Type 4. Enter Room # 5. Name is auto generated by CONTEXT(1)-ROOM(max 5)-SERIAL(7) Imaging File paths are auto-generated by OS/Context/Type • Code for clientless: case $opt in “Clientless”) projbase=${os}-clientless/ projimg=${LONGCONTEXT}-${os}-clientless.zmg • If Windows 8 is chosen for a clientless machine in Building A, the project image would be win8-pro-x64-clientless/BUILDINGA-win8-pro-clientless.zmg

  7. autoImage Script (cont’d) • Add-on images deployed • buildprocess.zmg • contains build-AMD64.exe & build-x86.exe • build-%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE% called on first login (configured in unattend.xml) • zenagent-AMD64/x86 • contains the full ZENworks Agent installer • (CONTEXT)-(OS)-(buildtype).zmg • contains registry and batch files used to customize the machine throughout the build process

  8. Build Types • Clientless • No Novell Client/Domain Membership • Only local users • Clientless DLU • No Novell Client/Domain Membership • ZCM logins via DLU from LDAP source • Full/Domain Client • Novell Client/Domain Membership • Logins passively passed to ZCM if valid

  9. In A Nutshell • PXE Boot into ZENworks imaging environment • Choose the build options • Walk away - go take a nap

  10. Becoming a Bundle Master • Think • Think a little harder • Click Around • Execute • Test • Set them free

  11. Think • What do you want to do? • Install a program? • Launch a program? • Both? • Have a user launch a program? • Install a kitten wallpaper on your District Administrators computer?

  12. Think A Little Harder • How are you going to do it? • MSI • EXE • Some registry tweaks here and there • BOB←Your friend • Requirements

  13. Click Around • Go create a skeleton bundle • If you want to “categorize” it according to what you thought a little harder about, fine • Gather your supplies • Download installers • Export registry settings • Copy program XML settings

  14. EXECUTE!!!! • If you wanted to install something • Start creating INSTALL actions • If you wanted to launch something • Start creating LAUNCH actions TIP: The more organized you are in naming conventions and action labeling the easier it will be to maintain your bundles

  15. Test • Recommended to get used to Snapshot bundles • Allows you to test without committing (like dating) • Virtual test machine • Snapshotting can save you tons of time when it comes to bundle testing • Clean slate to start with each time

  16. Deploy • Publish the bundle and start assigning it to things • Do not under any circumstances schedule bundles to deploy “NOW”

  17. Using Requirements • Bundle action requirements allow you to make 1 bundle for all deployment scenarios • Keep your bundles working for you instead of against • Action requirements keep your database size under control in comparison to bundle requirements

  18. Policies • Many different types of policies • Windows Group Policies • Patch Policies (for ZPM users) • Firewall/Device/Security Policies (for ZESM users) • Many more

  19. Policies - KISS • Be selective in assigning policies to users/devices • Plan a clean policy organization before rolling them out • The less settings that need to be deployed to the user when they login the better • Don’t be a total Nazi, the illusion of freedom is a powerful thing

  20. Best Practices - Primary Servers • Novell Recommends • Dual Core Processor • 2GB-4GB RAM • 30GB Hard Disk • Real World • Quad Core Processor • 8-16GB RAM • HDD depends on how many bundles you intend to create.

  21. Primary Servers Tuning • Tuning the primary server to your environment is a must • Allocate more RAM to the zenserver and zenloader services • Increase the CPU thread count for HTTP/S services

  22. Primary Servers Layout & Design • Recommend starting with 3 Primary Servers • 2 Internal for redundancy • 1 DMZ for external clients & Join Proxy • Spread across your virtual cluster if you have one • Create closest server rules or use a L4 switch for load balancing • Locate them as close to your database as possible • I would recommend 1 primary based on your favorite server software and the rest can be appliances

  23. Database Considerations • ZPM users should consider MSSQL due to the database heavy workload • Always use an external DB • Room for future growth • Don’t put all your eggs in one basket • Follow Novell guides for tuning and database maintenance • HAPPY DB=HAPPY ZONE

  24. Satellite Devices • Only use them if necessary • Slow links between sites • Satellite Devices are NOT meant to reduce the load to the Primary Servers • The purpose of a Satellite Device is to reduce network load

  25. Summary • Plan your zone out • Plan your policies structure • Plan your bundle rollout • Create a working imaging environment • Start deployment • Monitor and test your future changes

  26. Novell Resources • Primary Server Tuning • http://www.novell.com/documentation/zenworks11/zen11_cm_deployment_bp/data/bi5t8rz.html • Database Tuning • http://www.novell.com/documentation/zenworks11/zen11_cm_deployment_bp/data/bi5tm7r.html • Database Performance Optimization • http://www.novell.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7005560

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