Novell ZENworks

Novell ZENworks

Developer(s)	Novell
Stable release	11.0 / January 5, 2011; 10 months ago (2011-01-05)
Operating system	Cross-platform
Type	Systems management
License	Proprietary
Website	www.novell.com/products/zenworks

Novell ZENworks, a suite of software products developed and maintained by Novell, Inc. for computer systems management, aims to manage the entire life cycle of servers, of desktop PCs (Windows or Linux), of laptops, and of handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). ZENworks recently included full disk encryption functionality ^[1]. ZENworks supports multiple server platforms and multiple directory services.

History

Kevin Hopton, a corporate systems engineer at Novell, first conceived of the software which later became NAL (Novell Application Launcher) in 1993. The original concept involved using the Novell Directory Services (NDS) directory as a namespace and storage engine that, in concert with a client console program, would perform just-in-time application-configuration. The directory namespace - global, unambiguous and outside the influence of end users - provided a highly reliable mechanism for ensuring that the methods invoked for launching the application were those defined by expert staff.

The prototype consisted of a demonstration app named "Magic Windows" due to the automatic correction of configuration errors after the double-click and before the launch. Kevin Hopton was the primary architect and developer of Magic Windows but received important assistance from JD Marymee in the creation of AppWare objects that enabled directory access. Hopton produced a second version, written in Delphi and with UI assistance from Eric Burkholder. That version added representation for users and several other object classes.

Once the demonstration application proved a hit with customers, Novell's software-engineering organization took over the code and rewrote it from scratch in C. The key engineers and architects for this official version (named Novell Application Launcher or NAL) were Damon Janis, Kelly Sonderegger, Matt Brooks and Calvin Gaisford. Sandy Marymee handled marketing. NAL was well received by the network-administrator community and its use and adoption quickly grew. The success of NAL led to a desire to expand its functionality. Notably, Kent Prows lobbied for addition of software distribution capabilities, Samm DiStasio came up with the name "ZENworks" (for "Zero Effort Networking") with Allen Tietjen driving the bundle.^[2] The "Novell Application Launcher" service and executable program-names with the .nal file extension persist.

Novell later created a version that diversified the managed object class to include users. That solution (based on the second iteration of Magic Windows, engineered primarily by Damon Janis) was named "UserNet" and appeared at the Novell Brainshare conference in 1994.

Kelly Sonderegger had done prior work relating to NDS as a shared Windows registry, and that work significantly influenced the design of the official versions of NAL and ZENworks.

The new name, "ZENworks", first appeared as "Z.E.N.works" in 1998 with ZENworks 1.0^[3] and with ZENworks Starter Pack - a limited version of ZENworks 1.0 that came bundled with NetWare 5.0 (1998). Novell added server-management functionality, and the product grew into a suite consisting of:

• "ZENworks for Desktops" (ZfD)
• "ZENworks for Servers" (ZfS)

Novell has continued to add components to the suite, which it sells under the consolidated name "ZENworks Suite".

Capabilities

The ZENworks suite comprises nine packages, available individually.

• Desktop Management (or ZDM — for "ZENworks Desktop Management") allows administrators to install software on, configure, put a hard-disk image on, inventory and remotely troubleshoot Windows-based workstations and laptops from a central location, through use of policy-driven automation.
  • Software packages installed via Desktop Management can have self-healing features and can install themselves on demand.
  • Desktop Management also supports MSI packages and Group Policies, despite the common misconception that systems administrators need Microsoft Active Directory and a Windows server to gain the full benefit of these technologies.
  • The Application Explorer utility (nalview.exe) provides a Novell Application Launcher (NAL) view to link applications into Microsoft Windows desktop displays.
  • A Zenworks implementation on a desktop machine may include:
    • nalagent.exe
    • nalntsrv.exe (runs the NT service)
    • zenrem32.exe (allows remote users to manage a machine)
  • Desktop Management software can operate both inside and outside firewalls.
• Linux Management (or ZLM — for "ZENworks Linux Management") - initially leveraged the Red Carpet software package (ZENworks Linux Management versions up to 6.6.2) which manages RPM packages installed on Linux workstations and servers. After a complete rewrite (version 7.x and upwards), the tool extended its functionality from Software Management to Asset Management, Policy Enforcement, and System Imaging.

Novell ZENworks 7.x Linux Management makes it easy to embrace and manage Linux devices on multiple hardware architectures distributed within your environment or infrastructure. It allows to gain the centralized control of Linux servers or workstations across the entire enterprise.

It uses policy and bundle driven automation to configure/update,secure,manage and maintain Linux resources and allows you to control workstation and server settings as well as certain applications. These automated and intelligent policies or bundles, allows administrators to provide centralized control across the lifecycle of Linux systems for capabilities like software/application management, device lockdown and configuration, imaging based Linux OS deployment/migration, remote management, inventory ,centralized event logging and monitoring system state etc. The result is a comprehensive Linux management solution that eliminates administration effort by dramatically reducing the time,expense,risk and continuous manual administration overhead required to maintain Linux systems in an enterprise environment. For more information refer to http://www.novell.com/documentation/zlm73/ ZLM centralizes and automates the deployment and management of Red Hat for Servers and SUSE Linux Enterprise environments for servers and desktops. Whether you use SUSE Linux Enterprise Server or Red Hat Enterprise Linux on your devices, you can automate the download,delivery of server or desktop software applications or data,deploying OS patches/updates,upgrade to service packs and manage rpm applications along with its dependencies, all from a single administrative console — the ZENworks Control Center.

• Personality Migration consists of a modified version of the DesktopDNA currently owned by Computer Associates. Administrators can use it to migrate documents and settings from one Windows-based computer to another, regardless of the version of Windows running on either machine.
• Software Packaging comprises a special edition of Macrovision's AdminStudio software, which allows administrators to create MSI (installer) packages for distribution.
• Data Management, a version of Novell's iFolder software, allows users to synchronise data in a specified local folder (an iFolder folder on a Windows workstation with iFolder client software installed) with an iFolder server. Users can access iFolder data on the server from within the local network and via the Internet using iFolder server web interface. (Novell significantly extended iFolder functionality in iFolder 3.0, adding support for Linux workstations and many other features.)
• Patch Management provides automated patch management, allowing administrators to mitigate patch-related security threats by automating the collection, analysis, and delivery of patches throughout an enterprise network. Patch Management includes a subscription to the world's largest repository^{[citation needed]} of fully automated patches spanning Windows and many Linux and Unix platforms. Patch deployment takes place rapidly and accurately with wizard-based tools and the ability to continuously monitor to ensure that computers stay patched over time.
• Server Management allows remotely-located administrators to update, configure and troubleshoot Windows, NetWare, and Linux servers through the use of policy-driven automation.
• Handheld Management allows administrators to remotely update, configure, and inventory Palm, Windows CE, Pocket PC, and RIM BlackBerry devices.
• Asset Management handles hardware and software inventories.

Systems supported and required

Managed platforms and devices

• Desktop Management
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows XP
  • Windows 2000 Professional SP4
  • Windows 98 SE
• Server Management
  • NetWare 5.1, NetWare 6 and NetWare 6.5
  • Novell Open Enterprise Server
  • Windows 2000, 2003, 2008
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8, 9, 10, 11
  • Red Hat Server 2.1
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 3 and 4 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 3 and 4
  • Solaris 9
• Linux Management
  • Novell Linux Desktop SP1, x86, x86-64 formerly EM64T
  • Novell Open Enterprise Server, x86
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP1 x86, x86-64 formerly EM64T
  • SUSE Linux Professional 9.3, x86, x86-64 formerly EM64T
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 AS, ES, WS and x86
• Handheld Management
  • Palm OS 3.5 and later on Palm devices
  • Windows CE 2.11 and later including Pocket PC devices
  • BlackBerry 850/857 devices using the DataTAC network and BlackBerry 950/957 devices using the Mobitex network
  • Synchronized devices, through a Windows 95 and later desktop, or via TCP/IP to the ZENworks Handheld Management server.

Management Server Platforms

• Desktop Management
  • NetWare 6.5 SP1
  • NetWare 6 SP4
  • Windows 2000 Server SP4
  • Windows Server 2003
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP1
• Server Management
  • NetWare 5.1, NetWare 6 or NetWare 6.5
  • Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 and 9
  • Red Hat Advanced Server 2.1 or Red Hat Enterprise Server 2.1
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 3 and 4 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 3 and 4
• Linux Management
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP1 x86
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1-SP3
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 and SP1
• Handheld Management
  • Windows 2000 server or workstation
  • Windows Server 2003
• Configuration Management
  • Windows 2000 Server
  • Windows 2003 Server
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1
  • Open Enterprise Server 2 (Linux)

Supported directory services

• Novell eDirectory
• Microsoft Active Directory

See also

• Systems management

Further reading

• Dayley, Brad (2006). Novell ZENworks 7 Suite Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32846-6. 
• Tanner, Ron (2006). Novell ZENworks 7 Linux Management Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32784-1. 
• Dayley, Brad (2005). ZENworks 6.5 Suite Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-7897-3204-0. 
• Dayley, Brad (2003). Novell ZENworks for Desktops 4 Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-7897-2985-9. 
• Dayley, Brad (2003). Novell ZENworks for Servers 3 Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-7897-2986-6. 

References

1. ^ SECUDE Provides Full Disk Encryption Capability to Novell ZENworks
2. ^ Anderson, Brad (1998-05-01). "An Introduction to ZENworks: Zero Effort Networking for Users". Novell Inc.. http://support.novell.com/techcenter/articles/ana19980502.html. Retrieved 2009-03-30. "The name ZENworks is short for "Zero Effort Networks." The name is not intended to imply that Novell is able to eliminate the work and effort associated with deploying and maintaining a network on the administrative side.[...]The name ZENworks was chosen to suggest that network administrators can remove the obstacles and frustrations that prevent users from effortlessly accessing the resources on the network. [Theoretically,] zero effort is required from users." 
3. ^ Compare Heskett, Ben (1998-02-11). "Novell Z.E.N. enlightens desktops". CNET News. http://news.cnet.com/Novell-Z.E.N.-enlightens-desktops/2100-1001_3-208045.html. Retrieved 2010-08-03. "The company [...] will release an open beta version of its Z.E.N.works (Zero Effort Networks) software suite next month [...], with final shipment due in the second quarter." 

External links

• Novell ZENworks Product page