ZENworks Articles:
New Releases for ZENworks
By Donna Moyer

The next patch for ZENworks Configuration Management (ZCM) 10.2 is currently slated for shipping on Wednesday April 29, 2009. Here are the new main features for ZCM 10.2:

• Linux Satellite: Allows SLE10SP2 devices to be used as a content, collection, or imaging satellite.
  
• Standalone install: Removes ZAM and ZPM artifacts from ZCC and server if the administrator disables the feature set. Also provides a lighter agent as only features enabled by the administrator are implemented on the managed device.
  
• Reporting universe re-design: Allows users to build useful reports across ZCM, ZAM and ZPM.
  
• Updated BOE engine: Supports 64-bit Windows and Linux as it has been updated to the latest BusinessObjects Enterprise engine.
  
• Ghost Imaging support: Allows customers to leverage their existing Ghost investment, but manage the deployment process with ZCM.
  
• Remote Management through NAT: Provides customers with the ability to remotely manage devices on the other side of a NAT by using a meet-in-the-middle approach.
  
• Highly requested parity/customer issues: Includes bundle activity indicator, DLU volatile user caching, IP exclusions in discovery tasks, TFTP folder replication, LDAP import capabilities, and login performance improvements related to Group Policy.

Also, on the same date, ZENworks Assest Management (ZAM) 10.2 will be released as a standalone product, as well as integrated with ZCM 10.2 Enterprise. Here are just a few of the features of ZAM 10.2:

• Standalone and integrated: ZENworks Asset Management SP2 is now available in two configurations: completely integrated with ZENworks Configuration Management SP2, and as a standalone product. As a standalone product, ZENworks Asset Management SP2 is built on the same reliable technology as ZENworks Configuration Management SP2, featuring improved stability, new reporting features, and a simplified web-based administration interface.
  
• Reporting updates: ZENworks Asset Management SP2 features an improved reporting tool - ZENworks Reporting Server (ZRS). Built on the Business Objects Enterprise engine, ZRS features a flexible custom reporting interface with powerful filtering and formatting abilities. ZRS includes reporting objects for all aspects of ZENworks Configuration Management SP2. ZRS is supported for both 32- and 64-bit Windows and Linux servers.
  
• Increased stability: ZENworks Asset Management SP2, and indeed all of ZENworks Configuration Management SP2, benefits from wide-ranging improvements that increase stability and reliability across implementations of all sizes.
  
• License allocations: ZENworks Asset Management SP2 adds a new license management feature that provides for allocating software licenses across different enterprise demographics - departments, sites, or cost centers - or to specific workstations. Now an application purchased for a particular group can be allocated to that group, rather than to the entire enterprise pool.

And finally, on the same date, Novell will release ZENworks Patch Management (ZPM) 10.2. ZPM 10.2 will also be available as a standalone product or integrated with ZCM Advanced or Enterprise. Here are just a few of its new features:

• Improved management user interface in ZCC, including the ability to filter by Vendor, view the current status of the server, engage in improved patch information dialog, utilize better tooltips, and take advantage of visibility into additional patch attributes including whether a reboot is required or a patch is superseded.
  
• Improved user experience when installing patches at the desktop. End users can now be prompted to install patches via the “Z” tray icon, and patch deployments can be snoozed until the user wishes to take the time to deploy the required updates and reboot. Administrators can also set a limit on how long the patch deployment process can be deferred.
• Enterprise Reporting with BOE is improved to include several new customer-requested reports in this release. Customers may also create their own patch reports using the new reporting universe.
• Dashboard Charts in ZCC provide a quick summary of patch management status including the ability to see a history of patch compliance over time.
  
• Mandatory Baseline deployments can now be created any time the administrator wants to kick off analysis on their managed devices.
  
• Patch Bundles are now a separate and distinct type of content that can be distributed with ZCM.
  
• Additional Performance Enhancements within the ZCC user interface are included to tune for larger enterprise network environments.
• Additional foreign language patches are now available (TBD – Novell Product Management).
  
• Licensing is now integrated with base ZCM licensing features so that the patch management capabilities can be enabled or disabled at will.

We are really excited about the updates to the ZENworks products line!

© Copyright 2009, Uptime NetManagement, Inc.

Article Source: http://www.uptimenmi.com/

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About the Author:
Donna Moyer is Principal/Senior Network Consultant of Uptime NetManagement, Inc. (http://www.uptimenmi.com/). Uptime is a Novell Gold Solutions partner providing technology solutions, customized training, and consulting services. If you are interested in finding out exactly what Novell can do for your business, or are seeking to maximize the benefits from your current Novell systems, call us today at 610-621-1244!