Understanding Rpm And File Bundles; Understanding Catalogs - Novell ZENWORKS LINUX MANAGEMENT 7.3 IR2 - ADMINISTRATION GUIDE 02-12-2010 Administration Manual

18.1 Understanding RPM and File Bundles

An RPM bundle is a grouping of one or more software packages. Bundles contain one or more files
that are installed to particular locations on a device, plus information about the bundle, such as
version, description, what applications must also be present for it to be installed, and more.
ZENworks Linux Management uses Red Hat Package Manager (RPM). RPM is a powerful package
management system capable of installing, uninstalling, verifying, querying, and updating computer
software packages on different devices.
ZENworks Linux Management supports the RPM format.
Software included in a bundle that is directly assigned is considered mandatory; the software is
installed on all devices assigned to the bundle (the bundle is directly assigned to devices, device
groups, or device folders).
A file bundle lets you create a bundle containing one or more files of any type and distribute them to
assigned devices. For example, you can include configuration files or data files in file bundles. A
file bundle is useful to distribute any files that are not part of an RPM package.
When you create a bundle using the Create New Bundle Wizard, you are given the choice of
creating an RPM package bundle, a preboot bundle, or a file bundle. A preboot bundle performs
operations before the operating system boots. If you are familiar with ZENworks Desktop
Management, preboot bundles are similar to imaging operations. For more information, see Part VI,
"Preboot Services," on page 323.
You can also create bundle groups to collect several bundles to ease administration and to provide
easier assigning and scheduling of the bundles in the bundle group.
For more information and step-by-step instructions, see Chapter 20, "Using RPM and File Bundles,"
on page 217.

18.2 Understanding Catalogs

A catalog is a collection of bundles; bundles included in a catalog are usually considered optional.
You can use catalogs to deploy and install optional or dependent packages to assigned devices. If
you deploy optional packages to devices by using a catalog, users can choose whether to deploy and
install the software packages included in the bundles inside the catalog. Users use the ZENworks
Linux Management Software Installer, Software Updater, and Software Remover applets to manage
the software on managed devices. For more information, see Section 6.3, "Using the Software
Updater, Installer, and Remover from Users' Managed Devices," on page 54.
You can also use bundles in a catalog to provide dependent packages for a primary package
contained in a bundle or in another catalog. For example, suppose you want to include Java Runtime
in a catalog and, optionally, hide the catalog from the user interface. If a package contained in a
bundle or in another catalog needs Java Runtime (it is listed as a dependency for the primary
package), the package containing Java Runtime becomes mandatory and is deployed and installed
on all devices that the primary package is deployed and installed on.
For more information and step-by-step instructions, see Chapter 22, "Using Catalogs," on page 271.
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