Using Preboot Services; Collecting Software And Hardware Inventory; Managing Remote Devices - Novell ZENWORKS LINUX MANAGEMENT 7.3 IR2 - ADMINISTRATION GUIDE 02-12-2010 Administration Manual

1.7 Using Preboot Services

Preboot Services allows you to automatically or manually do any of the following to a device when
it boots up:
Configure the BIOS, BMC, RAID, and DRAC settings for Dell PowerEdge servers using a
Dell Configuration bundle.
Run scripted installations on the device, such as AutoYaST and kickstart
Run ZENworks scripts on the device
Make an image of the device's hard drives and other storage devices
Restore an image to the device
Apply an existing image to multiple devices
To accomplish these tasks automatically through the ZENworks Control Center, you need to have
PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) enabled on your devices, and have prebootable tasks
configured and assigned to the devices. Then, the devices can automatically implement these tasks
when they boot. For instructions, see

1.8 Collecting Software and Hardware Inventory

Hardware and software inventory is automatically collected from each device. The hardware
inventory includes details such as operating system, RAM, BIOS version, network adaptors, CD-
ROM manufacturer, and a host of additional information. The software inventory includes a
complete list of all installed packages, as well as all ZENworks-install bundles.
To view a device's hardware and software inventory:
1 In the ZENworks Control Center, click the Devices tab.
2 Click the Servers or Workstations folder to open it.
3 Click a device to display the device's Summary page.
4 Click the Inventory tab.
You can also roll up device inventory to a ZENworks 7.3 inventory database. For more information
about collecting software and hardware inventory, see
on page 479.

1.9 Managing Remote Devices

Sometimes you need to physically perform a task on a remote workstation or server. To do so,
ZENworks lets you remotely manage a device through the ZENworks Control Center. When
remotely managing a device, there are three modes of operation: Remote Control, Remote View, and
Remote Login.
Remote Control: Lets you take control of the device's desktop and perform tasks as if you
were physically located at the device.
Remote View: Lets you observe the device's desktop and activity.
Remote Login: Lets you log in to the device, opening a new graphical session without
disturbing the user on the device. The user cannot view your Remote Login session.
30 Novell ZENworks 7.3 Linux Management Administration Guide
Part VI, "Preboot Services," on page
Part VII, "Hardware and Software Inventory,"
323.