The document discusses the top 10 pitfalls to avoid in implementing Novell ZENworks Configuration Management. These include choosing the right operating system, ensuring proper training, deciding on certificate and user source choices, using a supported database, having proper migration and application planning, gaining executive buy-in, establishing organizational policies, and conducting capacity planning. Addressing these critical areas can help ensure a smooth implementation.

1. Avoiding Common Novell ZENworks ® ®
Configuration Management Implementation Pitfalls
Ryan Kensrud
Senior Technology Specialist
Novell, Inc./rkensrud@novell.com

2. Agenda
Introductions
Top 10 pitfalls
Questions and Answers
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3. Introduction

4. Introductions
• Who am I?
• Reviewing those items if done correctly that make an
implementation go smoothly. If they are not done
correctly they present major pitfalls to a Novell ®
ZENworks Configuration Management implementation.
®
• Top ten list from least to most critical
• Products to be talked about
– ZENworks Configuration Manager, ZENworks Application
®
Virtualization and ZENworks Asset Management
4 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid

6. 10 - OS Choice
• Your choice of OS for the ZENworks Configuration Management
®
servers can affect the implementation
– Choose the flavor your team has experience with
– Do not use a ZCM implementation as a foray into Linux
– Make sure to use a supported OS platform
> Windows 2k3, 2k8 both 32 and 64 bit versions
> Linux SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 and 11 both 32 and
®
64 bit versions, OES 2
– Look at using Virtualization for the OS
6 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. 9 - Training
• Training on ZENworks Configuration Management
®
is very important to the success of the
implementation
– Get training ahead of implementation
– Use classroom or study materials
– Build a lab to install ZCM in for testing and learning
– Use Virtualization for Lab servers to save on costs
– Match OS and Database choice to production
7 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. 8 - Certificate Choice
ZENworks Configuration Management can use
®
either a self signed certificates or an external
certificate. There is not a bad choice with either, it
just needs to be a long term choice since changing
from one to the other will result in needing to install
new agents to all managed devices.
– Make the choice and make sure you have all parties buy in
on the decision
– This needs to be the long term choice
8 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. 7 - User Source Choice
• LDAP user source choice
– Can use eDirectory or AD ™
– Needs to be an enterprise tree to be most effective
> Contains OU structure
> Not flat
– Look to assigning content (applications and policies) via
group and folder assignments
9 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. 6 - Database Choice
Make sure and use a supported Database platform
– Sybase Version 10.0.1
– MS SQL 2005
– Oracle 10g Version 10.2.0.1.0
10 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. 5 - Migration Planning
Important step to minimize the impact of the
migration to ZENworks Configuration Management
®
– Use hardware replacement as a migration point
– Use new desktop OS as migration point
– Abandon the current management practices with old
hardware or OS
– If staying with current OS do not change how locked down
the OS is
– Roll out in manageable groups of devices
– Perform lots of testing prior to production roll outs
11 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. 4 - Executive Buy In
• Get executive buy in before rolling anything out
to end users
– Especially true if deploying a secured desktop
– Minimizes risk of end user push back
– Develop success criteria as part of buy in
– Use success criteria as project goals
12 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. 3 - Organizational Policies
• Get the acceptable use policies in place prior to
locking down desktops
– Technology should be enforcing organizational policies
– Examples of organizational policies
> Acceptable computer use
> Software installation
> Remote access
– Once organizational policies are in place you can use
ZENworks Configuration Management and Endpoint
®
management to secure the desktops
– Use a change in OS as a good time to further lock down
a desktop
13 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. 2 - Application Readiness
• Prior to deployment the applications need to be
packaged and organized for deployment
– Start this process early, can be before deployment of ZENworks ®
Configuration Management core infrastructure
– Use inventory tools to gather information on what is currently
deployed, what version, how many, and to whom
– Make sure current App versions are supported on new OS if
deploying ZCM on new OS
– Create prioritized list for packaging
– Deploy new apps in staged approach
– App Virtualization can help some common app deployment
hurdles
14 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. 1 - Capacity Planning
• Improper capacity planning can severely impact the implementation
– Understand numbers of currently deployed devices
– Look to management for potential growth numbers
– Critical for Database choice
– Critical for server sizing and numbers
– ZENworks Configuration Management can grow very easily if good
®
choices made around Database in the beginning
– Use DNS names for accessing your servers
– Look at using Virtualization or Platespin to assist in making changes if
®
not where it needs to be
– Use “Best Practice and scalability doc” for guidelines
15 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. Questions and Answers

17. Information Sources
• Good sources of information to help plan
your deployment
– Documentation - http://www.novell.com/documentation/zcm10/
– Best Practices Guide -
http://www.novell.com/documentation/zcm10/zcm10_deployment_bp/?page=/documentation/zcm10/zcm10_deployment_bp/data/
– App Deploy - http://www.appdeploy.com/
– Admin Studio -
http://www.flexerasoftware.com/products/adminstudio/features.htm
– Novell Training - http://www.novell.com/training/
®
– Novell Self Study Training -
®
http://www.novell.com/training/courseware/ts_proj_info.jsp?pid=20402
17 © Novell, Inc. All rights reserved.

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