Product Guide SYSTEMS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT www.novell.com Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management Making Your Linux* Resources More Automated, Intelligent and Efficient
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management Table of Contents: 2..... Automate Linux Management from a Central Location 2..... Help Linux Administrators Work Smarter with Policy-Driven Automation 3..... Gain Centralized Control of Linux Servers and Workstations 4..... Enjoy Comprehensive Management from the Desktop to the Data Center 5..... Centralize Control of Your Linux Systems 6..... Cut Costs and Boost Productivity 7..... Keep Your Enterprise Secure 8..... Maintain Freedom to Choose 9..... Get Linux Support When and How You Need It 10..... Discover Enterprise Linux Management from the Leader in Linux p. 1
Automate Linux Management from a Central Location Novell ZENworks Linux Management provides market-leading change and configuration management tools. These tools allow you to consolidate ongoing resource management tasks and reduce Linux workstation and server management costs. Ask any IT professional why Linux* has achieved such rapid acceptance in enterprise environments. They ll likely explain how the greater efficiency, choice and value of Linux are opening new possibilities for their businesses. But managing enterprise Linux environments also presents its own set of unique challenges. How do you keep up with the short development cycles and important updates that often characterize open source software? How can you automate and unify the deployment and management of all your Linux resources especially in the face of rapid Linux adoption? And where can you find an intelligent, enterprise-ready Linux management solution that provides software package dependency analysis, conflict resolution and other advanced capabilities? The solution is simple. Novell ZENworks Linux Management offers you all the tools and capabilities you need to extend enterpriseclass resource management to your distributed Linux systems efficiently and cost effectively. Help Linux Administrators Work Smarter with Policy-Driven Automation Novell ZENworks Linux Management is the only Linux management solution that uses Policy-Driven Automation to deploy, manage and maintain Linux resources. From a central, intuitive Web console, you simply define business processes and policies once and then automatically apply them to Linux workstations and servers across your enterprise. This powerful solution makes it easy to create custom policies to control Linux systems throughout their lifecycles, including device configuration and lockdown, imaging, remote management, inventory and software management. Policy-Driven Automation helps you save time while eliminating the mistakes caused by manual administration. Equally important, it allows you to keep your IT resources focused on more strategic tasks and initiatives. p. 2
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management www.novell.com As Linux continues penetrating the enterprise, software necessary to manage Linux becomes more important, and it is helpful when a vendor known for this type of system management provides capabilities for managing emerging technology. With ZENworks Linux Management, Novell continues to provide a suite of products that meets a broad spectrum of customer needs. Fred Broussard Senior Analyst IDC Figure 1. An intuitive Web console simplifies the process of creating reusable policies. Gain Centralized Control of Linux Servers and Workstations Novell ZENworks Linux Management is today s most powerful and flexible Linux software management solution. With it, you gain centralized control across Linux software configurations from servers to workstations. This control makes it easy to configure, update, secure and manage your Linux systems from a central location and to streamline the deployment and integration of Novell Linux Desktop into your existing environment. p. 3
Helpdesk staff can quickly assist Linux desktop users with an intuitive Webbased interface coupled with secure remote control and delegated administration features. Figure 2. Novell ZENworks Suite leverages device and resource identities to dynamically manage your network, helping you get the most from your enterprise assets throughout their lifecycles. Novell ZENworks Linux Management can help you: Reduce the total cost of managing Linux systems Maintain system updates and patches for tighter security Ensure correct, on-time execution of changes Improve IT staff productivity Gain centralized control of Linux servers and desktops, reducing the need for IT staff travel _ Determining the Return on Investment from Deploying Consolidated IT Resource Management, IDC White Paper, May 2006 Enjoy Comprehensive Management from the Desktop to the Data Center The Novell ZENworks Suite, which includes ZENworks Linux Management, is the technology foundation for the award-winning Resource Management solution. This bestin-class solution sets the standard for: Security. Minimize security risks posed by hackers, viruses and spyware. ZENworks helps you measure, mitigate, audit and defend all your enterprise resources. Choice. Manage your diverse systems as one cohesive environment. ZENworks supports NetWare, Microsoft* Windows*, Novell Open Enterprise Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Novell Linux Desktop, Red Hat* Enterprise Linux, Palm OS*, Windows CE, Pocket PC and RIM* BlackBerry* platforms using Novell edirectory or Microsoft Active Directory*. Reliability. Build and maintain a stable, predictable environment to ensure business availability. Forty million users rely on environments managed by ZENworks every day. Value. Cut management time and expense. IT productivity increases by an average of 45 percent after a Novell ZENworks deployment, resulting in an average three-year cost savings of close to US$1.1 million. p. 4
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management www.novell.com Centralize Control of Your Linux Systems Centralized control is a prerequisite for administrative consistency and enterprisewide availability. Novell ZENworks Linux Management allows you to take control of your Linux environment: Device lockdown and configuration. Use ZENworks Linux Management to keep devices secure and stable through centralized policies that can control the look and feel of a Linux desktop or simplify the management of configuration files. Advanced policies allow you to control settings for workstations, servers and popular Linuxcompatible applications like Mozilla Firefox* or Novell Evolution. Centralized logging and monitoring. Stay up to date with logged events on distributed Linux workstations and servers. ZENworks Linux Management provides easy-to-use administration with visual status indicators showing whether ZENworks operations were successful or not letting you know if a device is healthy or if it requires attention. Secure remote control. Connect and control Linux workstations and servers easily and securely using ZENworks Linux Management. IDC found that the IT productivity of the companies surveyed rose by an average of 45% after deploying ZENworks, resulting in an average annual cost savings over a threeyear period of close to US$1.1 million. When normalized for company size, the savings amounted to US$14,816 per 100 users. IDC Determining the Return on Investment from Deploying Consolidated IT Resource Management May 2006 Figure 3. Keep systems up to date with policies that execute scripts, binary files or Java files on the schedule you define. p. 5
[Novell] ZENworks Linux Management has helped us eliminate most of the time required for managing Linux workstations. Dan Anolik CM Architect, Software Engineering IDC Real Linux Management for Linux Administrators You deserve an authentic Linux management solution not a product pretending to be Linux-friendly, or one that requires you to work within an unfamiliar management paradigm. Novell ZENworks Linux Management offers you more choice, flexibility and control over your Linux environment. With ZENworks Linux Management, you don t have to run extra Microsoft Windows servers or Internet Explorer to manage your Linux systems. You can manage them from a standard Web browser or through a powerful command-line interface. Exercise new levels of flexible control over your update infrastructure by grouping servers, blades and desktop machines to match your requirements. You can even apply updates from many different update services, including update.novell.com. Novell leads the Linux developer community as the single largest contributor of open source enhancements. ZENworks Linux Management combines the extensive workstation and server development experience of the SUSE Linux Enterprise team with the unmatched knowledge of the Novell System and Resource Management team. This unique blend of Linux knowledge and resource management expertise translates directly into the most complete and effective Linux management solution in the industry. From a central location, you can easily lock down and control your server resources, manage server configuration files and use advanced policies to control server settings and popular applications. Cut Costs and Boost Productivity Corporate IT departments are constantly asked to do more with less. With Novell ZENworks Linux Management, you can dramatically reduce the time it takes to provision and configure Linux servers and desktops compared to manual management processes. Here are several ways ZENworks Linux Management helps you work smarter: Software management. Rely on ZENworks Linux Management to significantly reduce the time and risk of managing continuous updates to software and security packages. At the same time, it resolves versioning conflicts to keep your Linux resources stable and secure. The solution makes it easy to schedule deployments and installations for off-hours or over weekends and fully automates the process. Software dependency resolution. ZENworks Linux Management simplifies dependency resolution for your Linux deployment. ZENworks uses its central package repository to resolve and deliver any RPMs that are required by the installing packages. You can also perform a dry run of packages to identify any potential conflicts before attempting installs. Software package rollback. Keep your options open with ZENworks Linux Management. It carefully tracks package deployment, so you always have the option of quickly reverting to a previous package version. Policy-driven configuration. Use ZENworks Linux Management to centrally define application configurations and then distribute and enforce them across all your Linux servers and workstations. Rapid Linux migration. Simplify the process of migrating devices to Linux and deploying new Linux devices using ZENworks Linux Management. It allows you to perform imaging and Linux OS deployment in a pre-boot execution environment (PXE). Enforcement of packages. Gain assurance of package delivery and reliability. Packages delivered via ZENworks Linux Management are monitored and enforced to ensure that packages you want on a server or workstation stay on that server or workstation. p. 6
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management www.novell.com A single console management product such as ZENworks 7 that allows you to manage both Windows and Linux assets allows you to gain the benefits of centralized administration on both platforms, and reduces your TCO and management overhead considerably. You don t have to treat both platforms as if they are living on separate islands. Jason Perlow Senior Systems Architect Unisys Open Source Solutions Group Figure 4. Automated hardware and software inventory gathering and reporting make it easy to view the device configurations used in your environment. A quick summary is available for each device as Printable Inventory, with hardware- and software-specific drill-down details also available. Keep Your Enterprise Secure Even while it reduces the time and complexity involved in managing continuous updates, Novell ZENworks Linux Management delivers strong security. Here are several ways this award-winning systems management tool keeps your Linux resources stable and secure: Inventory. Novell ZENworks Linux Management inspects each workstation and server and uploads inventory data to the central ZENworks database. The administrator can quickly determine the system type and associated hardware and software details on each device. Automatic updates. After downloading the latest server software updates, let ZENworks Linux Management automatically install them across your enterprise. Supported updates include SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 as well as support for Red Hat Networks and YUM repositories. Software dependency resolution. Let ZENworks Linux Management figure out all package requirements prior to installation. It can analyze package dependencies in a dry run of the install and alert you to potential conflicts before the installation process begins. ZENworks can then resolve missing or conflicting dependencies in the central package repository and update devices automatically if a dependency is found. Reporting. View information on managed systems using the in-the-box reporting engine. Simply choose the type of information you need such as successful software deployments over the past 24 hours or the bundle history of a particular device to gain insightful reports. p. 7
Novell also offers comprehensive selfsupport options. For more detailed information about Linux support offerings from Novell, visit: http://support.novell.com/ linux Figure 5. Easily select and customize report queries using the Web administration console. Maintain Freedom to Choose Linux-based computing is defined by efficiency, choice and value and so is Novell ZENworks Linux Management. Here are several ways ZENworks Linux Management can help you keep your options open: Manage popular Linux distributions. Enjoy support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Novell Open Enterprise Server and Novell Linux Desktop. Use Web-based or command-line administration. Choose from an intuitive Web console or a powerful command line interface. Both of these options allow you to centrally configure and distribute software selections and organize groups of machines for installations and updates. Stay organized with custom catalogs. Easily organize available Linux software into logical catalogs that match the way your company does business. This includes defining unique catalogs of applications, tools and designated platforms that include both internally developed and custom packages. p. 8
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management www.novell.com Novell is a partner you can trust to help you automate Linux resource management from the workstation to the data center so you can advance your enterprise Linux strategy with confidence. Figure 6. The Web-based ZENworks Control Center console allows you to manage your environment from any location. View detailed information on devices, packages, policies and reports in a single, easy-to-use interface. Get Linux Support When and How You Need It Novell ZENworks Linux Management offers indispensable advantages through automation. But for Linux to be a viable option for your enterprise, it must be paired with comprehensive support. Novell Global Services and Support helps you maximize the potential of Linux via a full range of Novell support services tailored to your network, needs and budget. Novell experts deliver 24x7x365 ZENworks and Linux support worldwide via the following support options: SM Novell Premium Service. Premium Service is the highest level of customized service, with benefits like call-center access, minimal response time, account management, support tools and training offerings. Novell IT Services. Novell experts proactively monitor and manage your Novell technologies, freeing up your IT staff for more strategic and profitable projects. Novell Tech Select Service. This service combines powerful technical tools, evaluation software, expanded licensing, exclusive training materials and three technical support incidents (ideal for small- and medium-sized businesses). Incident support can also be purchased on an as-needed basis. p. 9
Discover Enterprise Linux Management from the Leader in Linux Novell is ready to help you maximize the value and potential of Linux and open source software in your enterprise with a full stack of Linux services, including industryleading training, certification and support programs. Today, Novell supports more than 1 million managed Linux systems and offers a complete range of market-leading Linux capabilities and solutions from desktop to data center. Linux is a focal point of the Novell vision and technology roadmap. That s why Novell continues to back Linux with extensive investments in research, product development and open source community participation. Novell is a partner you can trust to help you automate Linux resource management, so you can advance your enterprise Linux strategy with confidence. To learn more, visit www.novell.com/ zenworks today. p. 10
Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management www.novell.com Key Features Novell ZENworks 7 Novell ZENworks 7.2 Linux Management Linux Management Policy-Driven Automation Manages only a Red Hat Linux environment Manages only a SUSE Linux Enterprise environment Manages a mixed Linux environment (SUSE Linux Enterprise and Red Hat) SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 support (x86 and x86_64) Package management support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 on PPC Package management support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 on Itanium Package management support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 on zseries SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 support SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 support Novell Open Enterprise Server support Novell Linux Desktop 9 support Desktop lockdown policies SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 policy Novell Linux Desktop policy Mozilla Firefox policy Remote execute policy Text file policy Secure remote control Simplified client GUI updater, installer, remover Firewall friendly Application management Dedicated ZENworks repository Imaging based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 Imaging based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 (improved driver support) Reporting and querying Hardware and software inventory Simplified detail view for inventory Automated patch management Advanced, automated software management Software dependency resolution Organize with bundles and catalogs File bundles for additional distribution options Automatic updates Customizable software library Software package rollback Package locking on devices Bundle locking for improved version management Global setting configuration for device agents View available updates for devices in ZENworks Control Center Integration with Novell Customer Center KEY: Yes New p. 11
www.novell.com Contact your local Novell Solutions Provider, or call Novell at: 1 800 714 3400 U.S./Canada 1 801 861 1349 Worldwide 1 801 861 8473 Facsimile Novell, Inc. 404 Wyman Street Waltham, MA 02451 USA 464-001027-001 05/07 2007 Novell, Inc. All rights reserved. Novell, the Novell logo, the N logo, NetWare, SUSE and ZENworks are registered trademarks; edirectory and Evolution are trademarks; and Premium Service is a service mark of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. *Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.