Automatic Workstation Import Service 1

[bayfox]

Hello All,

I'm new to the forums and fairly new to the world of ZEN. Most of it seems fairly self explainitory, but I'm having a huge problem with Auto Import. I have 29 new pc's to setup and the pc that I was going to create my image from is not being imported. ConsoleOne will not allow me to manually create the object. I've googled this to death and my ZEN admin handbook doesn't tell me anything. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[LawnBoy]

Have you got other workstations to import correctly?
Have you reinstalled Zen?

I had one client that wouldn't register, had to uninstall Zen, boot, uninstall the Novell client, boot, install the client, boot, install Zen, boot. In that order.

 

[marvhuffaker]

Lots of things can break the import. One of the most often overlooked ones is that your workstation has to be able to resovle ZENWSIMPORT.

If you can go to a workstation, and ping ZENWSIMPORT, and it resolves and resolves correctly to the import server, that's half of the battle.



Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[bayfox]

I have just recently taken over this network, so this is the first time I've had to import a workstation. I just tried to ping ZENWSIMPORT and it did not find a host. (command used was "ping ZENWSIMPORT") So that may be a problem. This machine is in my office and not in its finally location. I may try and move it to the lab and see if it will import there.

 

[bayfox]

ammend -

It looks like the previous admin renamed the service. The DNS entry is "stormzenimp". I can ping that and it does resolve correctly

 

[LawnBoy]

As far as I've ever been able to figure out, you MUST resolve zenwsimport. That's what the Zen client looks for, and I've not been able to change it.

So I just added an entry in the workstation's Hosts file.

 

[bayfox]

Ok, I'll give that a shot. Stand by...

 

[bayfox]

The host file entry worked like a charm. Thanks a ton guys.

 

[marvhuffaker]

The thing about the host file is that you don't want to have to modify the host file on all your systems to make it work. Using microsoft logic, that is perfectly acceptible. But it completely defeats the purpose of using ZENworks in the first place if you have to start manually modifying individual components of each workstation.

Really ought to look at centralizing the management by putting an entry in DNS, which is a minor task compared to managing host files.



Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[LawnBoy]

In my case another entity on my WAN already had DNS pointed at their server. So yes, I made one last manual edit on each client in order to use Zen. I hardly consider that to be "defeating the purpose of using ZENworks".

 

[bayfox]

I do plan on putting an entry in the DNS. I'm confused as to why it would stop resovling however. Evidently, this has been functional for a year or so.

 

[marvhuffaker]

I guess if you use ZEN to push out the host file.. I'm okay with that.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[bayfox]

Slightly off topic...

I will be using ZEN to create an image from the PC with the altered HOST file. Will the HOST file be copied to the other machines during the image process? I assumed that it would...

 

[LawnBoy]

Yes. If you've got your DNS entries fixed, you can take the change out of the HOSTS file.

Marv is right, the best way to handle it is through DNS. Say 5 years from now you move the Import service to another ip. When using DNS, the clients will never skip a beat.

 

[bayfox]

I will do that then. Once the lab is finished and I have the dns in place, I will re-image everything to remove the host file entry. With the kid's gone for the summer, that will be the easiest way, I think. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Provogeek]

adding my 2 copper bits.


Lawnboy
Life would be easier to force a workstation to import if you just use the DOS command "zenwsreg -unreg" to kill any workstation registration (does not affect any ZfD objects in NDS). Then use "zenwsreg" to force a registration. If it fails, it gives you a clue as to why.

+

You have to ping "zenwsimport" because it is hard coded into the agent and it is a setting that can not be changed.

+

the hosts file thing is a work-around, not a solution. You need better DNS deployment to work in your enviroment.

bayfox

It stopped working because someone screwed with your DNS.

A typical install will have a DNS "A" record that resolved the server name. Then you would create a CNAME that resolved "zenwsimport"

Just sounds like someone may have cheated, and since you say you inherited this network, I say the admin that left changed it to screw with you.


=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Brent Schmidt Certified nut case
Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple

http://www.kiscc.com

 

[LawnBoy]

Brent,

Nice tip on the zenwsreg.

I know, I need to firewall off from the WAN and setup my own DNS, but when you work for a local govt... My choices were to work around DNS or not to deploy Zen.

I jumped through the hoop like a good circus performer. It gets easier with time.

You guys would probably shudder to see some of the HOSTS files I've got running. I lie to the equipment on a regular basis.

 

[bayfox]

Hey man, the equipment deserves it. With all the frustration computers and networks can cause, they deserve a little white lie every once and awhile.

 

[LawnBoy]

Brent,

OK, just where is this "zenwsreg"? It's not on the local machine, nor is it on the server's SYS volume...

ZFD 4.01 IR6

 

[marvhuffaker]

Did you mean ZWSREG?

Brent, I'll let that one slide..

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com