ZENworks

Novell has added ZENworks Configuration Management to its stable of configuration management products. This new product has integrated patch, endpoint security, and asset management as well as the ability to provision desktops and single servers. The press release stated the company was augmenting the new Configuration Management product with security features from the recently acquired Senforce Technologies.

ZENworks Configuration Management facilitates the creation of custom policies from a centralized console to control desktop systems throughout their lifecycles, including device configuration, imaging, inventory, software maintenance and remote management. You can even specify inter-relationships among managed resources. Users are presented with their own customized work environments, wherever they go. ZENworks Configuration Management automatically delivers applications, content and other IT resources tailored to the personal needs of each user or group, based on their business roles. As a result, users are not tethered to a specific desktop or laptop. They can access their work environments and applications from any device, wherever they are.

ZENworks Configuration Management also integrates both ZENworks Asset Management and ZENworks Patch Management into a single interface,

reducing the management overhead currently seen with the deployment of these systems.  

ZCM runs on Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, Novell Open Enterprise Server, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and it supports Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 on the client.

However, Novell says that existing customers can use ZCM within their existing environments and that ZCM doesn't force customers to replace what they already have.

Novell has been working for some time to release its configuration management solutions from having to be tied to the requirement of installing Novell's eDirectory as well for configuration management. With this release, IT department customers or prospects are no longer bound to use or start with a setup of Novell's eDirectory or ConsoleOne, which thereby allows customers and prospects significantly easier installation and setup. At the same time, customers gain the flexibility to use either Microsoft Active Directory or the Novell eDirectory if they so wish. This removes a constraint for customers or prospects that may have found implementing Novell eDirectory to be an impediment to adoption. ZCM also marks.

Novell's further moves toward implementing ITIL and marketing itself as consistent with ITIL best practices in IT service management. Much of the product is designed to support change, configuration, and release managements, in addition to providing reports from BusinessObjects.