Customer Reviews

ZENworks 6.5 Suite Administrator's Handbook

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ZENworks (ZEN = Zero Effort Networks) Suite is a set of programs named to reflect the zero effort required by end users and the minimal effort necessary for administrators to manage the desktops on their systems. Since so little effort is required, it almost makes you wonder just why it takes a book of almost eleven hundred pages.

The answer is that the suite of products has become so complete and all encompassing that a large number of individual programs within the suite handle virtually all networking tasks. The suite covers three general classes of hardware: workstations, servers, and handheld devices, and the applications include not only networking but also software distribution and extensive network troubleshooting.

The size of the book is determined by the sheer amount of software included in this new suite. Each program, each function is described in detail as to function, what it is trying to do, and how to interpret the results.

Let me first say I really like Zenworks and have since 1.0. What I don't like is a large book that just covers the basics as found in the help files. I was looking to this book to cover, in depth, details about Imaging and the Middle Tier server. While there are details covering Imaging, I don't see any additional information above and beyond the on-line documentation and the help files. As far as the Middle Tier server - don't bother. The authors didn't. There is a section on installing the server telling the user how to fill in the DNS name and such but no real substance. And that's it! There is NO section on how to use the Middle Tier services or why one would want to. All in all, if you want a book for your shelf, buy this one. If you want a book you can use - keep looking.