If you find that LAN traffic is unacceptable after you create and associate policy packages with objects, you might need to reduce the LAN traffic. One effective way you can reduce LAN traffic is by limiting how the system searches the tree for associations between policy packages and objects discussed in earlier chapters. Limiting the searches should reduce LAN traffic.

To reduce LAN traffic in this way, use the following steps in ConsoleOne:

If an attempt to import a workstation was unsuccessful, you might need to troubleshoot import by using the suggestions covered in the following sections.

The first place to start when troubleshooting distributed applications is Application Explorer. You can obtain information about Application Explorer to help you troubleshoot problems that your users encounter.

Once you have looked at Application Explorer, you should view and edit user or container Application Launcher configurations. This helps you troubleshoot issues that are caused by problems with the setup of distributed applications in the user and/or container objects. To review the Application Launcher configuration for user or container objects, use the following procedures.

The next step in troubleshooting distributed application launcher problems is to look at the applications inherited by User objects. You might find that the user inherits two applications that are incompatible or that take up too much of the client's resources, and so on.

Use the Show Inherited Applications option on the Tools, Application Launcher Tools menu to see the Application objects that have been associated with the User object, including all applications either associated with or inherited by the User object. The applications are listed by mode of delivery, such as force run, App Launcher, Desktop, Start menu, and system tray. These categories come from the Applications property panel, which is available for User, Group, Organization, and Organizational Unit objects.

Use the following steps to list the applications that the user has rights to use:

A useful setting when troubleshooting distributed applications is the Set Refresh Frequency option, which lets you specify the refresh frequency in seconds. For example, if you set the refresh to 300 seconds, Application Launcher or Application Explorer updates applications from the network automatically every five minutes and might even run some applications depending on how you have set them up.

Although a short timed refresh interval is very useful in situations where you want changes to refresh quickly, it usually causes higher network traffic.

Another useful step in troubleshooting distributed applications is to make certain that the workstation was properly rebooted with the appropriate files. Occasionally the workstation will not reboot or a file will be in use when the application was distributed, preventing it from being distributed properly.

When Application Launcher distributes applications, it might change workstation configuration files (for example, CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or WIN.INI) depending on the settings in the Application object. The changes to these files do not take effect until after the workstation is rebooted. Application Launcher detects whether such changes are made, and prompts the user with a message stating that the workstation must be rebooted before the changes can take place.

Similarly, when application files are copied, the files they are replacing might be in use, and cannot be deleted or replaced. Application Launcher usually handles this situation. Generally, the new files are copied to a temporary area and then copied to their correct locations when Windows is restarted. However, if a problem exists with the temporary area or the workstation was not rebooted then the correct files will not be properly installed.

The next step in troubleshooting distributed applications in ZENworks for Desktops is to make certain that network resources are being properly cleaned up.

The process of “cleaning up” means that the license for a particular network connection is removed. This prevents users from using a network connection when they don't need it. When the clean up Network Resources option is selected, drive mappings and printer ports associated with Application Launcher-delivered applications are removed.

When an application is launched, Application Launcher or Application Explorer monitors the executable of the application. When the executable terminates, the process of cleaning up network resources begins. However, it's possible that the executable filename is actually a wrapper that sets up environments, runs other executables, and then terminates. If Application Launcher or Application Explorer monitors the wrapper executable, it might prematurely start cleaning up network resources before the application has terminated.

To prevent Application Launcher and Explorer from prematurely cleaning up an application's resources, consult your application documentation about whether the application uses a wrapper executable. If it does use a wrapper executable, find out the name of the module that remains running, and then type this name, excluding the extension, in the text box provided.

As a network administrator, you should keep records for later use. When troubleshooting issues with distributed applications you should use the Administrator Notes property page to create a section of notes that only you, as the administrator, can view and edit.

For example, you might want to remind yourself about some special settings for a particular application. This is true especially when several administrators manage your system. You could use the Administrator Notes property page to provide a history of application upgrades and file changes so that work is not duplicated.

To write administrator notes for an Application Object, follow these steps:

When troubleshooting application distribution you should be aware that if ZENworks for Desktops encounters an error during distribution, it rolls back or reverses all the changes made before the error and resets the workstation to the state it was in before the distribution began.

When you roll out or distribute a complex application using Application Launcher, changes are made to the targeted workstation. These changes might include text files (such as CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT), Windows Registry entries, and .INI files. In addition, application files can be copied or deleted at the target workstation.

The method Application Launcher uses to roll back changes is simple. First, it creates temporary files and directories to store files and other rollback information on the workstation. If the distribution is successful, those files and directories are deleted. If the distribution encounters an error, Application Launcher uses the rollback information to restore the workstation to its original state. Once that is completed, the rollback information is deleted.

Problems rolling back can occur if a file is in use, the application is set to overwrite an existing application, and so on when the roll back occurs. Application Launcher is unable to roll back a file that is in use or does not exist.

A very useful tool in troubleshooting application objects is the Search and Replace Entire Application Objects option in ConsoleOne. You can use the Search and Replace dialog box to search the entire Application object for text strings.

For example, if a directory name is changed and the application object no longer functions, you could use this feature to correct the directory name every place it occurs in the application object.

To search and replace text strings in all property pages of application object, follow these steps:

A very useful tool in troubleshooting application objects is the Search Specific Application Object property page in ConsoleOne. You can use the Find dialog box to search the current Registry settings, .INI settings, or Application files property page.

For example, if a specific Registry setting was causing the application distribution to experience problems, you could use this feature to find the Registry setting in the application object.

To find specific application object settings, use the following steps:

When troubleshooting application distribution, make certain that the application was terminated properly. You can use the Termination property panel in ConsoleOne to view and modify how Application Launcher handles the termination of an application. If termination is improperly set up, users can experience problems when the application runs.

Use the following steps to view and modify termination of the application:

In the case of a Workstation Policy Package, make certain a valid eDirectory Workstation object has been created and is linked to workstations that use the policy package. This can be checked by viewing the values listed in Table 19.1 in the workstation's Registry.

You are specifically looking for the Workstation object value. It identifies which eDirectory Workstation object the workstation is using when it is logged in. All Workstation Policy Packages need to be associated with this eDirectory Workstation object or to a Workstation Group that has this eDirectory Workstation object as one of its members.

If a Workstation Policy Package is not associated to the eDirectory Workstation object listed in the Workstation object Registry value or a group it belongs to, no Workstation Policy Packages are downloaded and applied. You can also check for effective policies on the effective policies panel of a container object's properties page.

Make certain that the appropriate type of policy package has been created. For example, if the workstation is running Windows NT/2000, make sure you have created a WINNT Workstation Policy Package.

In the case of a Workstation Policy Package, make certain that eDirectory Workstation objects have an association to the policy package. This can be verified by looking at the details of the policy package within ConsoleOne by clicking on the Associations tab.

Make certain that all the workstations that use the eDirectory Workstation object are listed there, are members of a Workstation group listed, or exist in a container listed.

Make certain that at least one policy is enabled to download. If no policies are enabled, the user cannot detect any change to the user/workstation environment and might question if it is working properly.

Make certain that workstations have the active tree listed as a trusted tree. The Workstation Manager component of ZENworks uses the concept of trusted trees, and Windows 95/98 or NT/2000 Workstations attempt to search for a ZENworks policy package only if the tree is listed as a trusted tree. This feature gives greater administrative flexibility as to which workstations are controlled by ZENworks.

You can set the trusted tree by selecting the custom installation of the Novell client for NT/2000 or 95/98. If Typical Installation is selected, it automatically sets the tree that you first log in to as the trusted tree.

To view the trusted tree property on a Windows workstation, view the Registry key directly at the following location:

When ZENworks for Desktops is having problems distributing applications, you should always look for errors in the NetWare file system. These errors often help you narrow down the problem to a specific cause and resolution.

For example, if the ZENworks for Desktops client gives the user the following error, you might suspect a connection problem with the server and could focus troubleshooting on finding the cause and fixing that problem.

Table 19.2 contains common file system errors.

Another area you should always review when troubleshooting ZENworks for Desktops is the eDirectory error messages. ZENworks for Desktops uses eDirectory heavily, not only for normal authentication and access, but also as a service for controlling ZENworks for Desktops objects.

eDirectory errors can be categorized as follows.