Enterprise User Manual

Chapter 2

Creating Sites

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This chapter contains detailed instructions for preparing and creating new PC-Duo Enterprise Sites. First-time users and evaluators may want to refer to the separate PC-Duo Enterprise Evaluator's Guide.

New PC-Duo Enterprise Sites are created using the Console's Site Creation Wizard. The wizard guides you through the process of naming and locating new Sites, and also builds a Client kit for you to deploy across your network. The Site Creation Wizard can also create shares that Client PCs, Consoles and Schedulers use to transfer data.

Creating a Site Using the Default Options

This section describes the process of creating a new Site using the default options in the Site Creation Wizard. This option is ideally suited to first-time users and evaluators.

Experienced PC-Duo Enterprise users, and users who want to use existing PC-Duo Enterprise databases, should refer to "Creating a Site Using the Custom Options" for information about creating sites using the advanced options.

Starting the Site Creation Wizard

The Site Creation Wizard is automatically displayed the first time you start the PC-Duo Enterprise Console. To start the wizard again, open the Console and click the New button in the toolbar.

To create a Site using the default options:

1. Read the information in the Welcome dialog, then click the Next button. The Site Creation Mode dialog is displayed.

Site Creation Mode Dialog

2. The Site Creation Mode dialog lets you choose a Site creation method. Select the Generate new Site automatically from defaults option.

   This option creates the following components: a Microsoft Access database, an Offline Area, and a Client Kit for you to distribute to PCs.

   The Offline Area (or Offline Path) is a share to which Client PCs push their inventory data. The data in the Offline Area is retrieved by PC-Duo Enterprise Consoles and PC-Duo Enterprise Schedulers, and published to the site database.

3. In the Enter a name for the new Site field, type a name for your PC-Duo Enterprise site. This name is also used as the DSN (Data Source Name) of the Site database.
4. Click the Next button to display the Offline Path, Share and Client Kit dialog.

Offline Path, Share and Client Kit Dialog

The Offline Path, Share and Client Kit dialog shows the default location for the Enterprise Offline Area. As default settings are being used, most of the fields cannot be changed.

5. By default, PC-Duo Enterprise creates its own user account, LUCLIENT, to enable Clients to access the Offline Area. If you want Clients to use an existing username to access the share, enter its details in the Username and Password fields.

   If you change the Username and Password, the specified account must be valid for all Client machines that use the Offline Area. PC-Duo Enterprise creates a default account. The default LUCLIENT account is created automatically as a domain user account and is recommended for use by all Clients to access their Offline Areas.

6. If the PC where the Offline Area is located belongs to a Windows Domain, enter the Domain name.
7. Click the Next button to display the Settings Complete dialog.

Settings Complete Dialog

8. Read the information in the dialog, and ensure the Tell me about populating this new site box is selected.
9. Click the Finish button. PC-Duo Enterprise creates your new Site, copies the default PC-Duo Enterprise Client Kit into the \Kit subdirectory of the Offline Area, and customizes the Kit settings.
10. When the Open Site dialog is displayed, select your site name from the Select site drop-down list. Also, make sure the Default site check box is selected, so that this Site opens automatically when you start the Console.
11. Click OK in the Open Site dialog. Your new Site is displayed in the PC-Duo Enterprise Console.

    For information on how to populate your new Site with PC-Duo Enterprise Clients, see "Populating Site Databases".

Preparing SQL Server and Oracle Databases

If you want to use SQL Server or Oracle for your PC-Duo Enterprise Site Database, you must create a new, empty database before running the Site Creation Wizard. Note that PC-Duo Enterprise works natively with Oracle and SQL Server databases.

Creating a SQL Server Database

To create a new SQL Server database for PC-Duo Enterprise:

1. Start the SQL Server Enterprise Manager.
2. Select your server from the list.
3. Add a new database to the list, and give it an appropriate name.
4. Display the Properties dialog for the new database, then select the Permissions tab.
5. In the Permissions tab, make sure all of the Create permissions (such as Create Table and Create View) are selected, then apply these settings.

To create a dedicated PC-Duo Enterprise user account for this database:

1. In the Enterprise Manager, select the Security folder.
2. Add a New Login, giving it a suitable user name and password.
3. Other important options you should select in this dialog include the option to use SQL Server authentication. For the default database, select the PC-Duo Enterprise database.
4. In the dialog's Database Access tab, select the Permit option for the PC-Duo Enterprise database.
5. Confirm the password details and apply these settings.

Creating an Oracle Database

The procedure for creating a new Oracle database is quite complex, and beyond the scope of this manual. If you want to use an Oracle database with PC-Duo Enterprise, refer to your Oracle documentation or your Database Administrator for more information on creating databases.

Locating and Sharing Your Database

If you are evaluating PC-Duo Enterprise or have a small to medium size installation, we recommend you use a Microsoft Access Database located on your PC. You do not need a copy of Microsoft Access to use an Access database as the Site Creation Wizard's default settings create this for you automatically.

If you want to use a Microsoft Access database that is shared between multiple PC-Duo Enterprise Console and Scheduler PCs, the other Consoles and Schedulers must be able to reference the database using permanently mapped drive letters. Shared Microsoft Access databases are not recommended for large Sites - instead, we recommend using a shared SQL Server or Oracle database.

If you have more than 500 Client PCs at your Site, or if your database is likely to exceed the 1GB limit on Access databases, we recommend using a Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database for your PC-Duo Enterprise site.

Locating the Site Database

If you want to manage your Site using multiple PC-Duo Enterprise Consoles and Schedulers, locate the PC-Duo Enterprise database on a file server that is accessible by Console and Scheduler PCs. A Windows NT4, 2000 or XP system is a typical choice for a shared Site Database.

The only requirements are that you are able to define the network path to the Database location, and that there is a suitable network connection between all PC-Duo Enterprise Host systems to the Database server.

Slow WAN links are not suitable for the network traffic between a Console and a large database.

Sharing the Database Location

We recommend you create a share to house your Site Database. Having the Site Database in a shared location is advisable if you intend to use multiple PC-Duo Enterprise Consoles and Schedulers using the same Site Database.

We also recommend you create this share on a Windows NT4, 2000 or XP server that can be accessed by Console and Scheduler PCs. You must share this directory with Public Full permissions.

All Console and Schedulers should match the guest group on the Database system, otherwise you may need to add specific permissions to the Database share. Consoles and Schedulers must be allowed full (read/write/create/delete) access to the share holding the database.

After creating this share, you must specify the appropriate Path in the Site Creation Wizard's Database Configuration dialog.

If you want to protect the database from guest access, you can setup the share so that it allows access from a specific username and password combination, and then specify these access permissions in the UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path to the database. The path to the database is encrypted before it is saved. Here are some example paths:

\ \ NTSERV\LUDATA%ludb

This path accesses the LUDATA share with a username of ludb and no password.

\ \ NTSERV\LUDATA%ludb:secret

A password, prefixed with a colon (:) character, can be included following a username.

\ \ NTSERV\LUDATA%ludb@mydom:secret

You can also include a domain name in the UNC path, prefixing it with the @ symbol.

Creating a Site Using the Custom Options

Use the custom option in the Site Creation Wizard if you want to:

• Control the creation and location of the Site components.
• Customize the Client Kit for your Site.
• Store your PC-Duo Enterprise data in a SQL Server or Oracle database. If you want to use one of these databases, read "Preparing SQL Server and Oracle Databases" before starting the Site Creation Wizard. Refer to Readme.txt in the PC-Duo Enterprise Suite directory for more information on various requirements and levels of support offered for each type of database.

To create a custom PC-Duo Enterprise site:

1. In the PC-Duo Enterprise Console, click the New button in the Console toolbar, or choose the Site, New menu command.
2. Read the information in the Welcome dialog, then click the Next button to continue. The Site Creation Mode dialog is displayed.
3. In the Site Creation Mode dialog, choose Generate custom Site based on a new or an existing Database.
4. Enter a name for your Site, then click Next to continue. You can now specify your Site options using the following dialogs.

Database Type Dialog

Use the Database Type dialog to select which type of database you want to use for your Site database.

Microsoft Access

Choose this option to use a Microsoft Access 97, 2000 or XP database.

Oracle

Choose this option to use an Oracle database (version 8 or later).

Microsoft SQL Server

Choose this option to use a Microsoft SQL Server 7 or 2000 database.

Other ODBC

Choose this option to link to your database using ODBC. If you choose this option, you must supply an existing Data Source Name (DSN) for the database.

Database Type Dialog

Select the type of database you want to use, then click the Next button to continue.

Multiple PC-Duo Enterprise Sites can use the same database using different access methods and different DSNs.

Site Creation Options Dialog

Use the Site Creation Options dialog to choose the set up options for your Site.

Create new database files, overwriting any existing ones

Select this option if you are creating your first Site, or if you want to create a new Site. If you are creating multiple Consoles for the Site Database, you must select this option only when setting up the first Console.

Site Creation Options Dialog

Link to an existing database

Select this option if you want to use this Console with an existing Site Database. For example, if you are creating multiple Consoles for the Site Database, select this option when setting up the second and subsequent Consoles.

Copy from the following Site

Select this option to copy an existing Site Database to a new location. This option may require you to update distributed Schedulers so that they refer to the new database location.

Setup your Site as the Global Site

If you are creating a new Site and you want to use it as the Global Site, select this check box. If you want to continue to use your current Global Site, leave this box unselected.

The Global Site stores your Software Distribution Package Definitions, which contain details about how applications must be distributed and installed. When you create a new Global Site, it contains only the standard definitions that are supplied with PC-Duo Enterprise. Any changes you have made to the Package Definitions in the original Site will be unavailable unless you transfer them to the new Global SIte using the Package Definition Editor's importing and exporting features.

Select the site creation options you want to use, then click the Next button to continue.

Database Configuration Dialog

Use the Database Configuration dialog to identify the location of the database that will hold your Site data and to enter information to permit access to the database.

Access Database Configuration Dialog

For Access Databases

Enter the location of the Site Database in the Database Path field.

For SQL Server Databases

In the Server field, enter the name of the PC on which SQL Server is running. In the Database field, enter the name of the SQL Server Database you want PC-Duo Enterprise to use.

For Oracle Databases

In the Service field, enter the name of the Oracle Client Service you have set up for your PC-Duo Enterprise Site Database.

For ODBC Database Configurations

In the Data source list, select the name of the ODBC data source you want to use to access the PC-Duo Enterprise Site database.

For All Databases

If access to the selected database is restricted, enter the Username and Password that you want PC-Duo Enterprise to use to access the database.

When you have entered the configuration options for your Database, click the Next button to continue.

Offline Path, Share and Client Kit Dialog

Use this dialog to specify the name, location and access details of the Offline Area where you want Client PCs to push their inventory data. The data in the Offline Area is retrieved by PC-Duo Enterprise Consoles and PC-Duo Enterprise Schedulers, and published to the Site Database.

Create New Offline Area

Select this option to create a new share. Note that due to restrictions in the operating systems, it is not possible to create an Offline Area on a Windows NT4, 2000, or XP system from a PC running Windows 95, 98 or Me.

Use Existing Offline Area

Select this option to use an existing share as the PC-Duo Enterprise Offline Area.

Location

This field displays the default location for the new Offline Area. If you selected Create New Offline Area and you want to specify a different location, type it in the field, or click the Browse button to select it.

If you use the Path Bulider dialog to select an Offline Area that is located on another PC, choose the Network option before browsing.

Share Name

This field displays the default share for a new Offline Area. If you want to specify a different name for the new area, type it in this field.

Username

By default, PC-Duo Enterprise creates its own user account, LUCLIENT, to enable Clients to access the Offline Area. If you want Clients to use an existing username to access the share, enter its name in the Username field.

If you specify your own account, it must be valid for all Client machines that use this Offline Area. It is recommended that you use the default LUCLIENT account as this is automatically created as a domain user account in domain environments.

Password

If you entered the Username of an existing account, or want to change the default LUCLIENT password, type the account password in this field.

Domain

If the PC that contains the Offline Area belongs to a domain, type the name of the domain in this field.

Copy Client Kit, embedding user details Select this check box to copy the Client Kit to the Offline Area so that it can be distributed to new Clients. Clear this check box if the Offline Area already contains a configured Client Kit, or if you do not want to install the Client Kit across the network.

When you have specified the Offline Area settings, click the Next button to continue.

Offline Scanner Dialog

The Offline Scanner monitors your Site's Offline Path for Client data, adds newly identified Clients to the Site Database and performs a hardware and software inventory data on each Client.

Leave the Enable the Offline Scanner check box selected if you want to populate your Site automatically, such as when you are creating a new Site.

Clear the Enable the Offline Scanner check box if you want to populate the PC-Duo Enterprise Site manually using the Offline Auto-populate Operation in the Console.

Click the Next button to continue.

To enable or disable the Offline Scanner after PC-Duo Enterprise is installed, select the Site, Offline Scanner Options command in the Console.

User Prompting Dialog

Client PC users are prompted to supply standard information, such as their name and location, the first time that the PCs are rebooted after the Client software has been installed. These default questions are defined in the LUTINFO.REF file.

If you want to add your own questions to the User Prompt file, select the Customize User Prompt file check box. These questions are contained in the specified User Prompting (.REF) file.

Click the Next button to continue.

For more information on customizing the user prompts, see Chapter 9, "User Prompting".

Settings Complete Dialog

The wizard has the information it needs to create your PC-Duo Enterprise Site. If you want to view information about adding Clients to your site, select the Tell me about populating this new Site check box. Click the Finish button to create your Site.

Settings Complete Dialog

The Site Creation Wizard copies the default PC-Duo Enterprise Client Kit into the Kit subdirectory of the Offline Area, and customizes the Kit settings with the information you supplied in the Wizard.

To open the Site:

1. Select the site in the Select site list.
2. If you want to open this site automatically each time you start PC-Duo Enterprise, select the Default Site check box.
3. Enter the log on details for the database.
4. Click the OK button to open the PC-Duo Enterprise Console.The Console opens and displays the Site window.

When you have created a new Site, the Site window shows a Groups view in the left pane, the Nodes View in the right pane and the Operation View in the bottom pane. The next section describes how to add PCs to your PC-Duo Enterprise Site.

Populating Site Databases

Before you can use PC-Duo Enterprise to access information from your network, you must install the Client Kit on each PC that you want to access.

Installing the Client Software on your PCs

This section describes how to manually install the Client Kit software onto individual PCs. If you want to remotely install the Client Kit, or if you want to deploy the Client Kit to a large number of PCs, refer to Chapter 16, "Implementation".

To install the Client Kit on a PC:

1. On the PC where you want to install the Client Kit, use Network Neighborhood to navigate to the directory where the Client Kit is stored. (By default, the it is stored in the /Kit subdirectory of your Offline Area.)
2. To install the preconfigured Client Kit on the PC in silent mode, run INSTALL.EXE.

   To install the preconfigured Client Kit on the PC in interactive mode, run SETUP.EXE.

When the Client software has installed successfully, the Client initializes and the User Prompted Questions are usually displayed the next time the user logs on to the PC. The PC user must answer the questions and click the Close button before the Client pushes its Hardware Inventory and Software Inventory data to the Site's Offline Area.

Detecting New Clients at the Console

When a Client PC has successfully pushed its inventory data to the Offline Area, the Console's Offline Scanner detects the information and displays it in the Node pane of the Site window. This is the recommended method as it automatically populates the database as soon as the Client's information is pushed to the Online Area.

If you did not select the Enable Offline Scanning option, you can populate the database by selecting the Offline Auto-populate Operation in the Deployment tab of the Console, or you can enable the Offline Scanner from the Console.

To activate the Offline Scanner:

1. In the Console, choose the Site, Offline Scanner Options menu command.
2. In the Offline Scanner Options dialog, ensure the Enable offline scanning check box is selected.
3. If the Scanner host list is None, activate the WinScheduler utility (see below).
4. Click OK to close the Offline Scanner Options dialog.

Activating the Winscheduler

When the Offline scanner is running, the Nodes Count in the Console's Status Bar should increase after ten to fifteen minutes as the new Client data is detected in the Offline Area.

If this does not happen, check that the WinScheduler is active.

To check the WinScheduler is active:

1. At the Console, select the Utilities tab, and double-click the WinScheduler Operation.
2. The WinScheduler icon is displayed in the System Tray of the Windows Taskbar. Double-click this icon to display the WinScheduler Properties dialog.
3. In the WinScheduler Properties dialog, make sure the options in the top half of the dialog are available for selecting. If not, click the Stop button.
4. Make sure the Host name is set to the name of the Console PC. In the Database site drop-down list box, select your new Site from the list.
5. Click the Start button. The log entries at the bottom of the WinScheduler Properties dialog display "Offline area scan enabled".
6. Click the OK button to hide the WinScheduler Properties dialog. The WinScheduler icon in the Taskbar's System Tray shows a green light to indicate the WinScheduler is active and the Offline Scanner has started.

   The progress of the Offline Scanner is shown in the Console's status bar, which displays the total number of Nodes in the Site Database.

7. When the Console status bar totals change, right-click in the Nodes View and choose Refresh to update the Nodes View display with your new Clients.

   Leave the Console and WinScheduler running for some time to ensure that it detects all the nodes on your network.

8. When you have populated your Site with Nodes, you can disable Offline Scanning using the Site, Offline Scanner Options menu command.

   If your new Clients are not being detected, refer to the Console's Online Help for Troubleshooting advice.
   
   An alternative method of detecting new Client data in the Offline area is to use the Auto-populate Operation. However, this method does not automatically perform a Hardware and Software Inventory on the new Client data.

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