Overview on ZEN Works

Zero Effort Net whole kit (Z.E.N. works) is a great new tool in NetWare 5, that makes the network decision makers job a lot easier by allowing him to spend less time at each user workstation. To be able to use the Z.E.N. works these are the minimum hardware requirementsProcessor 486/33 or higherMemory 16 MB (for Windows 95) 24 MB (for Windows NT)Hard disk lieu 4 MB (workstation 24 MB (full station)Z.E.N. works needs to be installed on the server and the client on the workstation needs to be updated.During the installation answer Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) are copied to the workstation. DLLs contain subprograms that are called by an application to perform certain operations. Another utility that is included in Z.E.N. works to help the distribution and management of applications is the Application Launcher, which consists of four major componentsApplication objects in the NDS treeApplication Launcher Window and Application objectThe snAppShot utility allows you wee-wee a snaps hot of the Windows workstation before installing the application. The snapshot includes Registry settings along with the names of form and application files on the workstation. After the application has been installed, the snAppShot utility takes other picture of the workstations physique and then uses the two snapshots to create an Application Object Template (AOT) file.The Application Launcher uses the AOT file to determine what Registry settings and system files need to be copied to the workstation to run the application from the network. In addition to including configuration settings and system file names, the AOT file also contains the name of the Application object and the roadway where you want to store the AOT and installation files. Consequently, before running the snAppShot utility, you need to define the name you want to use for the Application object and decide where the application and AOT files depart be stored.The Application Launcher software consists of two co mponents the wrapper program and the launcher. The wrapper program determines which launcher program (NALW31.EXE, NALWIN32.EXE, or NAL.EXE) to run based on the client computers operating system. The launcher program then determines the Application objects to which the user has access and displays a window showing all applications the user has been authorized to run.When the user selects an application, the launcher determines whether the application is installed on the workstation. If this is the first time the user has run the application from this workstation, the application will automatically be installed exploitation the AOT file created by the snAppShot utility. If Application Launcher senses that the application configuration has been damaged, or files are missing or corrupt, it will automatically correct the application configuration and copy and damaged or missing files.