Understanding how ZCM GPOs are applied and removed on devices

  • 7017792
  • 30-Jun-2016
  • 20-Sep-2019

Environment

Novell ZENworks Configuration Management

Situation

Prior to initially applying a ZCM GPO to a device, the initial device's GPO settings are exported and copied to the %zenworks_home%\bin\handlers\Cachefiles\OriginalCache directory.
Separate subdirectories are created to store existing ADM files, export of the machine settings, and User settings.
 
Upon user logout, ZCM will attempt to remove the user assigned GPO settings and restore the settings from the ".\OriginalCache\Users" directory.
Upon shutdown, ZCM will attempt to remove the device assigned GPO settings and restore the settings from the ".\OriginalCahce\Machine" directory.
 
This may result in necessary GPO settings to not be in place during device shutdown or device startup.
Furthermore, if a GPO fails to apply for any reason the settings may no longer exist even though they were successfully deployed previously.

Resolution

From a device with the desired Default Corporate GPO applied, backup the %zenworks_home%\bin\handlers\cachefiles\WorkstationCache directory.
Deploy this directory to the %zenworks_home%\bin\handlers\Cachefiles\OriginalCache on managed devices.

Source:  "%ZENWORKS_HOME%\bin\handlers\CacheFiles\WorkstationCache\GroupPolicy"

Destination:  "%ZENWORKS_HOME%\bin\handlers\CacheFiles\OriginalCache" 
 
The result will be that configured settings will still exist during shutdown and startup.
Once the GPO is successfully deployed once to the device, the settings should remain even anything delays or prevents the GPO from running again, since the desired settings will not have been removed from the device.