ZENworks OS imaging has always been based on the Linux kernel - it’s fast, efficient, has a great networking stack and is also extensible. None of the problems of DOS and getting NDIS drivers etc.

Earlier versions of ZENworks - (ZfD 3.x, ZfD 4.0, ZENworks 6, ZENworks 6.5) - spawned a slew of sites dedicated to tweaking this Linux environment. Notable is the Novell Forge Project zfdimgdrv. The imaging environment has also been extended by the likes of ENGL.

ZENworks 7 changed to a SLES 9 SP2-based kernel; this provides extensive hardware support (and real support; things that have been tested).

For unsupported hardware - or to add updated drivers - life is now a lot simpler.

Matt Misbach - one of the ZENworks engineers - passed on this tip:

1. Obtain the binary driver file, it has the extension of “.ko”, (If no binary driver is available, then the source needs to be obtained and built on a sles9 sp2 machine.)
2. On your ZENworks server mount the /srv/tftp/boot/initrd file using a similar command:
   mount -o loop /srv/tftp/boot/initrd /mnt
3. copy the new .ko file into the /mnt/lib/modules/2.6.5-override-default/initrd
4. umount /mnt

As mentioned I’m working on a best practices guide for ZLM7.

I’m writing a discussion of the package universe concept; how it differs from previous versions of ZLM (ZLM 6.x and RCE) and some design recommendations.

I also wrote a nifty script to populate the package universe I’ll share that when I’ve tested it to death - but here’s the output:

Right now I can build all of my package universe as well as SP2 updates for SLES 9 and NLD 9. It takes about 20 minutes and minimal prep work.

I started zlmirror running last night - on my live server.

It ate all my bandwidth

No sooner is BrainShare Barcelona over - then we start planning for BrainShare in Salt Lake City in March 2006!

I don’t want to reveal anything on our plans - but for the ZENworks tracks it’s going to be very interesting. Watch this space!