How to Set up Mandatory Profiles in ZENworks for Desktops 2
Articles and Tips: tip
Novell, Inc.
01 Jan 2002
To create a mandatory profile in ZENworks for Desktops 2 you need to first set up a roaming profile, then change that roaming profile to a mandatory profile.
Roaming Profile Settings
The settings for a workstation desktop can be set within a profile. Profiles contain items such as wallpaper, screen colors, and so on. The Roaming Profile property page allows for the creation and storage of user profiles on the network.
After the profile is created, it will follow the user to any machine he or she logs in to on the network. Likewise, any changes made to the desktop on any workstation the associated user is logged in to will be updated in the network profile, guaranteeing a consistent desktop look-and-feel.
To enable the use of Roaming Profiles, select a User Policy Package, check the Desktop Preferences option, and click on Details. Then select Roaming Profiles and Enable Storage of Roaming Profiles boxes. After Roaming Profiles are enabled, a location for their storage must be specified. In this case, there are two options:
Store User Profile in User Home Directory. Selecting this option will store the profile in the users home directory as defined in the users NDS object properties. The first time the user logs out, the desktop preferences will be copied to a file called USER.DAT in the users home directory.
Find Profile in a NetWare File System Directory. Selecting this button will enforce the use of a mandatory profile for all associated users. Enforcing mandatory profiles will cause all associated users to utilize the same desktop. Any changes made to the desktop during a session will not be updated in the mandatory profile.
After this option is selected, an appropriate NetWare file system path should be entered in the Path field. This path should not contain the name of the file, because it is hard-coded into the Helper files. If you or another administrator is associated with this policy, that administrator should then log in and configure a default desktop that will be used for all users.
When the desktop configuration is complete and you log out, a default USER.DAT file will be placed in the path specified. This file should be renamed immediately to USER.MAN. If the profile is not renamed, any changes made to the desktop by associated users will be updated and propagated to all other associated users.
* Originally published in Novell AppNotes
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