Troubleshooting Distributed Applications

The next area of troubleshooting ZENworks for Desktops is distributed applications. If users encounter problems using distributed applications, you can use the following procedures to help diagnose and debug the issues.

Troubleshoot Application Launcher and Explorer

The first place to start when troubleshooting distributed applications is Application Explorer. You can obtain information about Application Explorer to help you troubleshoot problems that your users encounter.

Open the Application Launcher Debug Window

You can see the applications and their states within a debug window to allow you to see, from the workstation's perspective, what applications are available and why or why not. This can be opened by launching the Application Windows or Explorer. Choose the About box from the menu. Then press and hold the F2 key and click on the More button. This will bring up the debug window and provide all the information about the application.

Review Information About the State of Currently Running Applications

The first issue to consider when troubleshooting the Application Launcher is getting information about the state of currently running applications. This helps you determine whether any resource conflicts or incompatibilities exist between different applications.

To get information about the state of applications currently running on a workstation, select Start, ZENworks for Desktops 4, Application Window and check the status of any running applications.

Re-create the Workstation Cache

You can remove the c:\nalcache directory from the workstation. This will remove all distributed information about the applications from the workstation. The cache will be re-created and repopulated the next time that you boot or run the Application Launcher.

Review eDirectory Tree Specific Information

Once you have information about files and running applications, you should look at Directory tree specific information about the tree the workstation is logged into. Select Help@, About Application Explorer and click the More button to view the login information and verify that the workstation is logged into the appropriate location to receive the application.

View and Edit User or Container's Application Launcher Configurations

Once you have looked at Application Explorer, you should view and edit user or container Application Launcher configurations. This helps you troubleshoot issues that are caused by problems with the setup of distributed applications in the user and/or container objects. To review the Application Launcher configuration for user or container objects, use the following procedures.

Use the Launcher Configuration Property Page

Verify the Application Launcher configuration tab on the properties page for user or container objects in ConsoleOne. You should review the following information:

  • The effective Application Launcher configurations for a User, Organizational Unit, Organization, or Country object

  • The Application Launcher configuration inheritance tree (where the current object gets configurations from objects higher in the tree)

  • Set up custom Application Launcher configurations for the currently selected container object

Review User or Container's Effective Application Launcher Configurations

Once you have reviewed the previous information from the main Application Launcher page in ConsoleOne, you should check the effective Application Launcher configurations. Effective settings include custom configurations applied to the current object as well as configurations inherited from parent container(s). You can control how a Container object inherits Application Launcher configurations by using the Use as Top of Inheritance Tree option.

To view the custom Application Launcher configurations from within ConsoleOne, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click a User, Organizational Unit, Organization, or Country object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Application Launcher tab.

  3. Choose View Object's Effective Settings from the Mode drop-down list.

Review Application Launcher Configuration Inheritance Tree

Once you have reviewed the custom Application Launcher configurations, you should review the Application Launcher configuration inheritance tree for the user or container object by following these steps:

  1. Right-click a User, Organizational Unit, Organization, or Country object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Application Launcher tab.

  3. Choose View Configuration Inheritance Tree from the Mode drop-down list.

Review and Edit User or Container's Custom Application Launcher Configurations

Once you have reviewed the Application Launcher configuration inheritance tree, you should review the container's custom Application Launcher configurations for the Container object by following these steps:

  1. Right-click a User, Organizational Unit, Organization, or Country object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Application Launcher tab.

  3. Choose View/Edit Object's Custom Configuration from the Mode drop-down list. If no settings appear in the list, no custom settings have been defined for this User or Container object.

  4. Click the Edit button to customize the settings for this object.

Review User Object's Inheritance Applications

The next step in troubleshooting distributed application launcher problems is to look at the applications inherited by User objects. You might find that the user inherits two applications that are incompatible or that take up too much of the client's resources, and so on.

Use the Show Inherited Applications option on the Tools, Application Launcher Tools menu to see the Application objects that have been associated with the User object, including all applications either associated with or inherited by the User object. The applications are listed by mode of delivery, such as force run, App Launcher, Desktop, Start menu, and system tray. These categories come from the Applications property panel, which is available for User, Group, Organization, and Organizational Unit objects.

Use the following steps to list the applications that the user has rights to use:

  1. Highlight a User object.

  2. Choose Tools, Application Launcher Tools, Show Inherited Applications.

  3. Expand the User object to view all associated applications.

Set Timed Refresh Frequency

A useful setting when troubleshooting distributed applications is the Set Refresh Frequency option, which lets you specify the refresh frequency in seconds. For example, if you set the refresh to 300 seconds, Application Launcher or Application Explorer updates applications from the network automatically every five minutes and might even run some applications depending on how you have set them up.

Although a short timed refresh interval is very useful in situations where you want changes to refresh quickly, it usually causes higher network traffic.

TIP

If you are having problems with network traffic when distributing applications you should always increase the timed refresh frequency for Application Launcher and Explorer. You might need to play with the frequency value to match your specific environment.


Change Workstation Files in Use

Another useful step in troubleshooting distributed applications is to make certain that the workstation was properly rebooted with the appropriate files. Occasionally the workstation will not reboot or a file will be in use when the application was distributed, preventing it from being distributed properly.

When Application Launcher distributes applications, it might change workstation configuration files (for example, CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or WIN.INI) depending on the settings in the Application object. The changes to these files do not take effect until after the workstation is rebooted. Application Launcher detects whether such changes are made, and prompts the user with a message stating that the workstation must be rebooted before the changes can take place.

Similarly, when application files are copied, the files they are replacing might be in use, and cannot be deleted or replaced. Application Launcher usually handles this situation. Generally, the new files are copied to a temporary area and then copied to their correct locations when Windows is restarted. However, if a problem exists with the temporary area or the workstation was not rebooted then the correct files will not be properly installed.

Clean Up Network Resources

The next step in troubleshooting distributed applications in ZENworks for Desktops is to make certain that network resources are being properly cleaned up.

The process of "cleaning up" means that the license for a particular network connection is removed. This prevents users from using a network connection when they don't need it. When the clean up Network Resources option is selected, drive mappings and printer ports associated with Application Launcher-delivered applications are removed.

NOTE

If the resource (a connection, map, or capture) is already in use when Application Launcher or Application Explorer is started, Application Launcher or Application Explorer uses it and does not clean it up. Otherwise, the resource is created and cleaned up when all other Application Launcher or Application Explorer applications are finished using it. The connection to the server containing the resource is removed as well. If the applications that Application Launcher or Application Explorer launched are still running when Application Launcher or Application Explorer is terminated, the allocated resources remain intact.


When an application is launched, Application Launcher or Application Explorer monitors the executable of the application. When the executable terminates, the process of cleaning up network resources begins. However, it's possible that the executable filename is actually a wrapper that sets up environments, runs other executables, and then terminates. If Application Launcher or Application Explorer monitors the wrapper executable, it might prematurely start cleaning up network resources before the application has terminated.

To prevent Application Launcher and Explorer from prematurely cleaning up an application's resources, consult your application documentation about whether the application uses a wrapper executable. If it does use a wrapper executable, find out the name of the module that remains running, and then type this name, excluding the extension, in the text box provided.

Write Application Administrator Notes

As a network administrator, you should keep records for later use. When troubleshooting issues with distributed applications you should use the Administrator Notes property page to create a section of notes that only you, as the administrator, can view and edit.

For example, you might want to remind yourself about some special settings for a particular application. This is true especially when several administrators manage your system. You could use the Administrator Notes property page to provide a history of application upgrades and file changes so that work is not duplicated.

To write administrator notes for an Application Object, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the Application object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Administrator Notes option from the Identification tab.

  3. In the space provided, type the note, and then click OK.

Review Roll-Back Application Distribution

When troubleshooting application distribution you should be aware that if ZENworks for Desktops encounters an error during distribution, it rolls back or reverses all the changes made before the error and resets the workstation to the state it was in before the distribution began.

When you roll out or distribute a complex application using Application Launcher, changes are made to the targeted workstation. These changes might include text files (such as CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT), Windows Registry entries, and .INI files. In addition, application files can be copied or deleted at the target workstation.

The method Application Launcher uses to roll back changes is simple. First, it creates temporary files and directories to store files and other rollback information on the workstation. If the distribution is successful, those files and directories are deleted. If the distribution encounters an error, Application Launcher uses the rollback information to restore the workstation to its original state. Once that is completed, the rollback information is deleted.

Problems rolling back can occur if a file is in use, the application is set to overwrite an existing application, and so on when the roll back occurs. Application Launcher is unable to roll back a file that is in use or does not exist.

Use Search and Replace Entire Application Object

A very useful tool in troubleshooting application objects is the Search and Replace Entire Application Objects option in ConsoleOne. You can use the Search and Replace dialog box to search the entire Application object for text strings.

For example, if a directory name is changed and the application object no longer functions, you could use this feature to correct the directory name every place it occurs in the application object.

To search and replace text strings in all property pages of application object, follow these steps:

  1. Highlight the Application object that you want to search.

  2. Choose Tools, Application Launcher Tools, Search and Replace.

  3. Choose Options, and then choose the type of Application object settings you want to search.

  4. Choose Match Case to make the search case sensitive.

  5. Type the text you want to search for in the Search For text box, and then click Find Next.

  6. If you want to replace that text with other text, type it in the Replace With text box and then click Find Next. Click Replace or Replace All.

Use Search Specific Application Object Property Page

A very useful tool in troubleshooting application objects is the Search Specific Application Object property page in ConsoleOne. You can use the Find dialog box to search the current Registry settings, .INI settings, or Application files property page.

For example, if a specific Registry setting was causing the application distribution to experience problems, you could use this feature to find the Registry setting in the application object.

To find specific application object settings, use the following steps:

  1. Right-click the Application object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Registry Settings, INI Settings, or Application Files option panels from the distribution tab.

  3. Choose the Find option (in most cases this might appear on the File button).

  4. Type the text that you want to find, and then choose Find.

Review Application Termination

When troubleshooting application distribution, make certain that the application was terminated properly. You can use the Termination property panel in ConsoleOne to view and modify how Application Launcher handles the termination of an application. If termination is improperly set up, users can experience problems when the application runs.

Use the following steps to view and modify termination of the application:

  1. Right-click the Application object and click Properties.

  2. Click the Termination option panel from the Availability tab.

  3. Select and modify the appropriate termination behaviors from the drop-down list.

Send Message to Close Application

If users should close the application, use the Send Message to Close Application option. For example, if you set an interval of 20 minutes, Application Launcher sends a message (if one is active) to the user every 20 minutes until the application is closed.

Send Message to Close Then Prompt to Save Data

You can use this option when the application must be terminated; however, user data loss might occur. This option prompts users, for a specified period of time, to close the application on their own (this action is optional). When that period of time expires, the Application Launcher attempts to close the application. If users have not saved data, they are prompted to save it.

Send Message to Close, Prompt to Save, Then Force Close

Use this option when the application must be terminated, regardless of user data loss. This option prompts users, for a specified period of time, to close the application on their own. When that period of time expires, you can close the application prompting users, at specified intervals, to save their work. If users have still not closed within a specified period of time, the application is forced to close.

Send Message to Close Then Force Close with Explanation

Use this option when the application must absolutely be terminated and user data loss is not a concern. This option prompts users, for a specified period of time, to close the application on their own. When that period of time expires, the application is forced to close.



Novell's ZENworks for Desktops 4. Administrator's Handbook
Novell ZENworks for Desktops 4 Administrators Handbook
ISBN: 0789729857
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 198
Authors: Brad Dayley

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