- Managing NetWare 6 Remotely
- Remote Manager
- Lab Exercise 3.1: Advanced Administration with Remote Manager
- iMonitor
- iManager
- Lab Exercise 3.2: Advanced Administration with iMonitor and iManage
- NetWare 6 Storage Services
- Understanding NSS
- Configuring Novell Storage Services
- Lab Exercise 3.3: Configuring NSS
- Managing NSS
- Storage Management Services
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
iManager
iManage; therefore, I am.
Welcome to the future of Novell management. iManager is an anytime, anywhere advanced administration utility that enables you to perform almost all the eDirectory management tasks typically handled by NetWare Administrator and/or ConsoleOne. iManager is platform independent and Web browser–based. Furthermore, iManager enables you to customize its capabilities based on preassigned or customized admin roles.
With iManager, the future is now. To run iManager, you must meet the following minimum system requirements:
-
Browser—iManager supports Internet Explorer 5 service pack 2 (or later) and Netscape 4.6 (or later).
-
Platform—iManager runs on these network platforms: NetWare 5 support pack 4 (or later), NetWare 5.1 (for secure SSL support), and NetWare 6.
-
eDirectory—iManager requires eDirectory version 8.5 (or later).
You can access iManager from the NetWare 6 Web Manager portal (shown in Figure 3.1). To access this page from a compatible browser, enter HTTPS://{server IP address}:2200 in the Address field.
){kind=link}
The iManager Main Page (shown in Figure 3.6) consists of the following three functional frames:
-
Header frame—Occupies the top center of Figure 3.6. The header frame contains the following five buttons: Home (returns to the iManager home page), Exit (closes your iManager session and returns you to the iManager login page), Roles and Tasks (displays the roles and tasks that you've been assigned, and controls the links provided in the navigation frame), Configure (enables you to set up RBS, manage administrative roles, and modify the owners of the rbsCollection container), and Help (provides access to general iManager online help).
-
Navigation frame—Occupies the left side of Figure 3.6. The navigation frame contains links that pertain to the button chosen in the header frame. In Figure 3.6, for example, the Roles and Tasks button displays the following navigation links: DHCP management, DNS management, eDirectory administration, iPrint management, and license management.
-
Main content frame—Occupies the right side of Figure 3.6. The main content frame is your advanced administration playground for eDirectory and server management.
)
FIGURE 3.6 NetWare 6 iManager main page.
Real World
Everything you've learned about iMonitor is within the realm of default configuration. This default behavior is sufficient in most environments, but it might not give you all the flexibility and control you require. Fortunately, iMonitor enables you to customize its features by using the following configuration file:
SYS:/SYSTEM/NDSIMON.INI
By default, all parameters in NDSIMON.INI are inactivated by using the pound sign (#) comment. To enable and customize a parameter, all you have to do is change the appropriate line and remove the pound sign (#).
For example, you can use NDSIMON.INI to increase the access authentication level beyond the default [Public] level. Simply edit the LockMask parameter to require an Authenticated User (setting 1) or Authenticated Supervisor (setting 2).
iManager depends on administrative roles to customize its interface. Furthermore, this facility is controlled by a new eDirectory feature called Role-Based Services (RBS). To prepare iManager for role-based administration, you must first accomplish these two configuration steps:
-
Configure RBS
-
Assign iManager roles
Let's take a closer look at these two steps and learn how to configure iManager for role-based administration. Remember that the future is now.
Brain Snack
Just another example of "seeing what isn't there." The same hero claims all these famous phrases. As a matter of fact, his or her name is an anagram of one of them. Who is our hero?
"The world's mine oyster."
"The better part of valor is discretion."
"Be to yourself as you would to your friend."
"If money go before, all ways do lie open."
"I'll make a wise phrase."
"All that glisters is not gold."
"I'll blow the wind that profits nobody."
(Q3-2) (See Appendix C for all Brain Snack answers.)
Configure Role-Based Services
iManager uses RBS to control administrative access to eDirectory and server functions. RBS is a special extension of the eDirectory schema that occurs automatically when you install NetWare 6. However, if you want to use iManager on an existing NetWare 5.x server, you must first extend the eDirectory schema to support RBS.
The first task in configuring RBS is to extend the eDirectory Schema (this is done automatically during NetWare 6 installation). This Schema extension modifies eDirectory to support six new RBS objects (as shown in Figure 3.7).
)
FIGURE 3.7 Extended Role-Based Services (RBS) objects in eDirectory.
Real World
iManager and ZENworks for Servers both use RBS. However, each utility's roles are exclusively available for its use. That is, iManager roles can be used only by iManager and ZENworks for Servers roles can be used only by ZENworks for Servers.
Fortunately, you can tell the difference between these eDirectory objects by the case of RBS in each object name: iManager eDirectory objects are preceded by lowercase rbs, whereas ZENworks for Servers eDirectory objects are preceded by uppercase RBS.
To extend an existing NetWare 5.x eDirectory schema for RBS, launch iManager and authenticate as the admin user. From the Header frame, select Configure and from the Navigation frame, select Extend Schema from under the Role-Based Services setup link. At this point, iManager will automatically extend the schema for RBS. When the confirmation message appears, select OK to complete the extension.
The new extended eDirectory supports six objects for RBS. The following is an explanation of the function of each of these new RBS objects (shown in Figure 3.7):
-
rbsCollection—This eDirectory container object holds all iManager RBS objects. Therefore, this container should be located at the highest possible point in the tree. By default, this container is named Role-Based Services. However, you can change the name during NetWare 6 installation or during the NetWare 5.x schema extension we just performed.
-
rbsRole—There is an rbsRole object for each administrative role added to eDirectory. The rbsRole object is also a container, stored in the rbsCollection container, and it holds the rbsScope object.
-
rbsScope—The rbsScope object is created and deleted dynamically by iManager. It describes how administrative role privileges will flow through the eDirectory tree. In summary, the rbsScope defines which portion of the tree a particular rbsRole can manage. Although this object appears in the tree, you should not modify it.
-
rbsModule—The rbsModule object is also a container, stored in the rbsCollection container, and it holds two RBS objects: rbsTask and rbsBook.
-
rbsTask—Each administrative role is made up of several tasks, and each task is represented by an rbsTask object. As a result, iManager task information is stored in eDirectory and is easily distributed.
-
rbsBook—The rbsBook object is a central administrative catalog for all roles and tasks assigned to a given user. Each rbsBook object is made up of several task pages that allow users to perform all assigned roles and tasks from one central place.
TIP
Only one rbsCollection container should be created per wide-area network (WAN) link because role assignments across WAN links create considerable bandwidth overhead. Furthermore, administrative users should be assigned to administrative roles that are stored in the rbsCollection container that's geographically closest to them.
The second task is configuring RBS is to create the rbsCollection container. This will become the top level of your administrative hierarchy. From the iManager Configure page, select the Role-Based Service Setup link and choose Create rbsCollection. In the Name field, enter the name of the rbsCollection container. Remember that by default, it's called Role-Based Service. You might want to consider something more descriptive, such as RBS_WHITE. This naming syntax will enable you to track the host container for the beginning of RBS administrative hierarchy.
Next, in the Container field, browse to and select the container where you would like it to be created. In our example, that would be the WHITE container. Create the container by selecting OK. When the object has been created, select OK to complete the rbsCollection creation process.
After you've created the rbsCollection container, you must choose which administrative roles or plug-ins it will support. From the iManager Configure page, select the Role-Based Services Setup link and choose Install Plug-In. Next, choose from a list of five different administrative role categories: DHCP, DNS, eDirectory, iPrint, and Licensing.
Now let's learn how to assign these new roles to administrative users. That's step 2 of iManager configuration.
Assign iManager Roles
The Roles and Tasks button in the iManager header frame provides access to five administrative roles links in the navigation frame. These five links hold seven default iManager roles. These seven roles are the cornerstone of Novell's new anytime, anywhere advanced administration strategy: DHCP Management, DNS Management, eDirectory Container, eDirectory Group, eDirectory User, iPrint Management, and Licensing.
Let's take a moment to explore the five iManager role categories listed on the left side of Figure 3.6:
-
DHCP Management
-
DNS Management
-
eDirectory Administration
-
iPrint Management
-
License Management
We'll discuss these categories in alphabetical order, as they are listed in the iManager navigation frame.
DHCP Management
iManager supports extensive DHCP configuration capabilities by using the DHCP Management role. With this role, you can accomplish these DHCP management tasks:
-
DNS/DHCP scope settings—Create the DNS/DHCP Locator object and the administrative scope.
-
Global DHCP configuration—Set global DHCP preferences and import/export a DHCP configuration.
-
DHCP server management—Create, delete, and modify the DHCP Server object. You can also view the DHCP audit/event logs and start or stop DHCP services at the server level.
-
Subnet pool management—Create, delete, and modify the Subnet Pool object.
-
Subnet management—Create, delete, and modify the Subnet object.
-
Address range management—Create, delete, and modify the SAR (Subnet Address Range) object.
-
IP address management—Create, delete, and modify IP addresses.
DNS Management
iManager enables you to perform a number of DNS configuration tasks by using the DNS Management role. The following is a brief description of the DNS tasks you can perform by using this iManager role:
-
DNS/DHCP scope settings—Just as with the DHCP Management role, you can create the DNS/DHCP Locator object and the administrative scope.
-
DNS server management—You can create, delete, and modify the DNS Server object. In addition, you can import zone master files to eDirectory and export eDirectory data in to a master file. Finally, the DNS management role enables you to start and stop DNS services using iManager.
-
Zone management—You can create, delete, and modify forward or reverse Zone objects.
-
Resource record management—You can create, delete, and modify RRSet objects.
TIP
For more information regarding NetWare 6 DNS/DHCP management, refer to Chapter 6, "NetWare 6 IP Services."
eDirectory Administration
RBS supports three eDirectory management roles that you can use to customize iManager administration. Here's a brief description of each of these eDirectory roles:
-
Container management—This eDirectory role enables users to create Organization and Organizational Unit containers in the eDirectory tree.
-
Group management—This eDirectory role enables users to create Group objects in the eDirectory tree. Fortunately, this role does not allow users to modify existing Group objects.
-
User management—This eDirectory role enables users to create other User objects in the eDirectory tree. Fortunately, this role does not allow users to modify existing User objects.
iPrint Management
The iPrint management role in iManager enables you to perform nine tasks: create printer; create manager; create broker; delete NDPS object; enable iPrint access; manage printer; manage print service manager; manage broker; and remote print manager configuration. For more information about iPrint, see Chapter 6, "NetWare 6 IP Services."
License Management
The Licensing role in iManager enables you to perform four tasks:
-
Install license—Enables users to add licenses to those areas of the tree for which they have administrative privileges.
-
Move license—Enables users to move licenses from one context or container to another.
-
Delete license—Enables users to remove licenses from the tree. This is a particularly dangerous task because it has far-reaching implications.
-
Manage license properties—Enables users to view the number of installed licenses, monitor the licenses in use, determine when licenses were installed, and revoke license allocation to users who do not need network access. This is also a very dangerous capability if abused.
To assign any of these iManager roles to administrative users, select Configure from the header frame in iManager. Next, expand the Role Management link in the navigation frame and choose Modify Role. The Modify Role window should appear in the main content frame (as shown in Figure 3.8). Choose a particular administrative role and select the Members icon. Then, in the Object name field, browse to and select an administrative user. Then choose Add. Mark the box next to the Administrative User object.
)
FIGURE 3.8 Assigning iManager roles.
Next, in the Name field, browse to and select the user you'll be assigning roles to. Then choose Add. Finally, in the Scope field, browse to and select the container where you want this administrative user to perform this role. Then choose Add. When the role assignment has been made, you can complete the process by clicking OK.
Congratulations! You've successfully traversed NetWare 6's hot new anytime, anywhere advanced administration utilities. In this lesson, you learned all about Remote Manager (previously the NetWare Management Portal), iMonitor (affectionately known as Simon), and iManager (the future of Novell management). Now you're well armed to tackle even the most perplexing advanced administration tasks. Be very careful how you wield such power.
Now let's put our newly acquired skills to the ultimate test by configuring NetWare 6 DNS/DHCP services. This is where the rubber literally meets the information superhighway.