1 Guide to Novell NetWare 6.0 Network Administration Chapter 12

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Guide to Novell NetWare 6.0 Network

Administration

Chapter 12

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Chapter 12 - Managing the User Desktop Environment

Identify the four types of login scripts and how they are used to map network drive letters, provide informational messages, and run special programs

Identify and use login script variables and commands to write, enter, and document login scripts

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Chapter 12 - Managing the User Desktop Environment

Identify user and network requirements for login scripts and write, test, and debug login scripts

Install and use Zero Effort Networking for Desktops to help manage the user environment, and maintain a consistent desktop environment with Policy Package objects

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Novell has provided login scripts for the purpose of establishing a user’s network environments each time they log in The command statements, such as drive mappings, in

a login script file form a program that the client software processes after a user successfully logs in

The login script commands are stored in eDirectory and sent to the user’s workstation from the server

The workstation processes each command statement, one at a time, starting with the first command

NetWare Login Scripts

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NetWare has four types of login scripts: Container login scripts are used to provide standard

setups for all users in a particular container Profile login scripts are eDirectory objects that contain

login commands common to multiple users, regardless of the container their user object is in

The user login script property of user objects contain statements that run after container and profile login script commands have run

The default login script is used to establish a default working environment for users who don’t havea user login script defined

NetWare Login Scripts

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Creating login scripts is like writing programs with any programming language There are valid commands and their associated syntax,

or rules, for formatting the commands Login script commands can use variables, so one

command can have multiple values Login script commands and variables are used to create

sophisticated login scripts that can set up user drive mappings and display announcements and other messages to users

Login Script Programming

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Creating a login script to map drive pointers: Using ConsoleOne to create a container login script:

1. Log in as administrator

2. Start ConsoleOne and expand the target container

3. Right-click the container, click Properties to open the Properties of container dialog box

4. Click the Login Script tab to display the Login Script text box

5. Enter the login script commands and click OK

6. Exit ConsoleOne and log out

7. Test the script by logging into the container and verifying results


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Login script variables are reserved words in the login script language whose value can change for each user logging in Variables can be used with many of the command

statements in the NetWare login script language By using login script variables, login script programs can

be written that work for many different users and workstations

Login script variables can be divided into types based on their use: Date, time, user, workstation, and user-defined


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Using login script variables is beneficial when creating general purpose login scripts that work for multiple users When users’ home directory paths are included with

their user account information, it is possible to substantially reduce the number of login script statements by using the %HOME_DIRECTORY variable in the MAP command statement

The % is necessary to tell Novell Client to substitute the path to the user’s home directory for the variable during login


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Writing login scripts requires the use of specific valid commands according to rules, or the syntax of the language

General rules are: 1. only valid login script command statements and comments

can be placed in a login script file

2. command lines can be a maximum of 150characters

3. commands are read one line at a time and only one command is allowed on any command line

4. commands can be entered in either upper or lower case

5. comments are entered by preceding the text with the REM command


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Common login script commands: The CLS command is used to clear the screen The MAP command automatically sets up both regular

and search drive mappings for users The NO_DEFAULT command prevents the default login

script commands from running when users do not have their own login scripts

The CONTEXT command changes the client workstation’s current context to another container when a user logs in


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Common login script commands (cont.): The WRITE command is used to display simple text

messages on user workstations The DISPLAY / FDISPLAY commands are used to show

the contents of an ASCII text file onscreen The # and @ commands are used for external program

execution (.exe and .com) The IF … THEN … .ELSE statements customize login

scripts for certain users or groups and allow them to perform special processing when certain conditions exist


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Common login script commands (cont.): The EXIT command stops the login script from running

and returns control to the workstation The FIRE PHASERS command is used to make a noise

with the PC speaker to alert the user of a message coming in or a condition encountered

The REM command can be used with the asterisk (*) or the semicolon (;) to place a comment line in the login script


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The best way to document login scripts for troubleshooting and planning is to print hardcopies of each container and profile login script Use the NLIST command-line utility to print login scripts

to an attached printer Also, use copy and paste commands to place the text

into a text editor for printing Consider placing printed copies in a loose-leaf binder for

future reference


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Implementing login scripts for the network requires four basic steps: Identify the login script requirements for each container

and user Write the script commands using a login script

worksheet Enter the script commands Test the login script for at least one user in each

workgroup by logging in with that user’s name and verifying that commands are carried out correctly

Implementing Login Scripts

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Novell’s Zero Effort Networking (ZENworks) for Desktops (ZfD) package: Enables network administrators to centrally monitor and

manage software and workstation configurations so that users can have easy mobility among workstations

Offers a remote-control capability that provides a secure way to take control of a user’s workstation; in this way, help a user fix a problem or change a configuration without having to physically go to that workstation

Managing User Environments with ZENworks for Desktops

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To use ZfD: The server must be running NetWare 4.11 or higher,

Win 95/98 workstations need Novell Client 3.3 or later, Win NT/2000 workstations need Novell Client 4.8 or later, Pentium 75 MHz or higher, 16 MB RAM for Win 95/98 and 24 MB for Win NT/2000, 4 MB hard disk for workstation or 24 MB for full installation

Only ConsoleOne can be used to manage ZfD Before taking advantage of ZENworks features, install

ZfD on your server

Managing User Environments with ZENworks for Desktops

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The key to managing Windows desktop environments is using policies, which are powerful desktop management tools ZENworks makes Windows policies easier to manage

and more powerful by adding Policy Package objects to eDirectory

Policy Package objects enable you to manage the way users access their workstations and connect to the network

There are two types of policy packages: Workstation policies and User policies

Managing Workstations

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Creating an open access policy package: Using ConsoleOne to create an open access

workstation environment for network administrators:1. Log in as administrator

2. Start ConsoleOne and select the target container

3. Click the New Object button to open the New Object dialog box

4. Double-click Policy Package to start the Policy Package wizard

5. Follow the many prompts and apply the appropriate policy settings

6. Exit ConsoleOne and log out

Managing Workstations

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Chapter Summary

Establishing a workstation environment and providing access to network files are important responsibilities for a network administrator. NetWare offers a powerful way to automate workstation setups through the use of login scripts

Login scripts contain commands to provide drive mappings and other workstation login setup functions. Novell supplies a set of commands that can be included in login script files to map drive letters, set a workstation’s DOS environment, display messages and files, run other programs, and issue certain commands based on specified conditions

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Chapter Summary

By using login script variables with commands, you can create general purpose login scripts that work for multiple users. Login script variables are divided into date variables, such as %DAY_OF WEEK; time variables, such as %HOUR24; user variables, such as %HOME_DIRECTORY; workstation variables, such as %OS and %OS_VERSION; and user-defined variables, such as %2, which enable users to enter a parameter. The percent sign preceding a variable name tells NetWare to substitute the value of the variable when the login script command runs

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Chapter Summary

Novell Client can run four types of NetWare login scripts: container, profile, user, and default. The container login script is a property of the container object, and its commands run first when users in that container log in. After the container login script has ended, if the login script processor identifies a Profile object for a user, the login script commands in the Profile object run. Last, the system checks for commands in the user’s Login Script property. If no user login script exists, the login script processor runs the default login script commands stored in the client software

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Chapter Summary

When possible, most login script commands should be stored in the container login script. By including the NO_DEFAULT command n the container login script, you can prevent NetWare from running the default login script. If you place the EXIT command at the end of the container login script, the login script processing will end and no profile, user, or default, login scripts will run. Creating a login script for each user prevents the default login script from running and provides extra security

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Chapter Summary

You maintain container, profile, and user login scripts in NetWare Administrator or ConsoleOne. To create or modify a container login script, select a container’s Login Script property. Implementing a profile login script requires creating a Profile object and then granting users the Read attribute right to the Login Script property. To create or modify a user login script, select the User object and click the Login Script tab in the Properties dialog box

When testing login scripts, make sure the user has access rights to the directory paths in the MAP statement

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Chapter Summary

With ZENworks for Desktops (ZfD), network administrators can centrally manage user desktop configuration and applications through the use of User and Workstation policies

Policy Package objects are created in the eDirectory tree and associated with the appropriate users. You should create an open policy package for the Admin user that enables all workstation functions so that user workstation restrictions aren’t applied

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1 Guide to Novell NetWare 6.0 Network Administration Chapter 12