Getting Started

Welcome to the Sun Java trademark Desktop System (SJDS), Release 2.

There are two options available for managing the desktop systems:

Sun Java Desktop System Configuration Manager.

Sun Control Station (version 2.1).

This user guide describes each of these management options and points you to the relevant documentation for installing and running the software. This documentation can be found on the SJDS Management Tools CD-ROM.

Sun Java Desktop System Configuration Manager

The Sun Java Desktop System Configuration Manager is a tool that offers centralized management of configuration settings for desktop applications. It allows administrators to manage desktop systems and create a consistent environment for their users. It offers the ability to define and lock configuration settings from a single point of control. Administrators can use effective methodologies, such as the grouping of definitions, called configuration policies, to help manage both small- and large-scale deployments efficiently from a central location. As a consequence, this helps to reduce the costs of administration and user support.

Benefits

In particular, the Configuration Manager has the following benefits:

Open Infrastructure. The Configuration Manager uses a standard LDAP-compliant repository.

Flexible Structure. The Configuration Manager can be adopted to a wide range of organizational structures.

Central and Integrated Administration. The Configuration Manager is integrated into the Sun Web Console. This allows administration tasks for the Sun Java Enterprise system to be performed in the same environment.

Delegated Administration. The Configuration Manager relies on standard LDAP functionality, which easily allows customers to define a delegated administration environment.

Efficient Administration. Grouping and inheritance of configuration policies avoid redundant administration tasks and help to reduce complexity.

Consistent Configuration. The Configuration Manager supports a consistent application of configuration policies. This includes, for example, areas such as security, where a consistent approach is essential.

Control of the Environment. Lockdown and enforcement of configuration policies support enterprises in creating standard and maintainable environments.

Platform Independence. The Point Products of the Sun Java Desktop System, such as StarOffice , Mozilla or Java applications, can be managed independently of the platform on which they are running.

Sun Control Station 2.1

The Sun Control Station is a software package that allows administrators to take control of their systems: tracking and applying software updates, deploying new services, monitoring the health and performance of systems. More than just a typical "systems" management device, the Sun Control Station is a platform that will help you in the "life-cycle" management of your systems, from initial setup through eventual redeployment at the end of useful life. As an added benefit, customers can continue to use third-party or homegrown software in conjunction with the Sun Control Station.

The Sun Control Station consists of two parts: a core framework that is the engine for executing control modules, and the built-in control modules themselves. These control modules can come from Sun Microsystems, Inc., from third-party vendors or from your own in-house design team. The Sun Control Station ships with five pre-installed modules: AllStart, Health Monitoring, Inventory, Performance and Software Management.

Through the Sun Control Station, you can fully control the distribution of software payloads, offering customized and tailor-made services to downstream and end-user customers. Service Providers can offer unique payloads, data or software monitoring services. By leveraging remote software servers, all available software updates and patches can be accessed and distributed to your managed hosts, as designated by the Administrator. Custom-built and third-party software can also be distributed.

Services on the Sun Control Station

Here is a sample of what you can do with the Sun Control Station:

Inventory Management. You can obtain detailed information on the hardware components installed in a managed system.

Software Management. The Administrator can keep systems current using the version-tracking feature for software patches and updates. You can also deploy custom software or data.

Local Software Repository. In conjunction with Software Management, you can use the local software repository to "publish" software package files and allow the Administrator to install available package files as desired or needed. You can configure your Sun Control Station to view "published" package files and share package files with other Sun Control Stations.

OS Installation. The AllStart control module integrates both Kickstart and AutoYaST technologies to provide a quick and unified method of installing and customizing Linux-based systems. The control module provides a common user interface for creating software payloads, defining client profiles, and monitoring and validating system installations and updates.

Health and Performance Monitoring. These control modules provide system alerts and the metrics of the basic operations of the hosts, allowing you to pinpoint potential causes of failure.

These services can be used within an extranet or an intranet environment, or across the Internet.

Installing the Software

Configuration Manager

To install the Configuration Manager, refer to the PDF Sun Java Desktop System Configuration Manager Installation Guide (817-5478) on the Management Tools CD-ROM.

This document explains, among other things, how to:

Set up the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server.

Install, run and un-install the Sun Web Console.

Install, run and un-install the Configuration Manager.

Sun Control Station

To install the Sun Control Station software, refer to the PDF Sun Control Station Software Installation (817-3604) on the Management Tools CD-ROM.

This document explains, among other things, how to:

Install the Sun Control Station software on a server.

Install the Sun Control Station agent on a system to be managed.

Deal with possible post-install issues.

Un-install the software and agent.

Online Documentation

To access the documentation online for the Configuration Manager or the Sun Control Station, visit http://docs.sun.com/.

On the main page, click the tab "Product Categories". Under the Software category, click the "+" icon to expand the collections for the following links: "Sun Java Systems", then "Sun Java Desktop System" and finally "Sun Java Desktop System, Release 2 Management Tools".