2.2.1. Browsing the Directory Structure

Use the Contents pane to browse the directory structure. You can select a container object to display information about that object, or select the Show Details icon next to the container to display its contents. As you expand containers, the Current Location pane is updated to display your current location. You can move back up the structure by clicking on a higher level item in the Current Location pane.

When the desired object is displayed, select it. The tasks you can perform, and summary information about the object, appear in the Page View pane.

Some container objects are already present the first time you start Caldera Volution Manager. These are organizational unit (ou) objects, and include the following items:

2.2.2. Using the Menus

Links to menus appear across the top of the Page View pane. The following menus are available:

The following describes these menus in more detail.

2.3.1. Searching for Objects

All objects are located in the directory structure. You can enter search criteria in the Go to Object panel to find the object you want. The Go to Object panel appears whenever you:

• select Go to Object

• need to select an object; for example, when adding or removing a link, searching for a computer, or moving an object into a container

  Note: The appearance of the Search tool changes somewhat depending on context. Specialized versions of the Search tool like Search for Computers or Search for Packages appear in some task lists. The search panel label and layout also change depending upon context. Despite these differences, it is essentially the same Search tool.

Searching works the same way regardless of how you access the Go to Object panel. When it appears:

1. Enter your search criteria in the Search expression field.

   • You can enter a search string. For example, to find an RPM package file containing ``lilo'', enter lilo. You can enter the entire name, or a substring contained in the object name (such as lil in this example).

   • You can constrain the search by entering a directory path in the Start searching from here field. For example, you might enter ou=Software Repository,o=yourcompany to search for packages in the Software Repository. Any directory path you enter must be complete (end with o=yourcompany). You cannot enter only ou=Software Repository.

   • If you don't enter a search string or a directory path, the entire structure is searched and all objects are displayed.

2. Uncheck Enable Wildcard if you only want to search for items which exactly match the search expression you entered.

3. Click Search.

4. If you are searching for an object using Go to Object, you can select the checkbox to the left of the desired object, then click Go There. You move to the object, the Summary for the object is displayed, and the Contents and Current Location panes are updated accordingly.

   If you are searching for an object to link to, you can select the checkbox to the left of the desired object, then click Link. The selected object is linked to the target(s) you searched for.

2.3.2. Creating Objects

Caldera Volution Manager provides a number of default containers, actions, profiles, and policies for your use. In addition, computer objects are created automatically by the Computer Creation Daemon as new clients come online. You need to create new objects to:

• Organize your directory structure: you can create new organizational units (containers) for computer groups, various types of profiles and policies, or any other group of objects that you want to be able to view and manipulate more easily.

• Create new profiles, policies, actions, and links to perform the kinds of actions you want.

To create an object:

1. Select the desired container for the object (for example, the profiles container if you want to create a profile).

2. Select Create an object from the Page View pane.

3. Select the desired Object Type from the drop-down list.

4. Enter a unique name for the object in the Object Name field.

5. Click Create.

After you create an object, you can move it, rename it, or remove it.

2.3.3. Moving an Object

To move an object:

1. Select the desired object (for example, a computer named dev1).

2. Select Move this Object from the Page View pane.

3. Enter a search expression which corresponds to the container you want to move the object to. For example, if you have a computer group container named desktops that you want to move dev1 into, enter desktops.

4. Click Search.

5. Choose desktops from the Search Results by selecting the checkbox to the left of it.

6. Click Move.

The Current Location and Contents panes indicate the new location for the object.

2.3.4. Renaming an Object

To rename an object:

1. Select the desired object (for example, a computer named dev1).

2. Select Rename this Object from the Page View pane.

3. Enter the new name (such as dev3), and click OK.

The Contents pane indicates the new name.

2.3.5. Deleting an Object

To delete an object:

1. Select the desired object (for example a computer named dev3).

2. Select Delete this Object from the Page View pane.

   Note: To successfully delete a computer object, you must first stop the VM client daemon by issuing the following command on the client system:

   /etc/rc.d/init.d/volutiond stop

   If you delete the computer object before stopping or removing the client daemon, the CCD immediately creates a new computer object for the computer.

3. Confirm that the object should be deleted by clicking OK. Or, you can cancel the deletion by clicking Cancel.

2.3.6. Setting Console Preferences

To set console preferences, select Preferences. You can set:

2.3.7. Getting Help

Online help is available in these formats:

• this Caldera Volution Manager Administration Guide.

• online help about objects

To access online help, select one of these menu items from the Help menu:

2.4.1. Understanding Actions

An action determines the task to run and when to run it:

• Pre-configured actions are provided that help you accomplish many typical tasks. (See Section 2.4.1.1).

• You can create your own task by defining a shell script to run on a remote system. (See Section 4.5.3).

• Each action you create can be constrained, within the action, to only run on certain types of computers. Therefore, the action can be linked to all computer objects (for example, by linking to the computers container), but still only run on those systems matching the constraint criteria. (See Section 2.4.1.2).

• Each action you create runs at a time you schedule, and can be scheduled one or more times, at particular times, or when certain events take place. (See Section 2.4.1.3).

• Actions can be governed by a policy (such as a Health policy), but sometimes stand alone.

• Actions, like profiles and policies, must be linked to computer or container objects.

2.4.2. Understanding Links

Links form relationships between objects in the directory structure. The profiles and policies you define cannot be executed unless you create the appropriate links.

• If you create a profile, you must link it to one or more computer objects or containers (such as the computers container).

• If you create a policy, you must link it to one or more computer objects or containers , and link an action to the same computer or group.

• Another common use of links is for creating computer groups. If you create a computer group, you must also link the computer objects you want to have associated with the computer group, to the computer group.

For a selected object, the Summary in the Page View pane lists any links that currently exist. To add or remove links:

1. Select the object you want to link from or to.

2. Select Add or Remove Links. Any current links are displayed in the Summary area, along with Add and Remove buttons.

   • To remove a link, select the checkbox associated with the link and click Remove.

   • To add a link, click Add and continue this procedure.

3. Search for the object to which you want to link. (See Section 2.3.1).

4. When found, select the checkbox next to the object and click Link.

5. Click Save Changes. Events associated with the linked objects occur as scheduled. If you do not save changes, the links are not made.