10.2 Creating Registration Keys And Rules

The first time a device registers, it is added to a folder. By default, it is added to either the /Servers folder or the /Workstations folder, depending on the device type.

You can use registration keys and registration rules to override the default folder assignment and specify another folder, and to assign the device to groups. Although you can manually move a device to another folder and add it to groups after the device registers, this can become burdensome if you have a large number of devices or if you are consistently adding new devices. The best way to manage a large number of devices is to use registration keys and rules to automatically add them to the correct folders and groups during registration.

• Registration key: A registration key is an alphanumeric string that you manually define or randomly generate. During deployment of the ZENworks Agent on a device, the registration key must be provided. When the device connects to a ZENworks Server for the first time, the device is added to the folder and groups defined within the key.

• Registration rule: A registration rule is a set of predefined criteria (for example, operating system type, CPU, or IP address) that you define. If the device meets the criteria, the rule is used for registration. You can create multiple rules; all rules are checked before the default folder is used. Registration rules are applied only if a registration key is not used.

The following sections provide instructions for creating registration keys and rules:

• Creating a Registration Key

• Creating a Registration Rule