16.1 Understanding Deploying Updates

You have the following options for deploying an update:

Deploy the update to all devices without using deployment stages. You can schedule the deployment.
Deploy the update by using deployment stages where one stage automatically starts after the previous one has completed, unless you have configured stages to pause the deployment and send e-mail notifications to the administrator. You can schedule the deployment.
Deploy the update by using deployment stages with e‑mail notification to allow manual control for starting the next stage. You can use this option to test the update before deploying it to all devices in your production environment. You can schedule the deployment.
Deploy the update to specific devices (selected individually and by device groups) without using deployment stages. You can use this option to test the update before deploying it to all devices in your production environment. You can schedule the deployment.

If you choose to retire a managed device in ZENworks Control Center before deploying an update to all the devices in the Management Zone, you must first ensure that the device has retired and subsequently apply the update. The device is retired only when the ZENworks Adaptive Agent installed on the device is refreshed. If you deploy the update before the agent is refreshed, the update is also applied to the retired device. The agent is automatically refreshed during the next device refresh schedule (the default device refresh interval is set to 12 hours). If you want to deploy the update before the next device refresh schedule, you must manually refresh the agent.

The Deploying System Updates panel displays the progress and results of deploying an update.

Updates are removed from this panel when the entire update process completes. You can view the Deployment History panel on the Release Details page for information on deployed updates.

The following figure illustrates the Deploying System Updates panel:

Figure 16-1 Deploying System Updates Panel

The following table explains the column information. For some columns, you can sort the listed information by clicking a column heading. Click it again to reverse the sorting order.

Table 16-1 Deploying System Updates column descriptions

Column Heading	Explanation
Update Name	Displays the name of the update, which is created by Novell. Click the name to access the Status by Device page. You can also click the underlined number in the Pending, Successful, or Failed columns to view the appropriate Status by Device page, filtered to display devices with that status.
Start Schedule	Displays the current schedule, if any has been set. Use the Reschedule Deployment action to reschedule the update. For more information, see Section 16.4, Rescheduling a Deployment. Each device can have its own schedule.
Reboot Behavior	Displays the reboot behavior of devices after the update is deployed. Some updates do not require a device to be rebooted after they have been deployed to a device. However, if a reboot is required to complete the update process, the deployment is not completed until the device is rebooted. You have the following reboot options: Prompt User to Reboot When Update Finishes Applying: After the update has been applied, a request to reboot is immediately displayed. If the user initially rejects rebooting, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, until the device is rebooted. This is the default. Do Not Reboot Device: The device does not reboot; however, the user is periodically requested to reboot the device, until the device is rebooted. Force Device to Reboot: After the update has been applied, the device is automatically rebooted without user intervention, if a reboot is required by the update.
Stage	Indicates the deployment state. The possible entries are: stage_name: The update is being deployed to the managed devices that are members of the current stage that is listed. Selected Devices Stage: The update is being deployed to selected managed devices without the use of stages. All Devices Stage: The update is being deployed to all managed devices in the Management Zone without the use of stages. All Devices Stage is displayed after the last stage has completed, which means any devices left in the Management Zone that were not part of a completed stage are then receiving the update. In other words, managed devices cannot skip an update. If stages are being used, click a stage name to view the device status for each stage member. For more information, see Section 16.9, Viewing Status by Device.
Status	Indicates the status of the update being deployed (for the current stage, if stages are being used). For information on the possible statuses, see Section 19.0, Update Statuses. Click an item in the Status column to view a message explaining the current status. When the status for an update reaches either the APPLIED or BASELINE status, the update deployment item is no longer displayed in this panel, but is displayed in the Deployment History panel. For more information, see Section 16.9, Viewing Status by Device.
Pending	Displays the number of devices for which the update deployment process is pending. A device can be pending if it is a member of a stage when stages are not automatically started after another stage completes. Click the number to view the Status by Device page, which displays the devices that have a pending deployment of the update. For more information, see Section 16.9, Viewing Status by Device.
Successful	Displays the number of devices for which the update deployment process is complete. Click the number to view the Status by Device page, which displays the devices that successfully received the update. For more information, see Section 16.9, Viewing Status by Device.
Failed	Number of devices for which the update deployment process has failed. Click the number to view the Status by Device page, which displays the devices that failed to receive the update. For more information, see Section 16.9, Viewing Status by Device. For failed deployments, you have the option of ignoring the error and continuing, or you can redeploy the update if the error has been resolved.