A Java-based reporting tool is also provided to query the database and create printed reports. Novell includes ODBC drivers for ad hoc queries with programs such as Microsoft Access. The ODBC drivers are conveniently installed via a NAL object. When I was setting up the workstation policies to enable the software inventory, I noticed it took a long time to bring up the extensive list of applications for which to scan. It contains more than 8,000 entries and it can be edited.
Administrators are able to pick and choose the applications for which they'd like to scan.
In my tests, I chose to scan for all applications known to the database. My only criticism here is that there are few tools available for managing the database. Included with ZENworks 2 is a five-user version of Check 2000 from Greenwich Mean Time, a program that determines workstations' Y2K compliance. James E. Drews is a network administrator for the CAE Center of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tech Library Our Tech Library offers thousands of white papers and research reports on emerging and hot technologies.