Four methods are available for creating the system configuration:

Creating system configuration information automatically

If you set up each of the managing server, relay systems, and clients to automatically apply the system configuration, the system configuration information is created automatically on the basis of the physical network configuration and is applied to the System Configuration window. When a client or relay system is added or removed or a host name or IP address is changed, this information is reported automatically to the managing server. Therefore, no actions are required at the managing server to maintain the system configuration information.

In addition, the facility for registering the system configuration automatically can be used to change ID groups as the system configuration changes. For details about the connections between the system configuration and ID groups, see 8.4 Linking system configuration information and ID group information.

Use of the facility for registering the system configuration automatically is not recommended if there are firewalls in your network. If you upgrade an existing JP1/Software Distribution, the facility for registering the system configuration automatically changes the system configuration that was created under the previous version.

Creating system configuration information from a file

This method creates the system configuration information in a text file and enters it into the manager for remote installation. If you use the data in the hosts file, you can create the system configuration information file comparatively easily.

Once there are no more changes to be made to the system configuration, you should save the system configuration information file. In the event of a system error, you can use it to restore the system configuration information.

Creating system configuration information in the System Configuration window

With this method, you use a GUI screen of the Remote Installation Manager to define the host names or IP addresses of the individual clients and relay systems.

Acquiring system configuration information about the hosts under each relay manager

In a system with a hierarchy of managing servers, in order to manage the system configuration information for the entire system from the central manager, you must use the following procedure to acquire system configuration information about the hosts under the relay managers:

1. Create system configuration information for each relay manager.
2. Execute from the central manager a Get system configuration information job with each relay manager specified as a destination.
   The system configuration information about the entire system is acquired at the central manager.
   

Once you have collected the system configuration information for the entire system, you can use the facility for registering the system configuration automatically to maintain it. When the system configuration is changed under a relay manager, the change details are sent automatically from the relay manager to the central manager.

If you use one of the following methods to change the system configuration on the relay manager, the change details are not sent automatically from the relay manager to the central manager. In this case, execute a Get system configuration information job for the relay manager.

• Create the system configuration from a file
• Create the system configuration from the System Configuration window
• Manually maintain the system configuation
• Automatically maintain the system configuration

In a large-scale system that has three or more hierarchical levels, if you change a connection-target relay manager or relay system, the information on the hierarchical node tree below the relay manager or relay system you moved may not be applied to the new managing server. If the information is not applied, you must execute the Get system configuration information job for the relay manager or relay system at the new managing server.

You should use the System Configuration window to create the system configuration for a small-scale system or to make minor changes to an existing system configuration.

The method that automatically creates the system configuration information simplifies maintenance of the system configuration information, because it automatically sends any update information to the managing server whenever a host is added or removed, or a host name or IP address is changed. However, in the following cases, it is better to create the system configuration information from a file, rather than using the facility for registering the system configuration automatically:

• The effective duration of IP addresses is short, and DHCP and WINS are used.
• The communication volume of the system configuration information will overload the network.
  Sending system configuration information to the managing server requires the following communication volume:
  Single communication volume (in bytes) for each distribution-destination system
  = (300 + (a - 1) x 50) x (a - 1)
  a: Number of relay systems through which a job passes before reaching the distribution-destination system + 2
  

You specify use of the facility for registering the system configuration automatically during setup. When a new Software Distribution is installed or an existing system is migrated from Software Distribution Version 3.0, the default setting specifies that the facility for registering the system configuration automatically is to be used.