Job Management Partner 1/Software Distribution Client Description and User's Guide

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4.4.1 ID group

A group of distribution-destination systems is given an identification (ID) called an ID group, and is handled as a logical group.

The ID group can be created from the managing server or a distribution-destination system. For an ID group created by the managing server, it is possible to register the local machine (to affiliate) from the distribution-destination system. That is, there is no need to maintain the group configuration at the managing server.

If an ID group is specified as the destination of a distribution job to be created by the managing server, the package is distributed to the distribution-destination systems belonging to that ID group. For end workstations, you cannot use ID groups to distribute packages by group.

It is not possible to define an ID group for the following groups:

Organization of this subsection
(1) Creating ID groups
(2) Managing ID groups
(3) Distributing packages to a specified ID group
(4) Reserved ID groups

(1) Creating ID groups

The following shows whether an ID group can be created in the managing server and distribution-destination system, and whether or not registration of the distribution destination system is possible.

Item Managing server Distribution-destination system
ID group creation Possible Possible
Registration of the distribution-destination system in the ID group Possible
However, the distribution-destination cannot be registered in an ID group created by the distribution-destination system.		 Possible
The distribution-destination can be registered in the ID group created by the managing server.

For the method of creating and managing ID groups, refer to the sections listed below according to the function you are using. For the method of defining an ID group on a Windows machine, see the documentation for the Windows version of JP1/Software Distribution.

The following shows the maximum number of characters used for an ID group.

Operating system Maximum number of ID group characters
Managing server Up to 32 characters. The characters that can be used, are as follows:
  • Characters excluding !, ", %, ', *, ., /, :, <, >, ?, @, \, |.
Relay system Up to eight characters.
Distribution-destination system Up to eight characters. However, in distribution-destination systems where the host name exceeds 32 bytes, the ID group cannot be defined.

(2) Managing ID groups

JP1/Software Distribution Client uses an ID group definition file to manage the information on the ID groups created by the local system. Information about ID groups created in JP1/Software Distribution Manager is maintained in the ID group definition file on the JP1/Software Distribution Client (relay system) that manages those ID groups.

The user at a distribution-destination system can reference information about ID groups created by the managing server. The system can also be registered or withdrawn from any ID group created by the managing server. The results of these operations are reported automatically to the managing server.

Conversely, the managing server cannot reference or manipulate an ID group created by a distribution-destination system. No information about membership or withdrawal of a distribution-destination system from an ID group created by a distribution-destination system is reported to the managing server.

(3) Distributing packages to a specified ID group

When a distribution job addressed to a specified ID group is executed from JP1/Software Distribution Manager, the job is temporarily kept in a temporary job storehouse on the relay system that manages that ID group. The package is later distributed from the relay system to the distribution-destination systems. A job with ID group specification becomes invalid if the applicable package is deleted from the temporary package storehouse, and is automatically deleted.

As long as the job is in the temporary job storehouse, the package will be distributed automatically from the relay system to any distribution-destination system added to the ID group after execution of the job. However, this applies only if the new system is registered in the ID group by operation from the distribution-destination system side.

When distribution jobs with ID group specification include both jobs created using the distributor tools of JP1/Software Distribution Client and jobs created by JP1/Software Distribution Manager, if a new distribution-destination system is added to the ID group, the package corresponding to the job created by JP1/Software Distribution Manager is distributed first.

Figure 4-3 illustrates distribution to a specified ID group.

Figure 4-3 Distribution to a specified ID group

[Figure]

(4) Reserved ID groups

A reserved ID group is an ID group defined as a default in a JP1/Software Distribution system that comprises both UNIX and Windows machines. Reserved ID groups identify and classify relay systems, or all the clients directly under a relay system, by a platform-specific name. All reserved ID groups begin with networkID_. For this reason, users cannot register ID group names beginning with networkID_.

Table 4-3 lists reserved ID groups and their meanings.

Table 4-3 Reserved ID groups

Reserved ID group Meaning
networkID_WS-HPUX ID group for clients under HP-UX
networkID_WS-SOLARIS ID group for clients under Solaris
networkID_WS-AIX ID group for clients under AIX
networkID_WS-EWS ID group for clients under UX/4800
networkID_WS-MPRAS ID group for clients under MP-RAS
networkID_Windows95 ID group for clients under Windows 95
networkID_WindowsNT ID group for clients under Windows NT
networkID_site_WindowsNT ID group for a Windows NT relay system

Each reserved ID group is defined by the relay system when JP1/Software Distribution Client automatically registers its system configuration. If any of the reserved ID groups become unnecessary because of changes to the network configuration, delete those reserved ID groups at the relay system or at a client. If any obsolete reserved ID groups remain in the relay system information after network modifications, distribution jobs will be executed for non-existent systems.

To delete the reserved ID group from JP1/Software Distribution Client, use the rdsiddefine command (-dl option specified) of the client services, which is the same command used for deleting other ID groups.

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