Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager is a software product that manages software configuration information, software parameters, and patches for server software.
In recent years there has been a growing trend for the ICT department of a company to use virtualization to consolidate corporate servers in data centers, in order to improve cost competitiveness. However, the workload on system administrators is increasing, as it is no longer possible to keep up with dynamic changes or increasing server resources (such as IP addresses, operating systems, and middleware).
Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager makes it possible to centrally manage information about resources that have been dynamically deployed by the cloud, as well as information about physical server resources. Moreover, the ability to manage software parameters, as well as the status of patch applications to servers, enables the workload of system administrators to be reduced.
It is also possible to limit the range of which software configuration information is visible and which operations can be performed according to the tenancy that the administrator belongs to and the privileges of that administrator, thereby making it possible to prevent operation mistakes and reduce security risks.
Point
When explaining this product it is assumed that the user roles can be classified as follows:
Sets up and maintains Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager.
Defines the managed servers managed by Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager.
Defines policies for managing Windows patches, releases the patches obtained from Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), and determines classification levels.
Obtains Linux patches and registers them with Yellowdog Updater Modified (yum) repository servers.
Obtains patches for Fujitsu middleware and registers them with Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager.
Defines the parameters to be collected from the software and the parameters to be configured in it.
Uses the management console to reference the patch application status, software parameter setting values, and software configuration information for all the servers in the center.
Acts as both an infrastructure administrator and a tenant administrator.
Uses the management console to apply patches to servers within their tenancy.
Uses the management console to configure parameters in software on servers belonging to their tenancy.
Uses the management console to reference the patch application status, software parameter setting values, and software configuration information for the servers within their tenancy.
Uses the management console to apply patches to the servers they manage themselves.
Uses the management console to configure parameters in software on servers they manage themselves.
Uses the management console to reference the patch application status, software parameter setting values, and software configuration information for the servers they manage themselves.
Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager uses the following flow to manage patches, parameters, and software configurations for servers:
Download patches
This step involves downloading patches for the operating system and Fujitsu middleware from the vendor's website and the UpdateSite respectively.
Patches for Windows operating systems are downloaded using Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
Patches for Linux operating systems are downloaded and registered with Yellowdog Updater Modified (yum) repository servers by the infrastructure administrator.
Patches for Fujitsu middleware are downloaded and registered with Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager by the infrastructure administrator.
Distribute and apply patches
This step involves distributing and applying patches to managed servers based on an instruction from the tenant user.
Patches for Windows operating systems are distributed and applied by linking to Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) based on a Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager operation.
Patches for Linux operating systems are distributed and applied by linking to Yellowdog Updater Modified (yum) based on a Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager operation.
Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager can also be used to distribute patches for Fujitsu middleware and apply these patches by registering scripts.
Configure software parameters, and run scripts
Configure parameters for the software on the managed servers based on instructions from the tenant user. Scripts can also be run on managed servers.
The infrastructure administrator defines in advance parameters that can be configured in the software.
Perform discovery
This step involves periodically and automatically collecting the patch application status, software parameter setting values, and software configuration information for managed servers from linkage servers, or managed servers, and then storing this information in the configuration management database (CMDB).
Manage patches, parameters, and software configuration information
This step involves checking the patch application status information and software parameter setting values discovered from linkage servers and managed servers.
Infrastructure administrators and dual-role administrators can check the patch application status, software parameter setting values, and software configuration information for all the servers in the data center by logging in to the management console for Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager.
Tenant administrators can check information for all the servers within their tenancy, whereas tenant users can check information for the servers that they manage themselves.
Figure 1.1 Overview of Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager
What is an admin server?
Admin server is the server that operates Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager. It is used to manage the patch application status and software parameters, and to collect software configuration information.
What is a managed server?
A general term for servers managed by Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager. It refers to servers for which patches and software parameters are managed. Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager can manage the admin server and linkage servers.
ServerView Resource Orchestrator is a software product that automatically deploys physical and virtual servers.
By linking to ServerView Resource Orchestrator, Systemwalker Software Configuration Manager can manage patches on servers deployed by ServerView Resource Orchestrator, software parameters, and software configuration information.
