Questions about the capabilities of OPSI

[pkr]

Hi
We are currently looking into getting a new software distribution tool. In that process we would like to ask some questions regarding the capabilities of this tool. I hope you can provide these answers or point me in the right direction. We will be using the answers to, hopefully, find the right tool for us
Here’s the questions:
1) Can OPSI copy one or more files from one Windowsserver to another? How does it handle errors in that process?
2) Can it handle login credentials?
3) Can it distribute war/ear-files to a tomcatserver?
4) Can it support stop/start of a tomcat instance?
5) Can it support update of sql to a DB2 and MSSQL server?
6) Is it possible to trigger tasks in your application from the outside (ie timetriggered, from an external process or manuel started)?
7) Can it start external scripts/programs and handle errors from these?
8) Can it manage dynamic application configurationfiles (like .ini/.property aso) and change these in the application based on the target of the distribution?
9) How does it alert if an error occurs?
10) Does it have a graphical view of what have been distributed to where, when and by who?
11) Does it support auditing?
12) Does it integrate with any continuous integration systems?
13) Does it integrate with any ticketing systems?
14) Does it integrate with any versioning control systems?
15) Can it handle atomic distributions over several servers? (both sql and file distributions)
Thanks in advance
Peter Rasmussen

[d.oertel]

Hi,

in core opsi runs a script in the administrative context. So in fact everything yo are able to script you may do to your opsi client.
The opsi script interpreter 'opsi-winst' gives you possibilities to run any kind of external scripts with other interpreters and catch the output to internal variables.

So in fact the opsi script language is not designed to manage for example tomcat servers but if you have any idea how to do this by any script you will be able to do this also with opsi. So (I think) this is the answer to your questions: 1 -5, 7.

1) Can OPSI copy one or more files from one Windowsserver to another? How does it handle errors in that process?
2) Can it handle login credentials?
3) Can it distribute war/ear-files to a tomcatserver?
4) Can it support stop/start of a tomcat instance?
5) Can it support update of sql to a DB2 and MSSQL server?
6) Is it possible to trigger tasks in your application from the outside (ie timetriggered, from an external process or manuel started)?
yes - the opsi-client-agent has timer events and may be contacted from outside (from the management interface or for example by a cron job)
7) Can it start external scripts/programs and handle errors from these?
8) Can it manage dynamic application configurationfiles (like .ini/.property aso) and change these in the application based on the target of the distribution?
yes : ini files, xml files, mozilla configuration files, unstructured files
9) How does it alert if an error occurs?
Every script result and log is send to the opsi server. You may use the Management Interface (opsi-configed) or the opsi-nagios-connector extension to review the results.
10) Does it have a graphical view of what have been distributed to where, when and by who?
yes/yes/no (not by who - it is always by opsi)
11) Does it support auditing?
yes
12) Does it integrate with any continuous integration systems?
no
13) Does it integrate with any ticketing systems?
There is a connector to otrs:itsm by our partner cape-it: http://www.cape-it.de/kix4otrs.html
14) Does it integrate with any versioning control systems?
According to the fact that the most important things are your scripts and configuration files, you may use any (we using svn. for example:
https://svn.opsi.org/listing.php?repname=opsi-template
https://svn.opsi.org/listing.php?repname=swaudit
https://svn.opsi.org/listing.php?repnam ... winst-test )
15) Can it handle atomic distributions over several servers? (both sql and file distributions)
Sorry, but i'm not sure what you mean ...

Does this help you ?
Any more questions ?

regards
d.oertel