Creating a task

You can create new tasks and set them up to suit your requirements. Task definitions are stored in the Symantec Ghost Console, and can be managed in the same way as other Console resources.

A task always includes the following components:

The target of the task may be a single computer, a machine group, or a dynamic machine group (which is a group of computers that have specified properties, such as a certain amount of available disk space).

Setting up computer groups

Setting up dynamic machine groups

To create a task

Setting network properties

The other task steps are optional. You can choose the steps that you want to perform for each task, and set them up to suit your requirements.

To create a task

1.

In the Symantec Ghost Console, in the left pane, expand the Tasks folder.

2.

Expand the folder in which to store the new task.

3.

In the Tasks pane, do one of the following:

4.

In the Properties For New Task window, on the General tab, in the Name box, type the name for the new task.

The name can be anything you want, up to a maximum of 50 characters, but it must not be the same as another task in the same folder.

5.

Under Task Steps, check the task steps that you want to include in this task.

You must include at least one step in a task.

When you uncheck a step, the corresponding tab is hidden. Only the tabs relevant to the selected steps are shown.

6.

Under Refresh Steps, check the refresh steps that you want to include in this task.

These steps have no tab associated with them, as you do not need to set any properties.

7.

In the Target Machine Group/Machine box, click Browse, then select the computer, machine group, or dynamic machine group to which you want to apply the task, then click OK.

8.

If you want the ability to execute the task from the client computer, under Client Initiated Task, check Allow Client Initiation.

9.

Click Set password then, in the New Password box, type the authorization password that the client must enter in order to execute the task.

The client computer user is prompted to enter this password when they try to execute the task.

Initiating a task from a client computer

10.

If you want to override the default network properties for this task, on the Network tab make the appropriate settings.

Setting network properties

11.

In each of the remaining tabs, set the properties for each step that you have included in the task.

For a list of tabs, and references to where you can find complete descriptions, see Table 3-1.

The OK button becomes active only when you have supplied all the required information for each step.

12.

Click OK.

The new task is added to the Tasks folder, and is available for use.

Note: If the target of the task is a dynamic machine group, the task icon has a small triangle on the upper left side.