When it comes to endpoint management, OpenText ZENworks can do just about anything a business needs. From managing Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices to securing devices against vulnerabilities, ZENworks provides organizations a way to manage their endpoints effectively and securely, whether they be corporate-owned or personal devices.

We are pleased to announce ZENworks 23.3, which introduces support for the following:

• Azure AD as a ZENworks user source
• Management of Mac devices using native macOS MDM
• Patching of Mac devices using the Advanced Patch Feed
• Patching of Windows devices in airgapped environments using the Advanced Patch Feed

NOTE: With ZENworks now a part of OpenText, versioning has changed to reflect the OpenText version standard of Year and Month. ZENworks 23.3 is the third quarter release for 2023. The previous ZENworks release was ZENworks 2020 Update 3.

Azure AD as a User Source

Identity-based management is a key component of ZENworks, allowing you to manage, secure, and protect devices based on the device or the logged-in user. ZENworks has long supported LDAP directories such as Microsoft Active Directory and NetIQ eDirectory as sources for users.

ZENworks 23.3 introduces support for Azure Active Directory (AAD) as a user source. After linking to one or more AAD tenants, you can easily assign bundles and policies to AAD users using the same ZENworks workflows used for Active Directory and eDirectory.

The ZENworks Agent provides seamless log in to ZENworks and AAD on AAD joined devices. Once an AAD user is logged in, the user-assigned bundles and policies are enforced on the device. And, if the user logs in to another device, the user’s assigned bundles and policies follow them to that device as well.

When using Azure AD as a user source, the ZENworks user license calculation has been updated to count licenses only for AAD users who have logged in to a ZENworks managed device, not for all users in the directory.

Enhanced Management and Protection of Mac Devices

ZENworks 23.3 introduces important new functionality that enhances your ability to manage and protect your Mac devices.

Management via macOS MDM: In addition to using the traditional ZENworks agent to manage the device, you can now use macOS MDM to provide modern management capabilities. Once you enroll a Mac device using Apple’s automated Device Enrollment (ADE/DEP) for zero-touch enrollment or over-the-air (OTA) profile enrollment, you can distribute and deploy configuration profiles and commands to the device. This allows you to control any functionality available through macOS MDM. And you don’t have to choose between using the ZENworks Agent or macOS MDM for management. Both can be used on the same device.

Patching of macOS devices: You can now patch both Intel and Apple Silicon (M-series) Mac devices using the Advanced Patch Platform. This includes installing both operating system updates as well as third-party application updates. For a complete list of supported operating systems and applications, see the ZENworks Patch Management Content Report.

Native ZENworks Agent for Apple Silicon M-series devices: The new natively implemented ZENworks Agent removes the need to use the Rosetta translator on ARM-based Apple Silicon M-Series devices.

Patching of Windows Devices in an Airgapped Environment

ZENworks 23.3 now provides an Airgap solution using the Advanced Patch Platform. This allows you to patch Windows devices that are in a network environment that does not have access to the internet. The solution requires a ZENworks zone that does have access to the internet to collect patches that can be transferred to the airgapped zone via portable media or a one-way transfer method such as a Data diode. 

Customer-Requested Enhancements

ZENworks 23.3 delivers a variety of enhancements requested by customers. Now you can:

• Apply a single Patch policy to a device rather than all policies at one time.
• Know whether a device’s Pending Reboot is due to patches that have been installed.
• See a device’s last known network environment in its Summary page.
• Be warned about and extend an expiring remote management session that has been inactive for a while.
• Receive email notifications when a device detects a malware threat.
• Create individual devices for each clone created by VMWare Horizon InstaClone.

For more information on Unified Endpoint Management options, visit our site.

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