Topic last updated—November 2007
In a production environment, implementing Wake On LAN in Configuration Manager 2007 involves various processes that might require interaction and collaboration with a number of different groups across the enterprise. For example, these groups might include the following:
- Asset management to identify existing network
cards and their configuration to ascertain whether they can support
Wake On LAN.
- Procurement for new desktop computers and
network cards to support the Wake On LAN technology with your
chosen wake-up transmission method.
- Build engineers to ensure that new desktop
computers include network cards that support the Wake On LAN
technology and are configured appropriately (such as BIOS settings
or network driver settings).
- Desktop engineers who replace network cards
in existing computers if they do not support the Wake On LAN
technology, and who ensure appropriate configuration.
- Infrastructure and network architects to
ensure that firewalls, routers, and switches are configured to
allow the wake-up transmission packets using an agreed port number,
and to ascertain the impact of Wake On LAN traffic with regard to
the available network bandwidth.
- Security advisors to help determine whether
subnet-directed broadcast or unicast should be used as the wake-up
transmission method, and to agree on security mitigations for
securing routers if applicable.
- Configuration Manager administrators
responsible for configuring software distribution, software
updates, and task sequences to identify which advertisements and
software update deployments should be enabled for Wake On LAN.
Additionally, hardware inventory and software distribution might be
used to update network drivers.
- Active Directory Group Policy administrators
to configure power management options (supported with
Windows Vista).
- End users who might require training and
notification about turning off their computers at the end of the
day if this is not their normal working practice.
 Important |
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| Consult the network card vendor for details about how to enable Wake On LAN for each network card and driver because the configuration for this will vary for each vendor and possibly for each network card and driver. |
Because a Wake On LAN solution can involve a number of different roles and processes, a successful implementation will depend on identifying who is responsible for the various roles and ensuring collaboration between groups when necessary. A successful ongoing implementation will depend on identifying and adhering to processes that coordinate the various functions between the roles.
Some of the consequences of not having and following defined processes when Wake On LAN in Configuration Manager is implemented in a production environment are as follows:
- Computers are not woken up as expected, which
impacts the success rate of computer management. This in turn can
negatively affect service level agreements (SLAs) and, in the case
of software updates, can mean that computers are vulnerable to
security exploits.
- If computers cannot be successfully managed
outside office hours, user efficiency will be negatively impacted
if users have to wait for software distributions and operating
system deployments to complete. In the case of delivering software
updates that require a restart during the day, this negatively
impacts business continuity.
- If you are using subnet-directed broadcast as
your wake-up transmission method and do not secure routers, this
exposes the network to an unnecessary security risk.
- Inactive computers are not turned off, so the
power savings expected are not realized.
Use a methodology such as ITIL or Microsoft Operations Framework (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=88047) to help you implement Wake On LAN within a framework of defined processes. Make sure you document your design, testing procedures, the areas of responsibility, and the processes to follow for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting, and then disseminate this information, making sure that it is centrally available and updated.
 Note |
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| Review existing company security policies, and if necessary, modify them to include the implementation of Wake On LAN. |