Enforcing Computer Names

[damienbarrett]

I think I'm losing my mind (the hair's already gone, so it makes sense that it'd be next...)

We've been using Casper for three years to manage our first pool of 1:1 laptops. It's almost time to replace these laptops with new ones, which is happening this Summer (whee!). I've built a new JSS 8.7 to manage these new laptops and have been testing and configuring, trying to match the settings as closely as possible to the original JSS (v8.6.2).

I have a memory of configuring the original JSS to enforce computer my computer naming. I can remember there being a setting somewhere in the JSS to allow this. So if a computer is re-assigned to someone, you'd only have to change the name in the computer record in the JSS and during the computer's next daily recon, JSS would rename that computer with the new name.

But I can't for the life of me find this setting in the new JSS (or the old JSS). I remember ticking off a box somewhere to enforce computer naming.

Did I dream this? I'm fairly sure that the name enforcement is working as I've described with the old JSS and my existing pool. I rename computers all the time in the JSS and it seems to push out the name change.

Searching these boards, i see lots of discussion about scripts to reference a master file of computer names, but I'm not doing that. These computers are named during imaging, and then JSS enforces the naming, treating the name that's in the computer record as authoritative.

[stevewood · Accepted solution]

Advanced tab of any policy: Reset Computer Names

I have it set on my daily recon policy so that it will reset the names to what is in the JSS.

[damienbarrett]

Thanks, Steve, that was it. I had mis-remembered it as some kind of global JSS setting, but it's specific to a policy. I've made the change to the built-in "Update Inventory" policy and all is good. Thanks!

[igno]

Hi,
I also want to reset Computer names using a policy. I would like to trigger the policy at 'Login'
For some reason this doesn't seem to work on our MacBooks Pro who connect by Wifi.
Is this trigger even possible using Wifi and if so, in what directions should I look for a solution my Wifi problem?

[jhuls]

@igno Are you using active directory? If you are, changing names with a login trigger might not be the solution you want.

[igno]

@jhuls We're not using AD right now, that is going to be the case in the nearby future. Could you explain why I shouldn't use this option?
In general, the trigger 'Login' doesn't seem to work, that is the main issue...

[jhuls]

Anytime you're using AD my experience is that a reboot is needed with a name change. Making a change on login might be doable but a restart should occur if the change is made. That might not be the solution you want since it might interfere with the user experience. If you're not using AD then I don't know if it matters.

As far as using the login trigger it sounds like you need to talk to support.

[Kyuubi]

What if you've changed the name on the machine already, bound it to AD with the correct name and want to change the name in the JSS? When i hit edit on the general tab on Casper 9.96 i get to edit everything from the Hardware tab on down. But not the computer name. Any advise?

updated Nevermind. Found it.

[jouwstrab]

The solution that that was accepted, is also what I do. In addition I have the "Sharing" tab greyed out so that users cannot change the computer name or uncheck any of the options.