Before proceeding with the instructions in these sections to create a new GroupWise system with OES Cluster Services, you should already have reviewed the previous sections in OES Cluster Services (NCS) on Linux to set up your cluster on Linux. If your cluster is now ready for the GroupWise installation, reference the sections below to do so.
Install the GroupWise Server component on each cluster node where a GroupWise agent will run for a domain or a post office.
Follow the instructions in Step 1 through Step 9 in Linux: Installing the GroupWise Server Software
in the GroupWise 18 Installation Guide.
IMPORTANT:Install the GroupWise Server component on all cluster nodes before setting up any domains or post offices. Do not start the GroupWise Installation Console at the end of the installation process.
For more information about using the GroupWise Administration Console, see the following references:
GroupWise 18 Installation Guide, Working with the GroupWise Administration Console
GroupWise 18 Administration Guide, GroupWise Administration Console
You must configure the GroupWise Administration Service to function in a cluster so that it keeps track of which cluster resources are available to it at each point in time. Configuring the GroupWise Administration Service for clustering ensures that files associated with domains and post offices are created on cluster volumes, rather than on individual cluster nodes.
|
File |
Standard Location |
Clustered location |
|---|---|---|
|
Domain SSL Certificate, MTA SSL Certificate, GWIA SSL Certificate |
/opt/novell/groupwise/certificates |
/groupwise/certificates (a peer to the domain folder) |
|
Post Office SSL Certificate, POA SSL Certificate |
/opt/novell/groupwise/certificates |
/groupwise/certificates (a peer to the post office folder) |
|
MTA Log Files |
/var/log/novell/groupwise/
domain.mta |
/groupwise/agents/logs (a peer to the domain folder) |
|
GWIA Log Files |
/var/log/novell/groupwise/
gwia.domain |
/groupwise/agents/logs (a peer to the domain folder) |
|
POA Log Files |
/var/log/novell/groupwise/
post_office.poa |
/groupwise/agents/logs (a peer to the post office folder) |
On each cluster node:
Run the following command to enable the GroupWise Admin Service to run in a clustering environment:
gwadminutil config -cluster enable
You should receive the following response:
Cluster: enabled Default Port: 9710
Use the following command to restart the GroupWise Admin Service.
rcgrpwise restart gwadminservice
Your GroupWise system is now ready to function in a cluster.
In the Installation console, when you are creating domains and post offices in a cluster, a few fields require cluster-specific information.
When you follow the instructions in Creating the Primary Domain
in the GroupWise 18 Installation Guide, pay special attention to the following fields:
In the Host field, specify the secondary IP address of the shared resource where you want to create the domain.
In the Domain Folder field, specify a folder on the shared resource where you want to create the domain.
When you follow the instructions in Step 2 through Step 8 in Adding a Post Office
in the GroupWise Installation Guide, pay special attention to the following fields:
In the Owning Domain Host field, specify the secondary IP address of the shared resource where the owning domain is located.
In the Owning Domain Admin Port field, specify the port on the shared resource for the domain.
In the Host field, specify the secondary IP address of the shared resource where you want to create the post office.
In the Post Office Folder field, specify a folder on the shared resource where you want to create the post office.
Samples of load and unload scripts are provided below.
This sample cluster load script performs the following actions:
Establishes what to do for certain error conditions.
Creates the GroupWise agent services (if they do not already exist).
Starts the GroupWise Admin Service listeners with clustering enabled for the MTA.
Starts the MTA, POA, and GWIA (in that order, if all are present)
#!/bin/bash ./opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfuncs exit_on_error nss /poolact=DOM exit_on_error ncpcon mount DOM=254 exit_on_error add_secondary_ipaddress 151.155.136.248 exit_on_error ncpcon bind --ncpservername=DOM --ipaddress=151.155.136.248 exit_on_error novcifs --add '--vserver=".cn=DOM.ou=servers.o=novell.t=GW14-TREE."' --ip-addr=151.155.136.248
# Start gwadmin service exit_on_error /etc/init.d/grpwise start gwadminservice #create agent services exit_on_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadminutil services -i /media/nss/DOM/utah exit_on_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadminutil services -i /media/nss/DOM/utah/wpgate/gwia exit_on_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadminutil services -i /media/nss/DOM/provo/
#start admin service listeners exit_on_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadmin-ipc start utah cluster exit_on_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadmin-ipc start provo.utah cluster
#start GroupWise agents exit_on_error /etc/init.d/grpwise start utah exit_on_error /etc/init.d/grpwise start gwia.utah exit_on_error /etc/init.d/grpwise start provo.utah exit 0
This sample cluster unload script performs the following actions:
Stops the GroupWise Admin Service listeners for the MTA and POA
Stops the MTA, GWIA, and POA (in that order if all are present)
Lists error conditions that can be ignored
#!/bin/bash . /opt/novell/ncs/lib/ncsfuncs # Stop admin service listeners ignore_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadmin-ipc stop utah ignore_error /opt/novell/groupwise/admin/gwadmin-ipc stop provo.utah
# Stop GroupWise agents ignore_error /etc/init.d/grpwise stop utah ignore_error /etc/init.d/grpwise stop gwia.utah ignore_error /etc/init.d/grpwise stop provo.utah
ignore_error novcifs --remove '--vserver=".cn=DOM.ou=servers.o=novell.t=GW14-TREE."' --ip-addr=151.155.136.248 ignore_error ncpcon unbind --ncpservername=DOM --ipaddress=151.155.136.248 ignore_error del_secondary_ipaddress 151.155.136.248 ignore_error nss /pooldeact=DOM exit 0
Follow the instructions in Testing Your Clustered GroupWise System on Linux to verify that the GroupWise Admin console keeps track of the cluster resources that are currently available to it.
After you have set up the primary domain and initial post office, as described in Creating a New GroupWise System to Work with OES Cluster Services, you can create additional secondary domains in your GroupWise system as needed.
To create a new secondary domain in a clustering environment:
Mount the GroupWise partition where the new secondary domain will be created.
Connect to the primary domain in your GroupWise system. For information see, Connecting to a Domain
in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
Create the new domain, following the steps provided in Creating a New Domain
in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
Use the Domain Worksheet you filled out in Planning a New Clustered Domain to fill in the fields in the New Domain dialog box.
In the Link to Domain field, link the new domain to the primary domain of your GroupWise system.
Use the Link Configuration tool to change the links from the new domain to all other domains in the cluster to direct TCP/IP links. For information, see Managing the Links between Domains and Post Offices
in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
Although a complete mesh link configuration is the most efficient, it might not be feasible in all situations. Set up as many direct TCP/IP links as possible for best MTA performance in the cluster.
Make sure you are still connected to the primary domain.
Rebuild the domain database for the new domain, following the steps provided in Rebuilding Domain or Post Office Databases
in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
The database rebuild is necessary in order to transfer the MTA configuration information and the domain link information into the secondary domain database, because the MTA for the new domain is not yet running.
After you have configured the GroupWise cluster resources, you can test the load and unload scripts by bringing the GroupWise cluster resource online and taking it offline again.
In iManager, expand Clusters, and then click Cluster Manager.
Browse to the Cluster object to display the current cluster state.
(Conditional) If the new GroupWise cluster resource shows Offline in the State column, select the new GroupWise cluster resource, and then click Online.
After a moment, the GroupWise cluster resource displays Running in the State column.
At the server where the MTA and/or POA are starting, use the following command to see if they are running:
rcgrpwise status domain rcgrpwise status post_office.domain
Select the new GroupWise cluster resource, and then click Offline.
The State column for the GroupWise cluster resource displays Offline.
Use the same command you used in Step 4 to verify if they have stopped.
Repeat Step 3 whenever you are ready to bring the new GroupWise cluster resource online permanently.
Continue with Managing Your Clustered GroupWise System on Linux.
After you have set up a basic clustered GroupWise system, you should consider some long-term management issues.
After setting up your clustered GroupWise system, while the cluster-specific information is fresh in your mind, you should record the cluster-specific information as part of the GroupWise objects in the GroupWise Administration Console so that you can easily refer to it later. Be sure to update the information in the GroupWise objects if the configuration of your system changes.
To permanently record important cluster-specific information for the domain:
Browse to and click the Domain object in the Administration Console.
In the Description field of the General tab, provide a cluster-specific description of the domain, including the secondary IP address of its GroupWise partition.
Click Save to save the domain description.
Select the Objects tab > Message Transfer Agents, and click the MTA object.
In the Description field of the MTA General tab, record the secondary IP address of the domain’s GroupWise partition.
This information appears on the MTA server console, no matter which node in the cluster it is currently running on.
Click Save to apply the changes.
Select the Agents Settings tab of the MTA object.
In the Host Name field under Network Address, provide the host name address that you provided in the GroupWise Installation program.
Select Bind Exclusively to Host Name.
This records this vital information in eDirectory as well as in the MTA startup file.
Click Save to save the MTA description and host name address.
Continue with Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Post Office and Its POA.
To permanently record important cluster-specific information for a post office:
Browse to and click the Post Office object in the Administration Console.
In the Description field of the General tab:
Provide a cluster-specific description of the post office, including the secondary IP address of its GroupWise partition.
(Conditional) If you installed and clustered the DVA along with the POA, make a note of that configuration choice.
Click Save to save the post office description.
Select the Objects tab > Post Office Agents, and click the Post Office Agent object.
In the Description field of the POA General tab, record the secondary IP address of the post office’s GroupWise partition.
This information appears on the POA server console, no matter which node in the cluster it is currently running on.
Click Save to save the description.
Select the Agents Settings tab of the POA object.
In the Host Name field under Network Address, provide the host name address that you provided in the GroupWise Installation program.
Select Bind exclusively to Host Name.
This records this vital information in eDirectory as well as in the POA startup file.
Click Save to save the POA description and secondary IP address.
In a failover situation, the MTA and the POA might need to perform some database repair as they start on the new node. The time required depends on the size of the databases involved.
Typically, the POA returns to full functionality faster than the MTA. This benefits GroupWise client users, who can reconnect to their mailboxes very quickly and probably do not notice if messages to users in other post offices are not delivered immediately. The only time a user needs to restart the GroupWise client is if he or she was actually in the process of sending a message when the POA went down. Notify can continue running even if the connection to the POA becomes unavailable because it reconnects automatically when the POA is again available.
The MTA typically takes some time reestablishing the links to its post offices, other domains, and gateways, but this situation usually resolves itself in a few minutes without administrator intervention. If it does not, you can manually restart the MTA to speed up the process.
The DVA must reestablish its HTTP connections with one or more POAs and WebAccess Applications. Typically, this occurs quite quickly.
In comparison to failover, migration typically takes longer because the POA and the MTA methodically terminate their threads and close their databases as part of their normal shutdown procedure. However, as a result, no database repair is required when these agents start up again in their new location.
Continue with What’s Next.
Now that you have at least one GroupWise domain and post office up and running in a clustering environment, you are ready to proceed with the rest of your GroupWise system setup by:
Adding users to post offices.
See Users
in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
Setting up the GroupWise Windows client software and helping users to get started using it.
See Client
in the GroupWise Administration Guide. Also see the GroupWise 18 Client User Guide.
Connecting your clustered GroupWise system to the Internet.
Use this checklist when setting up clustering in your GroupWise system.
Plan your new clustered GroupWise system.
Create the primary domain and initial post office in your new clustered GroupWise system.
See Creating a New GroupWise System to Work with OES Cluster Services.
Create a new secondary domain in the Linux cluster.
Test your new clustered GroupWise system.
Record cluster-specific information in the properties pages of the GroupWise objects that the information pertains to.