12.6 GroupWise WebAccess

GroupWise 7 WebAccess includes the enhancements and new features listed below.

12.6.1 Windows 2003 Server Support (v7.0)

You can now install the WebAccess Agent and the WebAccess Application on Windows 2003. The WebAccess Installation program can install and configure Tomcat 5.5 into an existing Microsoft Internet Information Server.

NOTE:The Novell Servlet Gateway is no longer shipped or supported with WebAccess.

12.6.2 WebAccess Agent High Availability (v7.0.1)

Like the POA, the MTA, and the Internet Agent, the WebAccess Agent can be configured for high availability, as described in Section 12.2.3, GroupWise High Availability Service (v7.0).

12.6.3 WebAccess Agent Exclusive Bind (v7.0)

Like the POA and the MTA, the WebAccess Agent can be bound to a specific IP address, as described in Section 12.2.6, Agent Exclusive Bind (v7.0)

12.6.4 Simplified WebAccess Agent Startup (v7.0.1)

Like the POA, the MTA, and the Internet Agent, the WebAccess Agent can be started using the grpwise script, as described in Starting the Linux GroupWise Agents as Daemons.

12.6.5 New Novell Web Services Page (v7.0)

WebAccess no longer uses the novell.html file that earlier versions of GroupWise installed in your Web server’s htdocs directory. If users have been accessing the WebAccess client by displaying the novell.html file, the links in that file no longer work. You should remove the obsolete novell.html file from the htdocs directory and use the new URL to access the WebAccess client. If you have customized the novell.html file, you can transfer your changes to the index.html file in the webapps/gw directory.

12.6.6 Document Viewer Agent (v7.0)

The documents that users attach to e-mail messages are as varied as the combinations of document formats, tools, and users throughout the world. In order to display documents in your Web browser, WebAccess must convert them to HTML. Because some documents contain totally unexpected data, WebAccess cannot convert them. In extreme cases, the WebAccess Agent hangs when it cannot convert a document. This occurrence then interrupts the activities of all WebAccess users.

The new Document Viewer Agent resolves the problem by taking over the document conversion task from the WebAccess Agent. The Viewer Agent can process multiple documents simultaneously, and if it encounters a problem with a document, the problem does not affect its processing of other documents, nor does it affect the functioning of the WebAccess Agent. Therefore, WebAccess users no longer experience interruptions because of documents that fail to convert into HTML.

For setup instructions, see Configuring the Document Viewer Agent in WebAccess in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.

12.6.7 New Document Viewer Agent Startup Switch (v7.0.1)

On NetWare, you can run each worker thread in its own namespace. Use the /addrspacename startup switch in the gwdva.dva file to specify the base name for the series of address space names that are created for the worker threads. The default base name is GWDVAWRKR, which results in address spaces named GWDVAWRKR1, GWDVAWRKR2, and so on.

12.6.8 New WebAccess Client URL on NetWare and Windows (v7.0)

The URL to access the WebAccess client through a Web server on NetWare or Windows is now:

http://web_server_address/gw/webacc

This matches the URL already in use on Linux.

12.6.9 New WebAccess Client Features (v7.0 / v7.0.1)

The GroupWise 7 WebAccess client offers a number of enhancements, including:

  • New look and feel similar to the Windows client

  • Drag-and-drop functionality to easily move items between folders

  • Context-sensitive right-click menus on Mailbox and Calendar items for easy access to commonly used features (for example, Open, Reply, Forward, Accept, Decline, Delete, and so on)

  • Enhanced item properties (including delivery status, send options, and Junk Mail Handling results)

  • Mark Read item action

  • Automatic name completion from your Frequent Contacts Address Book

  • Folder management, so that you can rearrange the folders in your folder list, add and delete folders, and share folders more easily

  • Work in Progress folder, so that items you save in your Work in Progress folder in the Windows client or Cross-Platform client are available to you in the WebAccess client

  • Quick Find feature for fast full-text searches through your mailbox without setting Advanced Find options

  • Inline Calendar appointments, tasks, and notes

  • Posted Calendar appointments, tasks, and notes

GroupWise 7 SP1 adds the following additional enhancements:

  • Support for Safari* on Macintosh OS 10.2 (Jaguar)

  • Resend

  • Edit posted items

  • Prompt for signature before send

  • Static folder tree after page refresh

  • Go to Date feature in the Calendar

  • Appointment acceptance as Busy, Free, Tentative, or Out of Office

  • Frequent Contact Address Book creation for WebAccess-only users

For information about using new features, from the GroupWise WebAccess client, click Help. For additional information about using the GroupWise WebAccess client, see the GroupWise 7 WebAccess Client Guide.

12.6.10 Improved Performance for Low-Bandwidth WebAccess Client Users (v7.0.1)

All users of GroupWise 7 SP1 WebAccess should experience some performance improvement because the amount of data downloaded when accessing the server has been reduced for nearly all requests. In addition, options have been added to the Login page to allow users to select from the default interface, a new low-bandwidth interface, and the simple interface.

The low-bandwidth interface is designed for users on 56 KB modems or slower. It further reduces the amount of data downloaded from the server by disabling Name Completion and AutoUpdate of the message list.

The simple interface is designed for mobile device users. It uses simplified templates and assumes a smaller display area. A few features, such as Name Completion, right-click menus, and drag-and-drop functionality, are not available from the simplified interface.

For more information, see Section 5.4.3, Testing GroupWise WebAccess and WebPublisher.

12.6.11 Improved Performance for All WebAccess Client Users

By enabling data compression on your Web server, you can increase performance for all WebAccess users. However, because this is a change to the configuration of your Web server, it affects all programs that interact with the Web server. A side effect of enabling data compression might be a decline in Web server scalability.

For setup instructions, see Enabling Web Server Data Compression in WebAccess in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.