The NMAP Agent is responsible for message processing and delivery. It handles everything that happens from the time a message enters the message queue to when it is delivered to the user's mailbox or passed off for delivery via the Internet. It is also the only agent that has direct access to the message store. Consequently, every messaging system requires at least one NMAP Agent and every user within the messaging system must be included in one of the NMAP Agent's contexts.
NOTE: If you create the Messaging Server object during installation, the installation program automatically creates an NMAP Agent on the messaging server.
To create the NMAP Agent, select the Messaging Server object where you want to create the NMAP Agent and choose NMAP Agent from the Create menu.
In creating the NMAP Agent object, you are prompted for the following information.
| Option | Function |
|---|---|
| Message Store | The volume and, optionally, the directory where users' mailboxes are located. On a NetWare server, the message store's default location is sys:\novonyx\mail. On a Windows server, the default message store directory is On a Linux server, the default location is the /var/opt/novell/netmail directory. For a more complete explanation, see the Message Store property in Configuring the NMAP Agent . |
| Managed Contexts | The eDirectory context serviced by the current NMAP Agent. When creating the NMAP Agent, you can only select one context. However, when configuring the NMAP Agent, you can add multiple user contexts. For a more complete explanation, see the Context property in Configuring the NMAP Agent . |
After you create the NMAP Agent, you must restart the messaging server to load the agent. For information on restarting the messaging server, see Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents.
From the NMAP Agent's configuration menu, you can configure the following options:
| Option | Function |
|---|---|
| Parameters |
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IMPORTANT: You must restart the nmapd executable to effect any changes in these properties. See Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents for more information. |
Message Store |
The drive or volume and, optionally, the directory where users' mailboxes are located. On a NetWare server, the message store's default location is sys:\novonyx\mail. On a Windows server, the default message store directory is drive:\program files\novell\netmail\mail. On a Linux server, the default location is the /var/opt/novell/netmail directory. For detailed information about the message store directory structure, see Message Store Directory Structure. IMPORTANT: Because NetWare requires free space on the sys: volume, weigh the potential disk space requirements of your messaging system before creating the mail directories on the sys: volume of a NetWare server. If you need to move the message store,
IMPORTANT: It is best to change the location of the message store before you put your NetMail system into production. In addition to the primary message store on the messaging server, you can define message store directories for Container and Parent objects. For more information, see Creating Separate Message Stores for Each Domain. |
Spool Directory |
The drive or volume and, optionally, the directory where the message queue is located. For detailed information about the Spool directory structure and how the message queue works, see Message Processing. |
SCMS Directory |
The drive or volume and, optionally, the directory where the Single Copy Message Store (SCMS) is located. For detailed information about the SCMS directory structure and how it works, see Single Copy Message Store. |
Minimum Space |
The minimum amount of free space you want to maintain on the drive or volume hosting the message queue. The default is 2048 KB. If the server reaches the Minimum Space quota, the messaging server bounces all incoming messages, stops system logging, and sends an SNMP trap. On NetWare, if your mail directories are on the sys: volume, you can use this option to maintain the free space required by NetWare. |
| Queue Parameters |
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Retry Interval |
The number of minutes the NMAP Agent waits before trying to resend any e-mail message. The default is 30 minutes. NetMail never queues messages unless there is a problem. Under normal conditions, the NMAP Agent immediately tries to send messages after they are processed in the queue. If, for some reason, the message is not sent, it remains in the queue for the number of minutes specified in the Retry Interval before NMAP tries to resend the message. For example, if you send a message to a company whose mail server is down, the messaging server keeps trying to send the message at the designated intervals. Changes to this property are effective within 5 minutes. |
Retry Timeout |
The number of days the NMAP Agent keeps trying to send any e-mail message before removing the message from the queue. The default is five days. The NMAP Agent attempts to bounce undeliverable messages before removing them. IMPORTANT: You must restart the nmapd executable to effect any changes in this property. See Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents for more information. |
| Options |
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| Bounced Message Control | A spam control feature that sets a threshold for the number of bounced messages NMAP can process within a set number of seconds. If the number of bounced messages exceeds the defined threshold, the messages are deleted from the message queue. It is a common practice for spammers to falsify the From: field in their message so the resulting bounced messages go to a mail server other than their own. Unfortunately, the server that actually owns the domain specified in the From: field is inundated with thousands of bounced messages in a short period of time. The Bounced Message Control feature enables you to keep your NetMail system from wasting system resources during such attacks. Changes to this property are effective within 5 minutes. |
CC Postmaster |
Enable this option to send the postmaster a copy of bounced messages. |
Limit Bounces To |
Enable this option to turn on Bounced Message Control. If the number of bounced message exceeds the Entries threshold within the Interval time frame, NMAP deletes the messages. |
Forward Local Undeliverable Messages |
The host name or IP address of a server designated to receive messages that are addressed to the messaging system's domain but are undeliverable within the local NetMail system. If you specify an IP address rather than a host name, you must enclose the IP address in square brackets [ ] to form a valid e-mail address. Changes to this property are effective within 5 minutes. When the NMAP Agent determines that a message recipient is within its Internet domain but cannot find the user in eDirectory, the NMAP Agent modifies the domain portion of the address with the value placed in this field and re-queues the message. WAN environments commonly use this feature with standalone messaging servers in remote offices. For detailed information on this configuration, see Multiple Messaging Server WAN. This option also enables NetMail to share a domain name with another e-mail system such as Novell GroupWise, Lotus Notes, or Microsoft Exchange. When this option is configured, the NMAP Agent forwards messages that belong to the domain but are not addressed to users within the NetMail messaging system. For more information on domain sharing, see Domain Sharing. |
| Remote Queue Restrictions | This option regulates when remote messages are passed to the SMTP Agent for delivery across the Internet. If the option is enabled, NMAP holds remote messages in queue 7 until the designated time frames. Only then does it notify the SMTP Agent to pick up the messages. This feature is for countries where users must pay a per use line fee. Using this option, you can restrict remote message delivery to non-peak hours. IMPORTANT: You must restart the nmapd executable to effect any changes in this property. See Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents for more information. |
Weekdays |
In the Weekdays field, specify a time span (using the 24-hour clock) when you do not want the NMAP Agent to process outgoing messages Monday through Friday. |
Weekends |
In the Weekends field, specify a time span (using the 24-hour clock) when you do not want the NMAP Agent to process outgoing messages Saturday through Sunday. |
| Context |
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Managed Contexts |
The eDirectory contexts serviced by the current NMAP Agent. The original context is defined when creating the NMAP Agent. You can add other user contexts from the Context page. Because NMAP contexts are not inherited, add every container or sub-container serviced by an NMAP Agent to that agent's context list. Messaging services are automatically provided to every user in the NMAP Agent's assigned contexts. User mailboxes are created in the local message store directory the first time users log in or receive messages. IMPORTANT: Do not add the same context to multiple NMAP Agents.This produces unpredictable behavior in NetMail systems. On standard versions of NetMail, the context list is updated in memory and changes are effective within 5 minutes. The Messaging Server's Context List NMAP contexts are tracked by the messaging server. When it starts, the messaging server generates a list of NMAP contexts and holds it in server memory. In distributed environments, the context list includes the assigned contexts for every NMAP Agent in the Internet Services container. On standalone messaging servers, this list only includes the local NMAP Agent's assigned contexts. NetMail agents reference the messaging server's context list in providing user-related services. If a user is not included in the list, the agent's services are denied. For example, users cannot establish a POP or IMAP connection to the messaging system unless they are in the context list. System Requirements eDirectory requires a minimum of 6 KB per User object replicated on the server. Therefore, in addition to the standard NetMail disk space requirements, you must calculate at least an additional 6 KB for every eDirectory User object in the NMAP Agent's context. Additionally, the NMAP Agent requires local access to all User objects within its assigned contexts. |
| Quota |
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Quota Parameters |
The system administrator can define mailbox quotas for specific users or for all users serviced by the current NMAP Agent. Messages, folders, and calendar items count against the mailbox quota. IMPORTANT: You must restart the nmapd executable to effect any changes in these properties. See Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents for more information. |
Per User Quota |
Enable this option to require individual user quotas. User quotas are set in the NetMail Configuration page of the User object. For further information on User object configuration, see User Objects. |
System-Wide Mailbox Quotas |
To set the same quota for all mailboxes on the current messaging server, enable this option and type the maximum mailbox size in the Kbyte field. If you enable both Per User and System-Wide Mailbox Quotas, you can set quotas at both levels. While the system-wide quota serves as the default quota for all users in the NMAP Agent's assigned contexts, quotas defined in the User object take precedence. For example, you can set a default, system-wide mailbox quota but still allocate more disk space to specific users such as the messaging server postmaster, system administrators, or VIPs using User object mailbox quotas. NOTE: You can also define mailbox quotas at the Parent object level. For more information on Parent object mailbox quotas, see the Per User Mailbox Quota property in Configuring Parent Objects. |
Quota Return Message |
An optional message that is returned to the sender when the recipient has exceeded his or her mailbox quota. The message notifies the sender that the recipient has exceeded the allotted mailbox quota and cannot receive additional messages. NOTE: When users are within 10% of their mailbox quota, they receive a system message notifying them that their mailbox is almost full. The message advises them to delete some of the messages and warns that when their mailbox is full, all inbound messages are returned to the sender. |
| SCMS |
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The Single Copy Message Store (SCMS) feature allows NMAP to store e-mail messages sent to multiple recipients in a shared location on the messaging server. By default, messages sent to five or more users and exceeding 5 KB are stored in the shared message directory. To store a message in the SCMS directory, it must exceed both thresholds. When a message exceeds the specified thresholds, NMAP places a single copy of the message and its attachments in the shared message directory. A pointer is placed in the recipients' mailboxes, directing NMAP to the complete message in the Single-Copy Message Store (SCMS) directory. When the last user downloads or deletes the message, it is deleted from the shared directory. The SCMS feature conserves server disk space. Without SCMS, long messages and large attachments are sent to every recipient's mailbox, rapidly consuming large amounts of server disk space. Changes to this property are effective within 5 minutes. For more information on the SCMS directory, see Single Copy Message Store Directory Structure . |
Recipients |
The SCMS threshold for a message's number of recipients. If the number of message recipients is equal to or more than the designated number of recipients and it exceeds the Minimum Message Size threshold, it is stored in the SCMS directory. |
Message Size |
The SCMS threshold for a message's minimum size, in kilobytes. If a message is larger than the designated message size and it exceeds the Minimum Number of Recipients threshold, it is stored in the SCMS directory. |
| Trusted Hosts |
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Trusted Hosts |
When NetMail agents need to access the message store or message queue, they create an IP connection to the associated NMAP Server and request the information they need. By default, the NMAP Agent requires all agents running on other servers (including other NMAP Agents) to authenticate with the server before it carries out their requests. NetMail agent authentication does not use clear-text passwords. By designating a messaging server as a trusted host, agents running on that server are not required to authenticate with the NMAP server. Rather, they are given open access to the NMAP Agent and its accompanying message queues and mail directories. WARNING: Because trusted hosts have complete access to all mailboxes and queued messages, you must secure the server consoles of all messaging servers with trusted host status. Do not grant trusted host status to Linux machines unless login access to the trusted host machines is restricted to the system administrator. Because of the inherent security risks associated with this option, we recommend that you grant trusted host status only for testing purposes or to messaging servers running third party agents. Changes to this property are effective within 5 minutes. |
IP Addresses |
The IP address of messaging servers hosting NetMail agents that need open access to the NMAP Agent. Enter one IP address per line. On NetWare, 127.0.0.0 and localhost are automatically trusted hosts; therefore, you do not need to add them to the list. |
| Clients |
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This page lists all the NetMail agents configured to monitor the current NMAP Agent's message queue, regardless of whether they reside on the current messaging server or on a remote messaging server. NOTE: NetMail Agents that monitor the message queue include the SMTP, Proxy, Modular Web, AntiVirus, AntiSpam, List, Alias, AutoReply, Rule, Calendar, and Plupack Agents. The Clients page does not necessarily reflect those agents currently registered with the NMAP Agent. Although an agent is configured to monitor the NMAP Agent's message queue, it might not have actually loaded or it might not have registered with the NMAP Agent. Therefore, this page should not be used to troubleshoot the message queue. To view which agents are currently registered with the NMAP Agent:
This is an informational page; you cannot add agents to or delete agents from the list. |
| Status |
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By default, the NMAP Agent is enabled. To disable the NMAP Agent:
Disabling the agent prevents the messaging server from launching the NMAP Agent at startup. However, to immediately disable the agent, you must manually unload nmapd or restart the messaging server. For more information on manually unloading NetMail agents or restarting the messaging server, see Loading and Unloading NetMail Agents. After the NMAP Agent is disabled, the messaging server does not launch nmapd again until you select Enabled and restart the messaging server. |