Novell Data Synchronizer

Readme

July 26, 2010

1.0 Overview

Novell Data Synchronizer and the GroupWise Connector provide the foundation for synchronizing data between GroupWise and Salesforce.com, SharePoint, and SugarCRM.

NOTE:This configuration does not include synchronization with mobile devices.

2.0 System Requirements

System requirements are listed in the Novell Data Synchronizer Installation Guide.

3.0 Data Synchronizer Installation Instructions

  1. Make sure that the Linux server where you plan to install Data Synchronizer and the GroupWise Connector meets the system requirements.

  2. If a Web server is currently running on the Synchronizer server, stop it, and preferably disable it.

  3. Download the Novell Data Synchronizer ISO file to a convenient temporary directory:

    novell-data-synchronizer-x86_64.iso
    
  4. On your Linux desktop, click Computer > YaST, then enter the root password.

  5. Under Groups, click Software, then click Add-On Products.

  6. Install Data Synchronizer as an add-on product.

Complete installation instructions are available in the Novell Data Synchronizer Installation Guide.

4.0 Installation Issues

4.1 YaST Proposal Error

When you run the Data Synchronizer Installation program in YaST, you might see the following error:

The proposal contains an error that must be resolved before continuing

This error indicates that you clicked Next without providing the configuration information for your Synchronizer system. Instead of clicking Next, click Change > Data Synchronizer Configuration, then provide the configuration as prompted. After you provide the configuration information, click Next.

4.2 ISO File Not Browsable on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP1

In the Data Synchronizer Installation program on SLES 11 SP1, if you browse to and select the Data Synchronizer ISO file, you receive the following error:

ISO image file not responding

As a workaround, type the full path and filename for the ISO file instead of browsing to it.

4.3 Required Python Package Version

If you already have Python packages installed on the server where you are installing Data Synchronizer, the Data Synchronizer Installation program needs to update the existing packages, rather than install new packages. This does not happen by default.

When you run the Installation program, you see a list of all the packages that need to be installed. Review this list for packages that need to be updated. Click any existing packages so that the Update icon is displayed, then continue with the Data Synchronizer installation.

4.4 Data Synchronizer Installation Program Behaves Strangely

Data Synchronizer must be installed on a server with a 64-bit/x86 processor. If you try to install it on a server with a 32-bit/x86 processor, the Data Synchronizer Installation program does not detect the problem. It tries to run, but it cannot run correctly.

If the behavior of the Data Synchronizer Installation program does not match the installation instructions provided in the Novell Data Synchronizer Installation Guide, make sure that you are installing Data Synchronizer on a server that meets the documented system requirements.

There are currently no plans to make Data Synchronizer available in a 32-bit version.

4.5 Database Password Restriction

Use only alphanumeric characters in the Synchronizer database password. Do not include special characters. The Sync Engine does not start if the database password includes special characters.

4.6 GroupWise Trusted Application Creation

Before you run the Data Synchronizer Installation program, you must create a GroupWise trusted application so that the GroupWise Connector can log into a GroupWise Post Office Agent (POA) in order to access GroupWise mailboxes without needing personal user passwords. When setting up the GroupWise Connector as a trusted application, you only need to fill in three fields in the Create Trusted Application dialog box in ConsoleOne: Name, Location for Key File, and Name of Key File. Do not fill in any other fields. If you fill in additional fields, the trusted application does not work correctly with the GroupWise Connector.

5.0 Data Synchronizer Issues

5.1 Synchronizer Web Admin Access

If you have been participating in the Data Synchronizer beta, you might need to delete the existing Synchronizer certificate on workstations where you access Synchronizer Web Admin. You need to delete the existing certificate if you receive the following error when you try to access Synchronizer Web Admin:

Secure Connection Failed      
An error occurred during a connection to ip_address.
You have received an invalid certificate.

To delete the existing Synchronizer certificate in Firefox:

  1. Click Tools > Options.

  2. Click Advanced > Encryption.

  3. Click View Certificates.

  4. Select the certificate named DataSync Web Admin, then click Delete.

  5. Click OK to close the various Firefox dialog boxes, then log in to Synchronizer Web Admin.

5.2 LDAP Server Restart Issue

If the LDAP server is restarted while Synchronizer is running, Synchronizer loses its connection to the LDAP server. Occasionally, the connection to the LDAP server is lost for other reasons. To reestablish the connection, restart the Synchronizer services.

5.3 Sync Engine Restart Stops All Connectors

When the Sync Engine is stopped or restarted, it forces all connectors to stop as well. After the Sync Engine is restarted, restart the Connector Manager service. After the Connector Manager service is restarted, restart each connector in Synchronizer Web Admin or configure the connectors to start automatically.

5.4 Large Number of Users

When you use a group to add a large number of users to a connector (for example, 1000 users), all users might not be added to the connector during the same LDAP poll cycle. You can refresh the Add Users page or watch the log file for the connector to see when the process of adding users to the connector has been completed.

A similar problem can occur if you add multiple groups that collectively include a large number of users.

5.5 Users and Groups Not Displayed Correctly in Synchronizer Web Admin

When you add or delete a large number of users or groups, the Manage Users page or the Manage Groups page might not display the presence or absence of the users or groups correctly. Refresh the page in your browser to display the users or groups correctly.

5.6 Usernames with Spaces

If a user’s LDAP username includes a space, the user cannot log in to the Data Synchronizer User Options page.

6.0 Connector Issues

6.1 General Connector Issues

6.1.1 User Deletion

In order to delete users from a connector, the connector must be running. If the connector is not running, some user event data is not properly deleted.

6.1.2 Connector Does Not Stop

When you stop a connector in Synchronizer Web Admin and then start it again immediately, the status might indefinitely remain as Starting. This can happen because the connector did not completely stop before you tried to restart it. The connector might have been completing a polling cycle before shutting down, even though Synchronizer Web Admin displayed the status as Stopped. When you try to start a connector that is still shutting down, it cannot start normally.

To restart the connector when this situation has occurred:

  1. Restart the Connector Manager on the command line:

    rcdatasync-connectors restart
    

    This should change the connector status in Synchronizer Web Admin from Starting to Stopped.

  2. Start the connector in Synchronizer Web Admin.

  3. Start any other connectors that stopped as a result of restarting the Connector Manager.

    Some connectors restart automatically when the Connector Manager restarts.

If this problem occurs repeatedly, wait a few seconds between the time when you stop the connector and when you start it again to allow the connector to shut down completely before restarting.

6.1.3 Multiple Instances of the Same Connector

Synchronizer Web Admin allows you to manually create multiple instances of the same connector. This configuration is not currently supported.

If you have more users than a single connector can service, you can install one or more additional instances of Data Synchronizer until all users are being successfully serviced.

6.2 Connector-Specific Issues

Refer to the Readme for each connector on the Novell Data Synchronizer Connectors Documentation Web site.

7.0 Documentation

Novell Data Synchronizer documentation is available at the Novell Data Synchronizer Documentation Web site:

  • Novell Data Synchronizer Readme

  • Novell Data Synchronizer installation and administration guides

Novell Data Synchronizer connector documentation is available at the Novell Data Synchronizer Connector Documentation Web site

  • Connector Readmes

  • Connector Quick Starts

  • Connector installation and configuration guides

In addition to the Data Synchronizer product documentation, the following resources provide additional information about Data Synchronizer: