POA Topics

The Post Office Agent (POA) responds to GroupWise client requests for mailbox data and delivers messages between users’ mailboxes in a post office. The POA also communicates with the MTA to route messages to and from the post office. In addition, the POA performs a variety of maintenance tasks in the post office.

The initial POA object is automatically created when you create a new Post Office object. The POA software is automatically installed when you set up a new GroupWise server.

Deleting a POA object does not remove the POA software from the server.

• See also:
• Post Offices in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

The Post Office Agent (POA) responds to GroupWise client requests for mailbox data and delivers messages between users’ mailboxes in a post office. The POA also communicates with the MTA to route messages to and from the post office. In addition, the POA performs a variety of maintenance tasks in the post office.

The initial POA object is automatically created when you create a new Post Office object. The POA software is automatically installed when you set up a new GroupWise server.

Use this option to manually create a POA object.

If your network uses IPV6, you must specify the DNS hostname.

Advanced

POA Options

The Post Office Agent (POA) responds to GroupWise client requests for mailbox data and delivers messages between users’ mailboxes in a post office. The POA also communicates with the MTA to route messages to and from the post office. In addition, the POA performs a variety of maintenance tasks in the post office.

The POA General tab provides basic information about the POA and enables you to start and stop it in your web browser.

If multiple administrators work at the server where this POA runs, the description could include a note about who to contact before stopping the POA. If multiple, specialized POAs run for a single post office, the description could identify the specialized configuration of each.

• See also:
• Post Office Agent in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

POA Options

The POA Agent Settings tab lists the network address and ports for the POA, along with some miscellaneous settings.

Message Processing

All incoming messages arrive in the form of message files, which the POA processes to deliver to users' mailboxes. All service requests for the POA to perform other types of post office data processing also arrive as message files.

The default is 6; valid values range from 1 to 20. The default value of 6 is appropriate for a multipurpose POA. The maximum value of 20 is appropriate for a POA that has been customized to process only message files.

The more message handler threads the POA uses, the more incoming messages it can process simultaneously. However, the more threads the POA uses, the fewer threads are available to other processes running on the same server.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

Deselect this option if your backup system cannot back up open files, or if the server is not stable.

The POA admin thread must run for the post office. Disable it only for troubleshooting purposes.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Message File Processing
• Optimizing Message File Processing
• Securing the Post Office with SSL Connections to the POA

Network Address

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

• See also:
• Binding the POA to a Host Name in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

Client/Server

Client/server processing is how the POA communicates with GroupWise clients.

Client/server threads service requests from GroupWise client users. The default is 10; valid values range from 1 to 99.

The application connection holds the session context for the client/server session. Each GroupWise user uses one application connection when he or she starts GroupWise. Depending on what activities the user is doing in the GroupWise client, additional application connections are used. For example, the GroupWise Address Book and GroupWise Notify use individual application connections. The POA closes application connections after 28 minutes of activity. This typically indicates that the client has exited abnormally.

The default maximum number of application connections is 2048. This is an appropriate setting for a post office of about 500 users, so that each user is assured of having at least four application connections available while using the GroupWise client

Each GroupWise user could have zero or multiple active physical connections. One physical connection can be shared by multiple application connections. GroupWise clients periodically time out, and the inactive physical connections are then closed by the clients and by the POA.

The default maximum number of physical connections is 2048.

You can increase the threshold so that priming and moving proceed more rapidly, but this might impact GroupWise client responsiveness.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

The network router is responsible for enabling the Network Address Translation (NAT) or Port Address Translation (PAT) between the external client requests and the internal network address of the POA. The external IP address and port should be listed as they would be seen from the GroupWise clients. The POA provides this address and port to clients that attempt to connect from outside the firewall.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Optimizing Client/Server Processing
• Supporting Forced Mailbox Caching
• Moving GroupWise Accounts
• Securing Client Access through an External Proxy Server

HTTP

The POA uses HTTP protocol to communicate with the POA console.

Unless you are using SSL, do not use a user name that is synchronized from an LDAP directory. This is because the information passes over the non-secure connection between your web browser and the POA. If you are using SSL, the user name is encrypted and therefore secure.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Using the POA Console
• Securing the Post Office with SSL Connections to the POA

SOAP

The POA uses SOAP protocol for communication with several applications that need access to GroupWise mailboxes, including the following:

The default maximum is 40 threads and cannot be increased, However, you can specify a lower maximum so that the POA allocates fewer threads to SOAP connections. Each SOAP thread can service multiple SOAP clients.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Supporting SOAP Clients
• Securing the Post Office with SSL Connections to the POA

IMAP

The POA uses IMAP protocol to communicate with IMAP email clients such as Microsoft Outlook and Evolution.

By default, the POA starts 1 IMAP thread and automatically creates additional IMAP threads as needed until the specified maximum is reached. The default maximum is 40 threads and cannot be increased. However, you can specify a lower maximum so that the POA allocates fewer threads to IMAP connections. Each IMAP thread can service multiple IMAP email clients.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Supporting IMAP Clients
• Securing the Post Office with SSL Connections to the POA

Calendar Publishing

Calendar publishing processing is how the POA communicates with the Calendar Publishing Host.

A Calendar Publishing Host makes users' GroupWise personal calendar information publicly available to users across the Internet. Internet users can view calendars and free/busy information for GroupWise users who have published their calendars. The calendar browse list provides a list of published calendars to choose from.

The default maximum number of calendar publishing threads is 4. By default, the POA creates 2 calendar publishing threads and adds more as needed. However, you cannot set the maximum higher than 4. The default setting is highly recommended.

Use the default port number unless it is already in use on the server.

• See also:
• GroupWise Calendar Publishing Quick Start
• Calendar Publishing Host in the GroupWise Administration Guide.
• Publishing Personal Calendars on the Internet in the GroupWise Client User Guide.

SNMP

The POA uses SNMP protocol to communicate with SNMP management and monitoring programs. When properly configured, the POA sends SNMP traps to network management consoles for display along with other SNMP monitored programs.

• See also:
• Using an SNMP Management Console in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

POA Options

POA log files can be viewed in the POA server console and the POA console.

• See also:
• Using POA Log Files in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

POA Options

The SSL Settings tab configures the Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/TLS protocol settings for the POA. The POA can use SSL to secure various types of connections, as configured on the Agent Settings tab.

For a secure GroupWise system, you should configure the server and agents to use TLS.

The GroupWise Admin Service generates a certificate signing request (CSR) and a private key file, and then sends them to the GroupWise certificate authority (CA) on the primary domain. The CA issues the requested certificate, which is then returned to the local server.

To clear an existing password from the key file, click Set Password, select Clear Password, and then click Save.

To clear an existing password from the certificate, click Generate Certificate, select Clear Password, and then click Save.

• See also:
• Configuring Server Certificates and TLS in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

POA Options

POA scheduled events perform database maintenance and disk space management on a regular basis. For each event, you define the event type (mailbox/library maintenance or disk check), the schedule, and specific actions.

The following default POA events are automatically provided and are active by default:

For a POA in a legacy post office, other default events might be listed.

Click the name of an event to edit it. When you edit an event, all POAs for which the event is active are affected.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Scheduling Database Maintenance
• Scheduling Disk Space Management
• Analyzing and Fixing User/Resource and Message Databases
• Managing Disk Space Usage in the Post Office

POA scheduled events perform database maintenance and disk space management on a regular basis. For each event, you define the event type (mailbox/library maintenance or disk check), the schedule, and specific actions.

POA scheduled event actions perform specific maintenance activities that can be included in POA scheduled events.

Action: Analyze/Fix Databases

Select Analyze/Fix Databases to check user and message databases for invalid structure and information. Select the following options as needed:

Action: Expire/Reduce Messages

Select Expire/Reduce Messages to eliminate expired messages and reclaim any free space in message databases. Select one of the following options:

Action: Mailbox Statistics

Select Mailbox Statistics to collect statistics about this post office, such as the following:

Action: Archive/Delete Documents

Select Archive/Delete Documents to remove documents from this post office's libraries according to their document life properties.

Action: Delete Activity Logs

Select Delete Activity Logs to delete document activity logs that are older than a specified number of days.

Action: Analyze/Fix Library

Select Analyze/Fix Library to analyze this post office's library database for invalid structure and information and to correct problems. Select the following options as needed:

Action: Audit Report

Select Audit Report to identify GroupWise user accounts that have not been accessed recently.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Scheduling Database Maintenance
• Scheduling Disk Space Management
• Analyzing and Fixing User/Resource and Message Databases
• Managing Disk Space Usage in the Post Office

POA Options

The POA can automatically perform a variety of database maintenance tasks.

Automatic Database Recovery

• See also:
• Optimizing Database Maintenance in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

User Upkeep

User upkeep includes the following maintenance activities:

The upkeep performed is determined by the settings located in Client Options > Environment Options > Cleanup. Auto-Delete is run by the POA during user upkeep, while Auto-Archive is run by the GroupWise client as soon as the user accesses his or her mailbox. In Caching mode, Auto-Delete is also run by the client.

Unread items such as messages and upcoming appointments are not deleted. However, unread calendar items such as appointments, reminder notes, and tasks that are scheduled in the past are deleted.

Although user upkeep includes deletion activities, it does not necessarily reduce mailbox disk space usage. To reduce disk space usage, use Mailbox/Library Maintenance > Expire/Reduce Messages.

If you deselect this option, the GroupWise client still advances users' uncompleted tasks to the next day, but the other activities are not performed.

• See also:
• Configuring Nightly User Upkeep in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

Generate Address Book for Remote

Deselect this option to have the POA generate a copy of the GroupWise Address Book when a Remote client user requests one and the existing copy is more than 24 hours old.

• See also:
• Configuring Nightly User Upkeep in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

Disk Space Management

By default, the POA performs one recurring disk space management event that consists of the following activities:

In addition, create a Disk Check event on the Scheduled Events tab to specify how the POA should handle the low disk space conditions when available disk space drops below 2048 MB and again when it drops below 200 MB.

• See also:
• Preventing the Post Office from Running Out of Disk Space in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

POA Options

QuickFinder is the indexing/searching technology used by the POA to index messages and documents.

If your organization uses GroupWise Document Management Services (DMS) to create and manage relatively few documents, the default setting might be adequate. However, if up-to-the-minute searches are necessary or if a large number of documents are created and managed, you might want to decrease the indexing interval or create an additional POA dedicated to indexing.

Select this option if you want to retain files that cannot be indexed. Retained files are moved to the \post_office\oftemp\gwdva\problem folder. You can contact OpenText Support for assistance with attachments that fail during the HTML conversion process and cannot be indexed.

• See also:
• Configuring Indexing in the GroupWise Administration Guide.

The Document Viewer Agent (DVA) converts attached document files from a wide variety of formats into HTML format for indexing by the POA and for viewing in GroupWise Web. You can run up to three DVAs to service conversion requests for a single instance of the POA. Each DVA must be installed on a different server.

Before you can select a DVA for a POA, you must configure the DVA by using System > Document Viewer Agent.

Click Add Document Viewer Agent, then select a DVA from the drop-down list. Ensure that the DVA is running.

You can configure the POA to communicate with as many as three DVAs.

• See also the following in the GroupWise Administration Guide:
• Managing Indexing of Attachment Content
• Document Viewer Agent

Breadcrumbs identify the context of the object.

Deleting a POA object does not remove the POA software from the server.