60.1 Understanding Resources

These sections will help understand how resources work in GroupWise:

60.1.1 Resource Objects

Each resource that you want to make available must be added as a Resource object in your GroupWise system. The name that you give the Resource object becomes the name by which the resource is displayed in the GroupWise Address Book.

Although you can import users and groups from an LDAP directory such as NetIQ eDirectory or Microsoft Active Directory, you cannot import LDAP resources.

60.1.2 Resource Types

You can identify the resource as a general resource, as a place, or as a role.

When a user schedules a resource that is defined as a place, the resource name is automatically added to the Place field in the appointment.

Starting in GroupWise 2012 SP2, a role resource represents a position in an organization that can be reassigned from one owner to the next. As owners change, the role resource mailbox retains all information associated with the role. Unlike general resources and place resources, role resources are included in a Reply to All.

60.1.3 Resource Mailboxes

Like a user, a resource must be assigned to a post office so that it can be given an account (address, mailbox, and so on). You assign the resource to a post office when you create the Resource object.

A resource’s account enables it to receive scheduling requests (sent as appointments). The owner assigned to the resource can access the resource’s mailbox to accept or decline the requests. For example, you might want to have all your conference rooms defined as place resources. When sending a meeting appointment, users can schedule the conference room as well as the meeting attendees. The place resource, just like the other users scheduled for the meeting, receives an appointment in its mailbox which can be accepted or declined by the owner.

When scheduling a resource, users can perform a busy search to see when the resource is available. Even though a resource is assigned to a single post office, all users in your GroupWise system can schedule the resource.

Resources can receive all item types (mail messages, phone messages, appointments, tasks, and notes). Generally, if your purpose in defining resources is to allow them to be scheduled through GroupWise, they only receive appointments.

Resources can also send items. If a resource sends an item to an Internet user, both the To field and the From field are populated with the resource name when the Internet user receives the message.

60.1.4 Resource Owners

When you create a resource, you assign an owner to it. The owner must belong to the same post office as the resource and is responsible for accepting or declining requests to schedule the resource. The owner can do this by proxying to the resource’s mailbox and opening the scheduling requests, or by setting up rules to manage the resource automatically. For more information, see Creating Rules for a Resource.

The owner automatically receives proxy rights to the resource’s mailbox. The owner can also grant proxy rights to another user to manage the resource.

The owner cannot log in directly to the resource mailbox. However, the owner can set a password on the resource mailbox to facilitate secure access by an IMAP client. After proxying in to the resource mailbox, click Tools > Options > Security > Password to set a password on the resource mailbox.

For more information about how owners can manage resources, see Managing Resources in the GroupWise 18 Client User Guide.