3.6 Managing Your Clustered GroupWise System on Linux

After you have set up a basic clustered GroupWise system, you should consider some long-term management issues.

3.6.1 Updating GroupWise Objects with Cluster-Specific Descriptions

After setting up your clustered GroupWise system, while the cluster-specific information is fresh in your mind, you should record the cluster-specific information as part of the GroupWise objects in ConsoleOne so that you can easily refer to it later. Be sure to update the information in the GroupWise objects if the configuration of your system changes.

Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Domain and Its MTA

To permanently record important cluster-specific information for the domain:

  1. In ConsoleOne, browse to and right-click the Domain object, then click Properties.

  2. In the Description field of the domain Identification page, provide a cluster-specific description of the domain, including the secondary IP address of its GroupWise partition.

  3. Click OK to save the domain description.

  4. Select the Domain object to display its contents.

  5. Right-click the MTA object, then click Properties.

  6. In the Description field of the MTA Identification page, record the secondary IP address of the domain’s GroupWise partition.

    This information appears on the MTA server console, no matter which node in the cluster it is currently running on.

  7. Click Apply to save the description.

  8. Click Network Address.

  9. In the TCP/IP Address field, provide the secondary IP address that you provided in the GroupWise Installation program for use with the --ip switch in the MTA startup file.

  10. Select Bind Exclusively to TCP/IP Address.

    This records this vital information in eDirectory as well as in the MTA startup file.

  11. Click OK to save the MTA description and secondary IP address.

  12. Continue with Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Post Office and Its POA.

Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Post Office and Its POA

To permanently record important cluster-specific information for a post office:

  1. In ConsoleOne, browse to and right-click the Post Office object, then click Properties.

  2. In the Description field of the post office Identification page:

    1. Provide a cluster-specific description of the post office, including the secondary IP address of its GroupWise partition.

    2. (Conditional) If you installed and clustered the DVA along with the POA, make a note of that configuration choice.

  3. Click OK to save the post office description.

  4. Select the Post Office object to display its contents.

  5. Right-click the POA object, then click Properties.

  6. In the Description field of the POA Identification page, record the secondary IP address of the post office’s GroupWise partition.

    This information appears on the POA server console, no matter which node in the cluster it is currently running on.

  7. Click Apply to save the description.

  8. Click Network Address.

  9. In the TCP/IP Address field, provide the secondary IP address that you provided in the GroupWise Installation program for use with the --ip switch in the POA startup file.

  10. Select Bind Exclusively to TCP/IP Address.

    This records this vital information in eDirectory as well as in the POA startup file.

  11. Click OK to save the POA description and secondary IP address.

  12. (Conditional) If applicable, continue with Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Software Distribution Directory.

    or

    Skip to Section 3.6.2, Knowing What to Expect in MTA, POA, and DVA Failover Situations.

Recording Cluster-Specific Information for a Software Distribution Directory

To permanently record important cluster-specific information about a software distribution directory located on a GroupWise partition:

  1. In ConsoleOne, click Tools > System Operations > Software Directory Management.

  2. Select the software distribution directory, then click Edit.

  3. In the description field, record the secondary IP address of the GroupWise partition where the software distribution directory resides.

  4. Click OK, then click Close to save the software distribution directory description.

  5. Continue with Knowing What to Expect in MTA, POA, and DVA Failover Situations.

3.6.2 Knowing What to Expect in MTA, POA, and DVA Failover Situations

In a failover situation, the MTA and the POA might need to perform some database repair as they start on the new node. The time required depends on the size of the databases involved.

Typically, the POA returns to full functionality faster than the MTA. This benefits GroupWise client users, who can reconnect to their mailboxes very quickly and probably do not notice if messages to users in other post offices are not delivered immediately. The only time a user needs to restart the GroupWise client is if he or she was actually in the process of sending a message when the POA went down. Notify can continue running even if the connection to the POA becomes unavailable because it reconnects automatically when the POA is again available.

The MTA typically takes some time reestablishing the links to its post offices, other domains, and gateways, but this situation usually resolves itself in a few minutes without administrator intervention. If it does not, you can manually restart the MTA to speed up the process.

The DVA must reestablish its HTTP connections with one or more POAs and WebAccess Applications. Typically, this occurs quite quickly.

In comparison to failover, migration typically takes longer because the POA and the MTA methodically terminate their threads and close their databases as part of their normal shutdown procedure. However, as a result, no database repair is required when these agents start up again in their new location.

Continue with What’s Next.