15.2 Configuring User Access to the Post Office

The GroupWise client uses client/server access to the post office. The following topics help you configure the POA to customize the types of client/server access provided to the post office:

15.2.1 Simplifying Client Access with a GroupWise Name Server

A GroupWise name server redirects each GroupWise client user to the IP address and port number of the POA that services the user’s post office. By setting up a GroupWise name server, GroupWise client users do not need to know and provide any IP address information when they start the GroupWise client. The GroupWise name server takes care of this for them.

Required Hostnames

The primary GroupWise name server must be designated using the hostname ngwnameserver. You can also designate a backup GroupWise name server using the hostname ngwnameserver2.

Required Port Number

Each server designated as a GroupWise name server must have a POA running on it that uses the default port number of 1677. Other agents can run on the same server, but one POA must use the default port number of 1677 in order for the GroupWise name server to function.

How a GroupWise Name Server Helps the GroupWise Client Start

After a server has been designated as ngwnameserver, and a POA using the default port number of 1677 is running on that server, the GroupWise client can connect to the POA of the appropriate post office by contacting the POA located on ngwnameserver. If ngwnameserver is not available, the client next attempts to contact the backup name server, ngwnameserver2. If no GroupWise name server is available, the user must provide the IP address and port number of the appropriate POA in order to start the GroupWise client in client/server mode.

Setting Up a GroupWise Name Server

  1. Ensure that TCP/IP is set up and functioning on your network.

  2. Know the IP address of the server you want to set up as a GroupWise name server.

  3. Ensure that the POA on that server uses the default TCP port of 1677.

  4. If you want a backup GroupWise name server, identify the IP address of a second server where the POA uses the default TCP port of 1677.

  5. Use your tool of choice for modifying DNS.

    Linux:

    You can use the YaST Control Center.

    Windows:

    You can use DNS Manager.

  6. Create an entry for the IP address of the first POA and give it the hostname ngwnameserver.

  7. If you want a backup name server, create an entry for the IP address of the second POA and give it the hostname ngwnameserver2.

    You must use the hostnames ngwnameserver and ngwnameserver2. Any other hostnames are not recognized as GroupWise name servers.

  8. Save your changes.

As soon as the hostname information replicates throughout your system, GroupWise client users can start the GroupWise client without specifying a TCP/IP address and port number.

15.2.2 Supporting IMAP Clients

Internet Messaging Application Protocol (IMAP) is used by email clients such as Microsoft Outlook and Evolution. You can configure the POA to communicate with IMAP-enabled email clients much like the GroupWise client does.

NOTE:IMAP clients connecting to your GroupWise system from outside your firewall must connect through the GWIA, rather than through the POA. Connecting directly through the POA provides faster access for internal IMAP clients. For more information, see Section 31.0, Configuring POP3/IMAP4 Services.

  1. In the GroupWise Admin console, browse to and click the POA.

  2. Click the Agent Settings tab.

  3. Fill in the following fields:

    Enable IMAP: Select Enable IMAP to turn on IMAP processing.

    Max IMAP Threads: Specify the maximum number of IMAP threads you want to the POA to start.

    The default maximum number of IMAP threads is 40. This is adequate for most post offices, because each IMAP thread can service multiple IMAP clients. By default, the POA creates 2 IMAP threads and automatically creates additional threads as needed to service clients until the maximum number is reached. You cannot set the maximum higher than 40.

    You might want to lower the maximum number of IMAP threads if IMAP processing is monopolizing system resources that you prefer to have available for other processes. However, insufficient IMAP threads can cause slow response for IMAP client users.

    Port: Use the default port of 143 unless it is already in use on the server.

    SSL: Select from the following options to configure this POA's use of secure connections to IMAP clients. In order to use an SSL connection, the IMAP clients must also be enabled for SSL.

    • Disabled: The POA does not support SSL connections.

    • Enabled: The POA uses SSL if both the POA and the IMAP client can handle SSL. If either side cannot handle SSL, the IMAP connection is still accepted. An SSL-enabled POA accepts non-SSL connections on port 143 and SSL connections on port 993.

    • Required: The POA uses SSL if both the POA and the IMAP client can handle SSL. If either side cannot handle SSL, the IMAP connection is still accepted. An SSL-enabled POA accepts non-SSL connections on port 143 and SSL connections on port 993.

  4. Click Save, then click Close to return to the main Admin console window.

Corresponding Startup Switches: You can also use the ‑‑imap, ‑‑imapmaxthreads, ‑‑imapport, ‑‑imapssl, and ‑‑imapsslport startup switches in the POA startup file to configure the POA to support IMAP clients. In addition, you can use the ‑‑imapreadlimit and ‑‑imapreadnew startup switches to configure how the POA downloads messages to IMAP clients.

POA Console: You can see whether IMAP is enabled on the Configuration page under the General Settings heading.

15.2.3 Supporting SOAP Clients

Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is used by email clients such as Evolution and other clients such as GroupWise WebAccess and the GroupWise Mobility Service to access mailboxes. You can configure the POA to communicate with SOAP-enabled email clients much like the GroupWise client does. Starting in GroupWise 2014 R2, SOAP is enabled by default.

  1. In the GroupWise Admin console, browse to and click the POA.

  2. Click the Agent Settings tab.

  3. Fill in the following fields:

    Enable SOAP: Select Enable SOAP to turn on SOAP processing.

    Max SOAP Threads: Specify the maximum number of SOAP threads you want the POA to start.

    The default maximum number of SOAP threads is 40. This is adequate for most post offices, because each SOAP thread can service multiple SOAP clients. By default, the POA creates 4 SOAP threads and automatically creates additional threads as needed to service clients until the maximum number is reached. You cannot set the maximum higher than 40.

    You might want to lower the maximum number of SOAP threads if SOAP processing is monopolizing system resources that you prefer to have available for other processes. However, insufficient SOAP threads can cause slow response for SOAP client users.

    Port: Use the default port of 7191 unless it is already in use on the server.

    SSL: Select from the following options to configure this POA's use of secure connections to SOAP clients. In order to use an SSL connection, the SOAP clients must also be enabled for SSL.

    • Disabled: The POA does not support SSL connections.

    • Required: The POA uses SSL if both the POA and the SOAP client can handle SSL.

  4. Click Save, then click Close to return to the main Admin console window.

Corresponding Startup Switches: You can also use the ‑‑soap, ‑‑soapmaxthreads, ‑‑soapport, ‑‑soapssl, and ‑‑soapthreads startup switches in the POA startup file to configure the POA to support SOAP clients. In addition, you can use the ‑‑evocontrol startup switch to configure the POA to allow only specified versions of Evolution to connect to the post office.

POA Console: You can see whether SOAP is enabled on the Configuration page under the General Settings heading.

15.2.4 Checking What GroupWise Clients Are in Use

You can configure the POA to identify GroupWise client users who are running GroupWise clients that do not correspond to a specified release version and/or date. You can also force them to update to the specified version. For setup instructions, see Section 13.6, Restricting Client Access to the Post Office.

Corresponding Startup Switches: You can also use the ‑‑gwclientreleaseversion, ‑‑gwclientreleasedate, and ‑‑enforceclientversion startup switches in the POA startup file to configure the POA to check client version and/or date information.

POA Console: On the Status page of the POA console, click C/S Users to display the Current Users page, which lists all GroupWise users who are currently accessing the post office. Users who are running GroupWise clients older than the approved version and/or date are highlighted in red in the list. Users who are running newer versions are shown in blue.

If the POA console is password protected as described in Section 16.1, Configuring the POA Console, you can change the expected release dates for the current POA session. Under Client/Server Settings, click Enforce Lockout on Older GroupWise Clients.

15.2.5 Supporting Forced Mailbox Caching

GroupWise client users have the option to download their GroupWise mailboxes to their workstations so they can work without being continuously connected to the network. This is called Caching mode. For more information, see Section 68.1.2, Caching Mode.

When client users change to Caching mode, the contents of their mailboxes must be copied to their hard drives. This process is called “priming” the mailbox. If users individually decide to use Caching mode, the POA easily handles the process.

If you force all users in the post office to start using Caching mode, as described in Allowing or Forcing Use of Caching Mode, multiple users might attempt to prime their mailboxes at the same time. This creates a load on the POA that can cause unacceptable response time for other users.

To configure the POA to handle multiple requests to prime mailboxes:

  1. In the GroupWise Admin console, browse to and click the POA.

  2. Click the Agent Settings tab.

  3. Set Max Thread Usage for Priming and Moves as needed.

    By default, the POA allocates 30% of its client/server handler threads for priming mailboxes for users who are using Caching mode for the first time. By default, the POA starts 10 client/server handler threads, so in a default configuration, three threads are available for priming. You might want to specify 60 or 80 so that 60% to 80% of POA threads are used for priming mailboxes. You might also want to increase the number of client/server handler threads the POA can start in order to handle the temporarily heavy load while users are priming their mailboxes. See Section 18.1.2, Adjusting the Number of Client/Server Connections.

  4. Click Save, then click Close to return to the main Admin console window.

Corresponding Startup Switches: You can also use the ‑‑primingmax switch in the POA startup file to configure the POA to handle multiple requests to prime mailboxes.

POA Console: If the POA console is password protected as described in Section 16.1, Configuring the POA Console, you can change the POA’s ability to respond to caching requests for the current POA session on the Configuration page. Under the Client/Server Settings heading, click Max Thread Usage for Priming and Live Moves. To increase the number of client/server threads, click Client/Server Processing Threads under the Performance Settings heading.

15.2.6 Restricting Message Size between Post Offices

You can configure the POA to restrict the size of messages that users are permitted to send outside the post office.

  1. In the GroupWise Admin console, browse to and click the name of a domain.

  2. Click Post Office Links, then click the name of the post office.

  3. In the Maximum Send Message Size field, specify in megabytes the size of the largest message you want users to be able to send outside the post office, then click OK.

    A setting of 0 (zero) indicates that no size limitations have been set.

If a user’s message is not sent out of the post office because of this restriction, the user receives an email notification message with a subject line of:

Delivery disallowed

The notification message also includes the subject of the original message. This message provides information to the user about why and where the message was disallowed. However, the message is still delivered to recipients in the sender’s own post office.

There are additional ways to restrict the size of messages that users can send, as described in Section 13.3.5, Restricting the Size of Messages That Users Can Send.

Corresponding Startup Switches: You can also use the ‑‑mtpsendmax startup switch in the POA startup file to restrict message size.

POA Console: You can view the maximum message size on the Configuration page. If the POA console is password protected as described in Section 16.1, Configuring the POA Console, you can change the maximum message size for the current POA session using the Message Transfer Protocol link on the Configuration page.

15.2.7 Supporting Calendar Publishing