76.1 Customizing the WebAccess Application

The WebAccess Application, which resides on the web server, provides the GroupWise WebAccess user interface. As users perform actions in GroupWise WebAccess, the WebAccess Application passes information between the web browser, the POA, and the DVA.

During installation, the WebAccess Application is set up with a default configuration in the webacc.cfg file. You can modify the WebAccess Application configuration to meet the needs of your WebAccess users and your administrator preferences.

76.1.1 Editing the webacc.cfg File

The location of the webacc.cfg file varies by platform:

Linux:

/var/opt/novell/groupwise/webaccess

Windows:

c:\Novell\GroupWise\webaccess

You can use any ASCII text edit that you prefer to edit the webacc.cfg file.

IMPORTANT:We strongly recommend that you do not modify any settings that are not documented in the following sections.

76.1.2 Configuring the WebAccess Application with Multiple POAs for Fault Tolerance

When you install the WebAccess Application, you configure it to communicate with a single POA. After installation, you can configure the WebAccess Application to communicate with multiple POAs. There is no limit to the number of POAs you can specify. Three POAs is recommended. The POAs you specify must be configured for SOAP.

If the POA that the WebAccess Application is communicating with becomes unavailable, the WebAccess Application contacts the next POA in the list, providing uninterrupted service for WebAccess users.

To specify additional POAs:

  1. Open the webacc.cfg file in a text editor.

  2. Search to find the following lines:

    Provider.SOAP.1.ip=
    Provider.SOAP.1.port=
    

    These lines identify the POA that you specified during installation.

  3. Copy and paste those two lines, replace 1 with 2, then specify the IP address and SOAP port of a another POA, for example:

    Provider.SOAP.2.ip=172.16.5.18
    Provider.SOAP.2.port=7191
    
  4. Repeat Step 3, incrementing the number, and providing the IP addresses and SOAP ports for additional POAs as needed.

  5. Save the webacc.cfg file.

  6. Skip to Section 76.1.7, Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect.

76.1.3 Configuring WebAccess Application with Multiple DVAs for Attachment Viewing

When you install the WebAccess Application, you configure it to communicate with a single DVA. After installation, you can configure the WebAccess Application to communicate with multiple DVAs. There is no limit to the number of DVAs you can specify. Three DVAs is recommended.

If the DVA that the WebAccess Application is communicating with becomes unavailable, the WebAccess Application contacts the next DVA in the list, providing uninterrupted document conversion for viewing attachments in HTML format.

To specify additional DVAs:

  1. Open the webacc.cfg file in a text editor.

  2. Search to find the following lines:

    Provider.DVA.1.ip=
    Provider.DVA.1.port=
    

    These lines identify the DVA that you specified during installation.

  3. Copy and paste those two lines, replace 1 with 2, then specify the IP address and SOAP port of a another DVA, for example:

    Provider.DVA.2.ip=172.17.5.18
    Provider.DVA.2.port=8301
    
  4. Repeat Step 3, incrementing the number, and providing the IP addresses and SOAP ports for additional DVAs as needed.

  5. Save the webacc.cfg file.

  6. Skip to Section 76.1.7, Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect.

76.1.4 Disabling Caching of Attachments

When viewing attachments using WebAccess, the attachments are cached on your device by default. You can disable caching of viewed attachments in the webacc.cfg file:

  1. In the webacc.cfg file, search for the following lines:

    • Templates.Interface.1.disableCache: Controls caching of attachments on PCs.

    • Templates.Interface.2.disableCache: Controls caching of attachments on smart phones.

    • Templates.Interface.3.disableCache: Controls caching of attachments on tablet devices.

  2. Change false to true for the devices on which you don’t want to cache attachments.

  3. Save the webacc.cfg file.

  4. Continue with Section 76.1.7, Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect.

76.1.5 Adjusting Session Security

By default, the WebAccess Application uses the web browser IP address of the WebAccess user to confirm that, during the same session, it is always communicating with the same user. This is the highest form of security and works well for users on desktop workstations. However, for laptops and mobile devices that are carried to different places, possibly from one network segment to another, this level of security can cause interruptions in user sessions.

Other WebAccess Application security features, such as session cookies, provide excellent security, even without the IP address checking. If you have a large number of mobile WebAccess users, you can turn off the web browser IP address confirmation to make WebAccess more stable for these mobile users.

To disable IP address checking:

  1. Open the webacc.cfg file in a text editor.

  2. Search to find the following line:

    Security.UseClientIP.enable=
    
  3. Change true to false.

  4. Save the webacc.cfg file.

  5. Skip to Section 76.1.7, Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect.

76.1.6 Accommodating Single Sign-On Products

Some organizations choose to place a single sign-on product such as NetIQ Access Manager between users on the web and the applications they access that are running behind the organization’s firewall. If you use a single sign-on product with WebAccess, you must configure the WebAccess Application to accommodate the single sign-on product.

  1. Open the webacc.cfg file in a text editor.

  2. Search to find the following line:

    #Cookie.domain=.novell.com
    
  3. Remove the pound sign (#) to activate the setting.

  4. Replace .novell.com with the part of your organization’s Internet domain name that is common between the single sign-on product and the web server where the WebAccess Application is installed.

    For example, if the Access Manager server is at nam.novell.com and the WebAccess Application is at webacc.novell.com, the domain name used to create cookies would be .novell.com, so that the cookies are accepted by both servers.

  5. Save the webacc.cfg file.

  6. Skip to Section 76.1.7, Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect.

76.1.7 Putting WebAccess Configuration Changes into Effect

Accepting the Default Time Interval

By default, the WebAccess Application checks the webacc.cfg file and the gwac.xml file for changes every 10 minutes. When it finds changes, it puts the changes into effect without restarting Tomcat. If you are satisfied with having your changes put into effect within this time interval, no action is required on your part after you edit the webacc.cfg file or the gwac.xml file.

Changing the Default Time Interval

You can change the time interval at which the WebAccess Application checks the webacc.cfg file and the gwac.xml file for changes.

  1. Open the webacc.cfg file in a text editor.

  2. Search to find the following line:

    Config.Update.check=10
    
  3. Change 10 to the number of minutes you want the WebAccess Application to wait before checking for changes to its configuration file.

  4. Save the webacc.cfg file.

Immediately Putting the Configuration Changes into Effect

You can also manually restart Tomcat in order to put the changes into effect immediately.

OES 11:

rcnovell-tomcat6 stop
rcnovell-tomcat6 start

SLES 11:

rctomcat6 stop
rctomcat6 start

Windows:

  1. At the Windows server, click Start > Administrative Tools > Services.

  2. Right-click Tomcat 6, then click Restart.