5.1 GroupWise WebAccess Application Overview
5.1.1 GroupWise WebAccess Functionality
GroupWise WebAccess, when used in a desktop Web browser, provides most of the functionality available in the GroupWise Windows client. On an Apple iPad, most commonly used functionality is available. WebAccess functionality on mobile devices is limited compared to WebAccess in a desktop browser or an iPad. For WebAccess user functionality details, see
After you set up GroupWise WebAccess, you should look at Section 5.6, What’s Next for additional information you might want to be aware of as you configure, maintain, and expand GroupWise WebAccess.
5.1.2 GroupWise WebAccess Components
GroupWise WebAccess consists of four components: the browser-based WebAccess user interface (desktop computer, tablet computer, or mobile device), the WebAccess Application, the Post Office Agent, and the Document Viewer Agent.
WebAccess Application: The WebAccess Application, which resides on the Web server, provides the GroupWise WebAccess user interface. As users perform actions in the WebAccess, the WebAccess Application passes information between the Web browser and the Post Office Agent.
Post Office Agent: The Post Office Agent (POA) receives user requests from the WebAccess Application, accesses post offices and libraries to process the requests, and then passes information back to the WebAccess Application.
Document Viewer Agent: The Document Viewer Agent (DVA) isolates the conversion process for attached document files. The DVA can simultaneously convert multiple document files into HTML format. If it encounters a problem converting a document file, the problem does not affect conversion of other document files, nor does it affect the functioning of the WebAccess Application. Therefore, GroupWise WebAccess users do not experience interruptions because of document files that fail to convert into HTML. Document files that fail in the conversion process simply cannot be viewed in WebAccess. The DVA is automatically installed along with the POA.
5.1.3 WebAccess Security Requirements
The WebAccess Application can be configured to support the level of security you have established for your Internet/intranet communication.
If you are not concerned about security issues (for example, you only plan to use the WebAccess Application on a secured intranet), you can install the WebAccess Application to any Web servers that provide access for your users and meet the requirements listed in Section 5.2, WebAccess System Requirements.
If you plan to use the WebAccess Application to provide users with access to their mailboxes from anywhere on the Internet (rather than only within a secured intranet), and you already have a firewall in place to provide security, you have the following options for configuring the WebAccess Application:
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Install the WebAccess Application inside your firewall and use a proxy service. See Configuration with a Proxy Service. This is the recommended configuration.
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Install the WebAccess Application on a Web server outside your firewall and the POA and the DVA on a server inside your firewall. See Configuration without a Proxy Service.
Configuration with a Proxy Service
If your firewall includes a proxy service, you can install the WebAccess Application to a Web server inside your firewall, while the POA and the DVA are installed on another server inside the firewall, as shown in the following illustration.
Configuration without a Proxy Service
If your firewall does not provide a proxy service, you need to install the WebAccess Application to a Web server that is outside the firewall. Because the POA requires direct access to a GroupWise post office directory, it needs to be installed to a server that is located within the firewall.
The firewall must allow inbound IP packets to be sent from the Web server to the IP address and port number of the POA (for example, 172.16.5.18:1677).
In addition, the firewall must allow outbound IP packets to be sent from the POA to the Web server. This requires all high ports (above 1023) to be open to outbound IP packets.