GroupWise WebAccess Introduction

GroupWise WebAccess, when used on a computer's Web browser, provides most of the functionality available in the GroupWise client for Windows. For information about tasks that can be completed using GroupWise WebAccess, see the GroupWise WebAccess Help after installation. GroupWise WebAccess functionality on wireless devices or PDAs might be limited in comparison to the GroupWise client for Windows.

GroupWise WebAccess also includes GroupWise WebPublisher, an optional extension to GroupWise WebAccess. GroupWise WebPublisher lets GroupWise users publish documents from a GroupWise library to the Web. Web users can then view the published documents in their Web browsers.

As shown above, GroupWise WebAccess requires users to have a mailbox in a GroupWise post office. GroupWise WebPublisher, on the other hand, is designed to provide public access to GroupWise library documents; users do not require a mailbox.

After you've finished setting up GroupWise WebAccess, you should look at What's Next for additional information you might want to be aware of as you configure, maintain, and expand GroupWise WebAccess.

NOTE:  If you plan to install GroupWise WebAccess in a clustered server environment provided by Novell Cluster Services^TM or Microsoft Clustering Services, see the GroupWise 6.5 Interoperability Guide for additional information.

GroupWise WebAccess Components

GroupWise WebAccess consists of three components: the WebAccess Application, the WebPublisher Application, and the WebAccess Agent.

WebAccess Application: The WebAccess Application, which resides on the Web server, provides the WebAccess user interface. As users perform actions in WebAccess, the WebAccess Application passes information between the Web browser and the WebAccess Agent.

WebPublisher Application: The WebPublisher Application, which resides on the Web server, provides the WebPublisher user interface. As users perform actions in WebPublisher, the WebPublisher Application passes information between the Web browser and the WebAccess Agent.

WebAccess Agent: The WebAccess Agent receives user requests from the WebAccess Application and WebPublisher Application, accesses post offices and libraries to process the requests, and then passes information back to the applications.

The WebAccess Agent is required for both WebAccess and WebPublisher. The WebAccess Application must be installed to use WebAccess. Likewise, the WebPublisher Application must be installed to use WebPublisher.

One WebAccess Server vs. Two

The WebAccess Application and WebPublisher Application must be installed to a Linux, NetWare^®, or Windows Web server. If desired, you can install the WebAccess Agent on the same server.

You can also install the WebAccess Agent on a different server, as shown below. The WebAccess Agent can be run on a Linux, NetWare, or Windows server.

Security, discussed in WebAccess Security Requirements, might also determine whether you run the WebAccess Agent on the same server as the Web server.

WebAccess Security Requirements

GroupWise WebAccess 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 WebAccess on a secured intranet), you can install the WebAccess components to any servers that provide access for your users and meet the requirements (see WebAccess System Requirements).

If you plan to use WebAccess to provide users with access to their mailboxes from anywhere on the Internet (rather than simply within a secured intranet), and you already have a firewall in place to provide security, you have the following options for configuring WebAccess:

• Install all WebAccess components inside your firewall and use a proxy service. See Configuration Using a Proxy Service. This is the recommended configuration.
• Install the WebAccess and WebPublisher Applications on a Web server outside your firewall and the WebAccess Agent on a server inside your firewall. See Configuration Without a Proxy Service.

Configuration Using a Proxy Service

If your firewall includes a proxy service, you can install the WebAccess Application and WebPublisher Application to a Web server inside your firewall, and the WebAccess Agent to another server inside the firewall, as shown in the following illustration.

If desired, the WebAccess Agent can also be installed to the Web server rather than a separate server, as discussed in One WebAccess Server vs. Two.

Configuration Without a Proxy Service

If your firewall does not provide a proxy service, you need to install the WebAccess Application and WebPublisher Application to a Web server that is outside the firewall. Because the WebAccess Agent requires direct access (mapped path or UNC path) to a GroupWise domain 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 WebAccess Agent (for example, 172.16.5.18:7205).

In addition, the firewall must allow outbound IP packets to be sent from the WebAccess Agent to the Web server. This requires all high ports (above 1023) to be open to outbound IP packets.

Novell Cluster Services

Novell Cluster Services is a server clustering system that ensures high availability and manageability of critical network resources including volumes (where GroupWise domains and post offices reside) and applications (such as the GroupWise WebAccess Agent). Novell Cluster Services supports failover, failback, and migration of individually managed cluster resources.

The NetWare WebAccess Agent can be configured to take advantage of the fault-tolerant environment provided by Novell Cluster Services if the following requirements are met:

• The domains and post offices to be serviced by the NetWare WebAccess Agent have already been created on shared NSS volumes in the cluster.
• The NetWare WebAccess Agent is being installed to a server that is part of the same cluster.

When the WebAccess Agent is configured for clustering, its startup file is configured with shared volume names rather than specific server names.

For more information, see "Novell Cluster Services" in the GroupWise 6.5 Interoperability Guide.