Planning the GroupWise Agents

Use the GroupWise Agent Installation Worksheet to record your decisions about how to install the GroupWise agents as you review the following considerations:


Selecting the Agent Platform

The MTA and POA are available as NetWare NLMTM programs, Linux executables, and Windows executables.

In general, GroupWise is most efficient if you match the agent platform with the network operating system where the post office and domain are located. For example, if a domain and post office are located on a NetWare server, then you would install the NetWare agents for them. However, this is not required.

Those with mixed networks might wonder what platform combinations are possible. For more information, see the following sections in the GroupWise 6.5 Administration Guide:

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 1: Agent Platform, mark whether you plan to install the agents on NetWare, Linux, or Windows. Review Agent System Requirements to ensure that the specific server you have selected meets the listed requirements.


Selecting the Agent Location

Record which GroupWise agents you plan to run on the selected server (POA, MTA, or both) and whether you want to install the agents locally or remotely in relation to their directories and databases, as described in GroupWise Agent Overview.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 2: Agents and Locations, mark the agents to install and their locations relative to the directories and databases they need to access.

If the NetWare agents need to access their directories and databases on remote NetWare servers, you must add configuration information to the agent startup files to provide the needed access. You can choose from two access methods:

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 2: Agents and Locations, for the NetWare agents, record the startup switches and settings you'll need to add to the agent startup files after installation if you are installing the agents on a different NetWare server from where their directories and databases are located.


Selecting the Agent Installation Directory

The agent installation directory depends on the platform where you are installing the agents.

Consider these platform-specific guidelines:

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 3: Installation Path, record the directory where you want to install the GroupWise agent software.

Both the MTA and the POA are installed to the specified directory.


Gathering Domain and Post Office Information

Record the following information about the domains and post offices for which you are installing and setting up the GroupWise agents:

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 6: Domains, record the domain name and path to the domain directory for the new domain.

Under Item 7: Post Offices, record the post office name and path to the post office directory for the new post office.

Domains and post offices must exist before you install the agents for them. If necessary, create the domains and post offices that you are installing the agents for.


Clustering the NetWare Agents

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 agents). Novell Cluster Services supports failover, failback, and migration of individually managed cluster resources.

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

When the agents are configured for clustering, their startup files are configured with shared volume names rather than specific server names. In addition, the POA is configured to more effectively re-establish logins with GroupWise clients when a failover or migration situation arises.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 4: Configuring GroupWise Agents for Clustering, mark whether or not you want to configure the NetWare agents for clustering.

If you are using clustering, under Item 11: Launch in Protected Mode, mark that you want the Agent Installation program to start the agents in Protected Mode. This is required in a clustering environment.

Additional configuration of the Agent objects in ConsoleOne® is required to complete the agent setup in a clustering environment, as described in "Setting Up a Domain and Post Office in a Novell Cluster" in "Novell Cluster Services" in the GroupWise 6.5 Interoperability Guide:


Configuring the Windows Agents

When you install the Windows agents, you have choices about how the agents interact with the Windows operating system.


Configuring the Windows Agents as Services

When you run the GroupWise Windows agents as services, they can start automatically and run without a user interface.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 8: Installation Options, mark Install as Windows Services if you want to run the agents as services.

When you run the Windows agents as services, they must run under a specific Windows user account.

When domains and post offices are located on the same server where you are installing the agents, the agents can run under the local system account. You can also display the agent consoles when the agent software, directories, and databases are local.

When domains and post offices are located on a remote server, you must specify a user with rights to access the domain and post office directories. If the Windows agents need to log in to a Windows server, provide a Windows username and password. If the Windows agents need to log in to a NetWare server, provide an existing eDirectory username and password, or create a new account for the agents, as described in Creating a NetWare Account for Agent Access (Optional).

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 9: Windows Service Information, record the account the agents will run under, and if necessary, the password for the account.

As with all Windows services, the Windows agents can be started automatically or manually as services each time the Windows server restarts.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 9: Windows Service Information, mark how you want the Windows agents to start each time the server is restarted.


Using SNMP Traps to Monitor the Windows Agents

If you want to use an SNMP manager program, such as the Management and Monitoring Services component of Novell ZENworks® Server Management, to monitor the agents, you must install some SNMP components along with the Windows agent software.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 8: Installation Options, mark Install and Configure SNMP for GroupWise Agents if you want to use an SNMP manager program.

If this option is dimmed during installation, the SNMP service has not been enabled on the Windows server where you are installing the agents. If you want to monitor the agents from an SNMP management program, the SNMP service must be enabled so you can select this option.

NOTE:  The NetWare and Linux agents rely on operating system components for SNMP functionality and do not require this installation option.


Deciding Which Languages to Install

If you have users with various language preferences, you can install the GroupWise agents in multiple languages.

GROUPWISE AGENT INSTALLATION WORKSHEET

Under Item 5: Languages, list the languages you want to install the agents for.

By default, the agents start in the language selected for the domain. If that language has not been installed, the agents start in the language used by the operating system. If that language has not been installed, the agents start in English.