Moving a Post Office to Linux

1. If you are moving a post office that has a library with a remote document storage area, follow the steps in Handling Remote Document Storage Areas, then return to this point.

2. On the Linux server, become root in a terminal window.

3. Mount the NetWare or Windows server where the post office is located to the Linux file system, using commands similar to the following examples:

   NetWare Server:
   mount -t ncpfs //NetWare_server_name /mountpoint_directory -o user=username
                                     -o ipserver=server_IP_address -o server=server_hostname

   or

   mount -t cifs //NetWare_server_name/volume -o user=username /mountpoint_directory

   The NetWare_server_name should be specified as its full DNS name (for example, lnxsvr3.provo.novell.com). The username should be specified as a fully qualified name (for example, admin.users.corporate).

   Windows Server:
   mount -t smbfs //Windows_server_name/sharename /mountpoint_directory -o username=username

4. Create a new directory for your GroupWise system into which the post office directory will be copied. For example:

   mkdir /gwsystem

   If you want to use an existing directory, make sure that it is empty.

5. Use DBCopy to copy the post office directory from the NetWare or Windows server to the new directory on the Linux server.

   ./dbcopy -M /post_office_directory /destination_directory

   DBCopy is typically used for backing up your GroupWise system, but when you use the -M switch to move a post office, it changes directory names to lowercase as required on Linux and copies the message queue directories as well as the GroupWise databases in the post office. For instructions on installing and running DBCopy, see "GroupWise Database Copy Utility" in "Databases" in the GroupWise 6.5 Administration Guide.

   At this point, it is acceptable for users to still be running GroupWise. For a large post office, it might take one to two hours to copy the post office. You will run DBCopy again in a later step, after you have configured the post office for its new location, in order to pick up new and modified files. At that point, all users need to be out of GroupWise for a short time.

   If you are copying a large post office, you might want to skip to Step 11 to install the POA software while the post office is being copied, to further minimize down time for users. You should then return to Step 6 when the copying is completed.

6. In ConsoleOne^® on Windows, update the location information for the post office:

   1. Display the Identification property page of the Post Office object.

   2. In the UNC Path field, change the path to the location on the Linux server where you copied the post office. For example:

      \\linuxsvr3\gwsystem\research

      For a Linux server, ConsoleOne interprets the UNC path as a Linux path. Do not put a Linux path in the UNC Path field.

   3. Display the Identification property page of the POA object for the post office.

   4. In the Platform field, make sure that Linux is selected.

   5. Display the Network Address property page of the POA object for the post office.

   6. In the Network Address field, specify the IP address of the Linux server.

   7. Click OK to save the new path and IP address information for the post office.

7. Notify users that they must exit GroupWise unless they are running in Caching mode.

   Users in Caching mode do not need access to the post office in order to continue using GroupWise.

8. On the NetWare or Windows server, stop the POA for the post office.

   GroupWise users can no longer access the post office.

9. On the Linux server, run DBCopy again.

   ./dbcopy -M -I mm-dd-yyyy /post_office_directory /destination_directory

   When you run DBCopy the second time and include the -I switch with today's date, it copies only files that have been modified today, like an incremental backup. The second DBCopy process should be substantially shorter than the first one.

10. Run the standalone GroupWise Check utility (GWCheck) with the storelowercase support option to convert the filenames and directory names stored inside GroupWise databases in the post office to lowercase:

    1. See "Starting GWCheck on a Linux Workstation" in "Databases" in the GroupWise 6.5 Administration Guide for instructions on installing and starting GWCheck.

    2. In the Database Type box, select Post Office.

    3. Browse to and select the post office database in its new location, then specify the post office name.

    4. In the Object Type box, select Post Office.

    5. In the Support Options field on the Misc tab, specify storelowercase.

    6. Click Run to run GWCheck.

11. Run the GroupWise Installation program to install the Linux POA for the post office, as described in Installing the GroupWise Agents on Linux.

12. Start the Linux POA using the --show startup switch, as described in Starting the Linux Agents with a User Interface.

13. If your system includes an Internet Agent that is used for POP and IMAP e-mail clients, check the link between the Internet Agent and the post office:

    1. In ConsoleOne on Windows, right-click the Internet Agent object, then click Properties.

    2. Click Post Office Links.

    3. Make sure that the link shows the correct IP address where the Linux POA for the moved post office is now running.

14. If your system includes the WebAccess Agent, check the link between the WebAccess Agent and the moved post office:

    1. In ConsoleOne on Windows, right-click the WebAccess Agent object, then click Properties.

    2. Click Post Office Links.

    3. Make sure that the link shows the correct IP address where the Linux POA for the moved post office is now running.

15. Provide GroupWise users with the new IP address where the Linux POA is now running so that they can start GroupWise again and access their mailboxes on the Linux server.

    If you are running a GroupWise name server, as described in "Simplifying Client/Server Access with a GroupWise Name Server" in "Post Office Agent" in the GroupWise 6.5 Administration Guide, users are automatically redirected to the new IP address when they start GroupWise.

16. When the Linux POA is running smoothly for the new post office location, delete the old post office directory structure on the NetWare or Windows server.

17. Set up a backup procedure for the post office in it new location, as described in "GroupWise Database Copy Utility" in "Databases" in the GroupWise 6.5 Administration Guide.