TCP/IP Link Closed: Transfer between Post Offices Delayed

This message flow diagram illustrates how a GroupWise message travels from one user to another between post offices in the same domain when the TCP/IP link between the post office and the domain is closed.


Message flow when the TCP/IP link is closed
Stage Icon Description

Stage 1
Sender

User icon

The user sends a message to recipients in a different post office in the same domain.

In this diagram, the access mode setting in the local post office is Client/Server Only.

Stage 2
Sender's
GroupWise
Client

Client icon

The GroupWise client communicates the message to the POA by way of TCP/IP.

Stage 3
POA for
Sender's
Post Office

POA icon

The POA receives the message from the GroupWise client and performs the following actions for the sender:

  • Adds the message to the message database (msgnn.db) assigned to the sender.
  • Creates a pointer in the sender's user database (userxxx.db) so the message appears in the sender's mailbox as a sent item.
  • Places attachments larger than 2 KB in the post_office\offiles\fd0-f6 subdirectory assigned to the sender and creates pointers from the message to its attachments. (For database efficiency, messages and distribution lists larger than 2 KB are also handled as attachments.)
  • Creates a copy of the message in the appropriate priority 0-7 subdirectory of the MTA input queue in the sender's post office, in case the TCP/IP link to the MTA is currently closed.

Stage 4
POA for
Sender's
Post Office

POA icon

The POA then attempts to communicate the message to the MTA by way of TCP/IP, but the MTA does not respond. The POA leaves the copy of the message in the MTA input queue and periodically attempts to contact the MTA. When the MTA responds again, the POA communicates the message and deletes the copy in the MTA input queue after the TCP/IP transmission to the MTA is successful.

Stage 5
MTA for
Local Domain

MTA icon

The MTA receives the message and places it into the MTA "in progress" (gwinprog) queue.

Stage 6
MTA for
Local Domain

MTA icon

The MTA then communicates the message to the POA in the recipient's post office by way of TCP/IP. When the transmission is successful, the MTA deletes the message from the MTA "in progress" (gwinprog) queue.

If the TCP/IP link to the recipient's post office were closed, the message would be placed in the closed post office's holding queue in the MTA's mslocal directory for later transfer. The resulting message flow would be parallel to what occurs when a domain is closed. For a similar message flow that illustrates how messages to closed locations are handled, see TCP/IP Link Closed: Transfer between Domains Delayed.

Stage 7
POA for
Recipient's
Post Office

POA icon

When it receives the new message, the POA for the recipient's post office performs the following actions:

  • Adds the message to the message database (msgnn.db) corresponding to the one assigned to the sender.
  • Creates a pointer in the recipient's user database (userxxx.db) so the new message appears in the recipient's mailbox and updates the notification information in the user database so the recipient can be notified of the message.
  • Places attachments larger than 2 KB in the post_office\offiles\fd0-f6 subdirectory corresponding to the one assigned to the sender and creates pointers from the message to its attachments. (For database efficiency, messages and distribution lists larger than 2 KB are also handled as attachments.)
  • Creates a Delivered status message in the appropriate priority 0-7 subdirectory of the MTA input queue in the recipient's post office. It also communicates the Delivered status message directly to the MTA by way of TCP/IP and when that transmission is successful, the copy in the MTA input queue is deleted.

Stage 8
POA for Local
Post Office

POA icon

The POA communicates to the GroupWise client by way of TCP/IP that a new message has arrived.

Stage 9
Recipient's
GroupWise
Client

Client icon

The Notify component of the recipient's GroupWise client notifies the recipient that a new message has arrived.

Stage 10
Recipient

User icon

Each recipient opens the message in the GroupWise client.

Stage 11
Recipient's
GroupWise
Client

Client icon

Each recipient's GroupWise client communicates the Opened status message to the POA by way of TCP/IP.

Stage 12
POA for
Recipient's
Post Office

POA icon

The POA for the recipient's post office communicates the status message to the MTA by way of TCP/IP.

Stage 13
MTA for
Local Domain

MTA icon

The MTA places the status message into the MTA "in progress" (gwinprog) queue.

Stage 14
MTA for
Local Domain

MTA icon

The MTA communicates the status message to the POA for the sender's post office by way of TCP/IP.

Stage 13
POA in
Sender's
Post Office

POA icon

The POA for the sender's post office updates the sender's message database (msgnn.db) with the Delivered status information (and possibly Opened as well if the recipient has opened the message).

Stage 16
POA for Local
Post Office

POA icon

The POA communicates the Opened status to the sender's GroupWise client by way of TCP/IP.

Stage 12
Sender

User icon

When the sender checks the sent items in his or her mailbox in the GroupWise client, the message displays a status of Delivered for each recipient (and possibly Opened as well if the recipient has opened the message).