5.1.1 GroupWise WebAccess Introduction

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

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.

Figure 5-1 GroupWise WebAccess Requires the User to Log in to a GroupWise Mailbox, but GroupWise WebPublisher Does Not

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; WebPublisher users do not require a mailbox.

After you’ve finished setting up GroupWise WebAccess, you should look at Section 5.5, 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 WebAccess Application, the WebPublisher Application, the WebAccess Agent, and the Document Viewer Agent.

Figure 5-2 GroupWise WebAccess Components

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

5.1.3 One WebAccess Server vs. Two

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

Figure 5-3 The GroupWise WebAccess Application, WebPublisher Application, WebAccess Agent, and Viewer Agent Are All Installed on the Web Server

The server where they run together must be a Web server because the WebAccess Application is installed into the Web server installation.

The WebAccess Agent and Viewer Agent can also run on a different server from where the WebAccess Application runs. In addition to running on a NetWare, Linux, or Windows server, the WebAccess Application can also run on a UNIX Solaris server in conjunction with a Web server running on one of those platforms, as illustrated below:

Figure 5-4 The GroupWise WebAccess and WebPublisher Applications Are Installed on the Web Server, and the WebAccess Agent and Viewer Agent Are Installed on a NetWare or Windows Server

Security, discussed in Section 5.1.4, WebAccess Security Requirements, might also determine whether you run the WebAccess Agent and Viewer Agent on the same server as the Web server.

5.1.4 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 listed in Section 5.2, 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:

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 and Viewer Agent to another server inside the firewall, as shown in the following illustration.

Figure 5-5 WebAccess Installed in an Environment That Uses a Proxy Service

If desired, the WebAccess Agent and Viewer Agent can also be installed to the Web server rather than a separate server, as discussed in Section 5.1.3, 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.

Figure 5-6 WebAccess Installed in an Environment That Doesn’t Use a Proxy Service

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.

5.1.5 GroupWise Document Viewer Agent

The documents that users attach to e-mail messages are as varied as the combinations of document formats, tools, and users throughout the world. In order to display documents in your Web browser, WebAccess must convert them to HTML. Because some documents contain unexpected data, WebAccess cannot convert them. In earlier versions of GroupWise, the WebAccess Agent sometimes shut down when it could not convert a document. This occurrence then interrupted the activities of all WebAccess users.

The GroupWise 7 Document Viewer Agent resolves the problem by taking over the document conversion task from the WebAccess Agent. The Viewer Agent can process multiple documents simultaneously, and if it encounters a problem with a document, the problem does not affect its processing of other documents, nor does it affect the functioning of the WebAccess Agent. Therefore, WebAccess users no longer experience interruptions because of documents that fail to convert into HTML.

The Viewer Agent is automatically installed along with the WebAccess Agent, and the WebAccess Agent manages the Viewer Agent, starting and stopping it as needed. The default configuration of the Viewer Agent is sufficient to provide basic document conversion functionality. The default configuration includes a minimum of 5 worker threads that run independently of the Viewer Agent process. Additional Viewer Agent functionality can be enabled using startup switches in the Viewer Agent startup file (gwdva.dva). Configuring the Viewer Agent in ConsoleOne is not currently possible. For more information, see Configuring the Document Viewer Agent in WebAccess in the GroupWise 7 Administration Guide.