7.1 GroupWise Agent Overview
Each time you create a new post office, you must set up at least one Post Office Agent (POA) for it. Some of the POA’s tasks in the post office include:
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Connecting GroupWise clients to mailboxes through network connections (TCP/IP, IMAP, SOAP)
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Sending messages to other users and delivering incoming messages into mailboxes
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Indexing messages and documents to support the Find feature in the GroupWise clients
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Managing disk space usage in the post office and controlling the size of messages that users are allowed to send and receive
Each time you create a new domain, you must set up a Message Transfer Agent (MTA) for it. Some of the MTA’s tasks in the domain include:
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Routing user messages between post offices and domains
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Routing administration messages throughout the GroupWise system so that databases are kept in sync
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Synchronizing GroupWise user information with Novell eDirectory™ user information
The POA requires direct access to the post office directory so that it can write to the post office database. The MTA requires direct access to the domain directory so that it can write to the domain database. In addition, the POA and the MTA must be able to communicate with each other.
7.1.1 Local Access to Databases
The preferred way to fulfil this requirement is to install each agent on the same server with its directory. Running an agent locally on the same server where its directory and database are located simplifies network connections, because no remote login is required. In addition, it reduces network traffic and protects database integrity. The following diagram illustrates direct access:
Figure 7-1 Direct Access between Agents and Directories
7.1.2 Remote Access to Databases
However, if necessary, you can install the agent on a different server from its directory if you are using NetWare® or Windows. This requires the agent to have a direct link (mapped drive or UNC path) to its directory on the remote server in order to function. The following diagram illustrates the direct links:
Figure 7-2 Direct Links between Agents and Directories
IMPORTANT:On Linux, file system mounts between Linux servers to not provide the necessary file locking mechanisms for the GroupWise Linux agents to access their databases on remote Linux servers.
7.1.3 Links between the MTA and the POA
To route user and administration messages to the post office, the MTA requires a TCP/IP link to the POA for the post office, or alternatively, a direct link (mapped drive, UNC path, or file system mount) to the post office directory. The following diagram illustrates the alternatives:
Figure 7-3 MTA Link Alternatives
