8.0 Why Merge GroupWise Systems?

If you are consolidating organizations or combining departments, you might want to merge two or more GroupWise® 5.x 6.x, or 7.x systems rather than connect them (see Connecting to GroupWise 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x Systems).

WARNING:When merging systems, do not merge a domain from one system into another system if the merged domain is a newer version than the primary domain of its new system. For example, do not merge a GroupWise 7.x domain into a GroupWise system whose primary domain is version 6.5. The primary domain in a GroupWise system must always be at or above the version level of all secondary domains in the system.

You can achieve the same GroupWise functionality for your users by merging systems or by connecting them. Therefore, the question of whether to merge GroupWise systems is mostly a matter of administration:

If you want your entire GroupWise system configured so it can be administered by one administrator from any location without needing to change system connections and manage external objects, you should merge your systems.
If you want your entire GroupWise system configured so it can be administered by any administrator from any location, and changing system connections and managing external objects are not issues, you do not need to merge the systems.
If you want independent administrators for each GroupWise system, whether the systems are connected or not, you should not merge the systems.

If you want to merge a GroupWise 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x system into your GroupWise 7.x system, continue with Section 9.0, Planning the Merge.

If you do not want to merge the systems, but they are not connected and you would like to have them connected, see Connecting to GroupWise 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x Systems.