Workgroup Cool Solutions

IT TechTalk at BrainShare 2010

mattclayton — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:29:13 -0700

One of the most popular and attended events at BrainShare is back! IT Tech Talk (formerly known as "Meet the Experts") will take place Wednesday night from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. As always, you'll be able to mingle with our product engineers giving you an opportunity to discuss current and future product features and technologies. Heavy hors d'oeuvres and an open bar will be available.

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Install and Upgrade with EVMS Partitioned Server

sakila — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:55:02 -0700

Creating EVMS partitions on a clean disk machine:

Click Partitioning on the Installation Settings screen and select Create EVMS Based Proposal and click Next.

Click to view.
It creates a boot partition and lvm container with EVMS volumes on the second partition.

Click to view.

Creating EVMS partitions on top of existing partitions:

If the server has the partitions created already with a previous installation, delete the old partitions and create the EVMS partitions new.

Follow the steps below to clean up the disk and create the partitions.

Choose Create Custom Partition Setup

Click to view.
Then select disk

Click to view.
Press the button Use entire hard disk and choose the Create EVMS Based Proposal option.

Click to view.
It goes back to the Installation Settings screen with the EVMS partitions created.
It then deletes the existing partitions and creates a new boot partition and lvm container with EVMS volumes.

Click to view.

Upgrading a single hard disk server with the EVMS partition:

Install OES 2 SP1 with EVMS Partitioning to create NSS pools and Volumes.
Down the server and upgrade to OES 2 SP2. During System for Update screen, while mounting the partitions, it shows a window saying the /dev/evms/sda1 could not be mounted.
Select the button "Specify Mount options".

Click to view.
By default the path under Device will be /dev/evms/sda1.

Click to view.
Edit the Device to remove evms i.e /dev/evms/sda1 to /dev/sda1, then click OK.

Click to view.
Start the Update on the EVMS Partitioned server.

Click to view.

Cool Solutions

Free GroupWise Interactive Quick Start Cards

Messaging Architects — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:37:35 -0700

Go Green with GroupWise Quick Start Cards from Messaging Architects

Fewer printed materials mean a greener environment for all of us. We at Messaging Architects had an overwhemling number of requests for our GroupWise Quick Start cards so, as part of our initiative to reduce our environmental footprint, we're making these handy interactive reference cards available online for free.

Versions Available:

Key GroupWise 8 Topics Include:

Basic Navigation
Managing Contacts
Creating Recurrng Appointments, Tasks, and Notes
Sharing Folders
Granting Proxy Access
… and more!

Download your GroupWise QuickStart Cards today. They're good for your users – and the environment!

Cool Solutions

New: Merchandise Transfer Form in the Teaming Library

Teaming_Library — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:33:18 -0700

New Form in the Teaming Library: Merchandise Transfer

The Library is excited to add a form that will not only aid efficiency but add security control to your business process. The Merchandise Transfer form is a simple way to request, record, and respond to transfer of goods inside of your organization.

To Download the form visit the Library by clicking HERE.

Cool Solutions

Webinar: Upgrading to GroupWise 8 Tips & Tricks

Messaging Architects — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:07:42 -0700

Start: 1 Dec 2009 - 3:00pm

Timezone: US/Eastern

GroupWise 8 offers a superior end-user experience and cool, new collaboration features. So, let's get that migration started!

Is your organization planning on upgrading to GW8? Do you have questions or concerns? Do you want to learn some tricks for upgrading and how best to prepare your system? Join this Webinar from Messaging Architects' GroupWise Best Practices Webinar Series. You'll learn about tested best practices and get other valuable tips to consider when you upgrade to GroupWise 8. GroupWise Expert Gregg A. Hinchman will answer specific questions related to your messaging environment and help to ensure your upgrade is as smooth as possible.

Register Today!
Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)

Duration: 1 hour

Cool Solutions

Hosting — It's an Issue of Trust

Messaging Architects — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:01:21 -0700

Thoughts on Eating Our Own Caviar … and Boomerang Mail Servers

For many IT departments, the decision to go or not go with hosted email hinges on trust. Can the organization trust the provider to give the system the same care an attention that internal IT people would? I didn't want Messaging Architects to offer a hosted email service unless I could be confident the answer would be, "Yes — and more."

The first step in that direction was for Messaging Architects to move our own GroupWise system onto the same virtualized infrastructure in the same datacenter (Rackspace) that we would be providing to our hosted clients. I am pleased to announce that this transition is done and we are running all our systems on a custom-designed, fully virtualized server stack at Rackspace. We learned a ton in the process, and these lessons have been integrated into a smart, simple, and secure migration methodology. The goal is to make it easy for clients to move from a physical onsite infrastructure to a virtualized and hosted one.

Contrary to other hosted email providers, we decided that each client would get their own 100%-dedicated, virtualized server stack. Unlike other hosting providers that mix your email with that of hundreds of other companies on mega servers, we provide each client a fully isolated server. This service is not meant for small companies (we start at 350 users and up) and it is certainly a more expensive approach for us, but we think it is the right way to build a flexible service.

I always had a problem with providers that hold your data hostage and make it difficult or impossible to get it back. We chose to make it very easy to take your servers back in-house. Since each client has their own set of virtual machines, we can return the entire virtual framework — data and apps — back over to your organization in less than 24 hours. Just like you hope your adult children will never move back in, we hope you’ll never want your servers back … but if you do, then we make it both possible and painless.

Our unique approach also means the system can still leverage your organization's rich, on-site infrastructure such as eDirectory and Identity Manager (enabling provisioning, single sign-on, etc.). There's also transparent integration with enterprise apps that either remain onsite (CRM, HR) or might be hosted elsewhere (Salesforce). None of this is possible with other hosted offerings.

Of course, with Rackspace as a partner, we have access to world-class, 24 x 7 protection against power failure and equipment malfunction, as well as built-in redundancies on servers and network connectivity. Our custom engineering is designed to spread the virtual stack across multiple physical servers, each with point-in-time backup and restore. All data transmissions are over secure HTTPS connections.

We are accepting our first round of clients now, and we will go big in early 2010. The service includes GroupWise 8 and the combination of M+Archive and M+Guardian. The result is a risk-free, zero-effort email infrastructure that can grow with your organization — and perhaps even move back in one day ;-).

— Frederic Bourget, Messaging Architects VP of Technology & Solutions

Cool Solutions

Webinar: GWAVA Reload 3.1 - Save Time with Reload

GWAVAComm — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:05:41 -0700

Start: 10 Dec 2009 - 3:00pm

End: 10 Dec 2009 - 4:00pm

Timezone: US/Eastern

GWAVA is pleased to invite you to a special 1 hour webinar on December 10th, 2009 at 3pm EST. Stephen Cohen will demonstrate step-by-step how the new migration features in Reload can save you time.

If you are thinking of migrating your GroupWise post office to Linux, you don't want to miss this free webinar!

Presenter: Stephen Cohen, GWAVA Systems Engineer

To sign up, click HERE.

Workgroup Cool Solutions

GWAVACon 2010 Call for Speakers

GWAVAComm — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:04 -0700

GWAVACon 2010 is shaping up to be an exciting event with lots of interesting technical sessions and keynotes. There are still a few session slots available. Let us know if you would like to speak or if you know of a session topic or speaker that would interest GWAVACon attendees.

Contact gregj@gwava.com if you would like to participate.

GWAVACon is the Novell GroupWise technology conference where you can enjoy face-to-face interaction with the top experts on GroupWise and other Novell technology. GWAVACon will be held January 24-26, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For more information on GWAVACon or to register, go to www.gwavacon.com.

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Omni Adds Web-based Management for M+Guardian and M+Archive to eControl

Omni-TS — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:58:54 -0700

Start: 25 Nov 2009 - 3:30pm

Timezone: US/Eastern

Messaging Architects customers can now use eControl to quickly and easily delegate M+Guardian and M+Archive management, provisioning and auditing tasks to non-technical users. No administrator rights required. Designed for non-technical front-line staff, all actions are written to an audit file. eControl also provides support for eDirectory, GroupWise, ZENworks, Microsoft Terminal Server, Active Directory and Exchange management from a single web interface.

When: Wednesday, November 25th, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (17:00 UTC)

What You Will Learn:

How to replace ConsoleOne, iManager, MMC and Task Pads with a much simpler web application that was designed with the non-technical end-user in mind.

How to quickly and easily delegate routine M+Guardian and M+Archive management and auditing tasks to non-technical users in your environment (e.g., service desk staff, email compliance administrators, HR staff, security department, line managers and junior administrators).

How to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your user and email lifecycle management processes.

How to free up your senior IT staff from managing routine, yet time-consuming M+ Guardian, M+Archive tasks.

How to decentralize the administration of eDirectory, GroupWise, Active Directory, Exchange, ZENworks, Microsoft Terminal Server, M+Guardian and M+Archive to regional offices without losing any control.

Contact Omni at sales@omni-ts.com or +1.780.423.4200 for more information on eControl.

For more information on the new M+Guardian and M+Archive modules for eControl, contact Messaging Architects at sales@messagingarchitects.com or 1-514-392-9220.

Cool Solutions

Patching and Upgrading OES 2 SP1 to OES 2 SP2

sakila — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:47:53 -0700

This article describes upgrading OES 2 SP1 to OES 2 SP2 using several different methods.

For this document, I have used nu.novell.com as the patch channel. The same methods with required modifications should work with internal patch servers as well.

Table of Contents:
1. Media Upgrade 1.1 Media Upgrade on Physical OES Server 1.2 Media Upgrade on DSFW Server 1.3 Media Upgrade on XEN 2. Channel Upgrade 2.1 RUG cli Method 2.2 RUG GUI Method 2.3 YaST Method 3. Silent and Interactive Upgrade 4. TroubleShooting

1. Media Upgrade

Supported Scenarios:

OES 1 -> OES 2 SP2
OES 2 -> OES 2 SP2
OES 2 SP1 -> OES 2 SP2

Note: DSFW Upgrade is supported only from OES 2 SP1 to OES 2 SP2.

1.1 Media Upgrade on Physical OES Server

Insert the SLES10SP3 Boot disk on the OES 2 SP1 server and proceed with the Installation.
During Installation Mode choose the option "Update" and click "Include add-on products".
Click "Next" and enter the OES 2 SP2 build path.

Click to view.
Click "Accept" and start the Upgrade process.

Click to view.
After the Installation is done, during the OES configuration, click "Upgrade" to upgrade eDirectory.

Click to view.
Enter the admin credentials for the upgrade to proceed.

Click to view.

1.2 Media Upgrade on DSFW Server

The DSFW Media is same as a normal Linux Upgrade except that the DSFW administrator password has to be provided during the eDirectory Upgrade.

Click to view.

1.3 Media Upgrade on XEN

Install OES 2 SP1 as VM Guest on the Host Machine
Create a directory on the VM Host server to copy the RAM disk and configuration files of SLES10SP3 (/upgrade)
Check the kernel type on VM guest using the command uname -r, the kernel ends either with xen or xenpae. Based on this kernel type the file has to be copied into the upgrade directory of the VM Host server
Shutdown the VM Guest
Copy the vmlinuz-xen and initrd-xen or vmlinuz-xenpae and initrd-xenpae(based on kernel type) from the Installation source of SLES10SP3 to the upgrade directory of the VM Host server

Copy the VM Guest configuration file into a file to modify for Upgrade process
Run this command on the VM host

xm list -l <Name of VM Guest> > /<path ofupgrade dir>/modify_config_file.sxp

eg:

xm list -l oes2sp1 > /upgrade/modify_config_file.sxp

Make a copy of this modified_config_file before modifying and name it as unmodified_config_file and create the two files under the same path /upgrade
Delete the VM Guest configuration from the XEN database using xm delete <VM Guest name>
Open the Modified_config_file.sxp and modify the following parameters
1. Remove the line that begins with (bootloader_args ….
2. Change the line from
  (on_reboot restart) to (on_reboot destroy)
3. Remove the line that contains
  (bootloader /usr/lib/xen/boot/domUloader.py)
4. Modify the kernel line so that it reads:
  (kernel /upgrade/vmlinuz-xen or /upgrade/vmlinuz-xenpae)
5. Insert a ramdisk line below the kernel line
  (ramdisk /upgrade/initrd-xen or /upgrade/initrd-xenpae)
6. In the args line between the quotes insert the SLES10SP3 Installation path
  (args ‘install=http://<ip addr>/sles10sp3/<arch>’)
  unmodified_config_file.sxp:
  
  Click to view.
  
  modified_config_file.sxp:
  
  Click to view.
Start the Upgrade by entering this command on VM host server:
```
xm create -F /<path of upgrade dir>/modify_config_file.sxp
	
```
eg:
```
xm create -F /upgrade/modify_config_file.sxp
	
```
Now the VM Guest will appear on the virt-manager as running, open the VM Guest and the enter the details for Upgrade
After the first stage of the Upgrade i.e Perform Update, the VM Guest will disappear from the virt-manager.
Create the VM Guest again to continue the second stage of the Upgrade process by entering the following command on VM Host server:
```
xm new -F /<path of upgrade dir>/unmodify_config_file.sxp
```
eg:
```
xm new -F /upgrade/unmodify_config_file.sxp
```
Now continue with the second stage of Upgrade process.

2. Channel Upgrade

2.1 Upgrading the Server using command line (RUG cli)

Register the server in the Novell Customer Center using YaST -> Software -> Customer Center Configuration or through command:
```
suse_register -a email=<email-address> -a regcode-sles=code  -a regcode-oes=code
```

Verify the Service types using:

   rug sl

   # | Status  | Type | Name                                | URI
   --+---------+------+-------------------------------------+--------------
   1 | Active  | ZYPP | Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 SP1 | http://164.99.147....
   2 | Active  | ZYPP | SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 | http://164.99.147....
   3 | Active  | NU   | https://nu.novell.com               | https://nu.novell.com

Check SLES10 SP3 and OES 2 SP2 updates using rug pch
Update the server with all available patches using this command:
```
rug up -t patch <sles10sp3 and oes2sp2 updates>
	
	
```
Click to view.
To finish the upgrade, reboot the server.

Note: For Silent Upgrade, create an answer file and reboot the server
After reboot, the upgrade proceeds with the OES configurations.

Click to view.

2.2 Upgrading the server using GUI (Rug GUI Method)

Click the novell Updater icon on the desktop (orange color icon near the clock on taskbar).
Select the patches you wish to install and click update.

Click to view.
After the Update is successful, it pops up with a Reboot option to proceed with the Update process.
When all the patches are applied, the Novell Updater icon changes to a globe.

Click to view.
Reboot the server and the upgrade proceeds with the YaST Configurations of OES.

Note: For Silent Upgrade, create an answer file and reboot the server.

2.3 YaST method of Upgrade

Click YaST -> Software -> Online Update and select all the Security and Recommended patches, click Accept and install all these patches.
Then select the optional patches which contains move-to-sles10-sp3 which is required to update to SLES-10-SP3 and install the optional patches.

Click to view.

Click to view.
After the Patches are applied, reboot the server for the upgrade to finish.

Click to view.

Note: Channel Upgrade on XEN is the same as upgrading the Linux Physical Server.

3. Silent Upgrade and Interactive Upgrade

Channel Upgrade can be done using two ways. One is Silent or scripted upgrade and other one is Interactive upgrade.

Silent Upgrade:

The password file will get generated where the admin password will be saved into the file and during upgrade process the admin credentials will be picked up from the password file. No user intervention is required during Upgrade process.

After applying the patches, do not reboot the server. Create the answer file for a Silent Upgrade and reboot the server

Command to create answer file:

yast2 create-answer-file <admin password>

The create-answer-file script will be located under /usr/share/YAST2/clients.

It will create an answer file under the same location(/usr/share/YAST2/clients)

Click to view.

Copy the answer file to /opt/novell/oes-install directory. The upgrade code will search the answer file in /opt/novell/oes-install.

 :/usr/share/YAST2/clients # cp answer /opt/novell/oes-install

Command to create answer file for DSFW silent upgrade

yast2 create-answer-file <admin password> <dsfw administrator password>

Click to view.

Interactive Upgrade:

User intervention is required to provide the admin password during upgrade.

Click to view.

DSFW Interactive Channel Upgrade:

Click to view.

4. TroubleShooting

Archive Versioning:

If Archive Versioning is not running by default after Upgrade, check the permissions of arkmanager directory located under /opt/novell.

If the User and Group has been changed to root user after the upgrade, change the permissions to admin and admin group and start the service.

Click to view.

iPrint on NSS:

If the iPrint Client RPM breaks the iPrint NSS Symbolic Links.

Prerequisites:

Bring up the shared volume used for storing the iPrint configuration.
Backup the existing /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs on your shared volume.

Note: At minimum, backup the existing /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs/iprint.ini and restore it post step 2.
Copy /var/opt/novell/iprint_client/htdocs to /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs (which will be a symbolic link to the shared folder) using following:
```
cp /var/opt/novell/iprint_client/htdocs/* /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs/* -rf 
```
Note: Do not remove the /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs on the shared volume, only overwrite the contents in this folder from /var/opt/novell/iprint_client/htdocs/. This is because the /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs/ folder contains some additional files which are not part of the client rpm and hence not available in /var/opt/novell/iprint_client/htdocs/ folder.
Copy the iprint.ini from the backup folder in to the /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs.

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