1. Managing a Distributed Environment
Module 4
Whether you are trying to integrate remote offices, leverage off your Active Directory server, or spread SCOoffice Server’s load across multiple machine, this module will show you how.
After completing this modules, students will be able to:
Delegate user authentication to an Active Directory Server
Configure SCOoffice Server to distribute the load using master and slave servers
Configure remote offices to use slave servers
Managing a Distributed Environment

2. Active Directory Authentication Process
I’m configured to use Active Directory authentication.
So I’ll forward the user’s authentication request.
SCOoffice Server 1
Active Directory Server 2
I want to read my .
I decide who is authenticated. 4 3
When SCOoffice Server is configured for Single Server Role or for Master/Slave, user authentication requests are verified against SCOoffice Server’s LDAP server.
When SCOoffice Server is configured to use Active Directory authentication, authentication requests from clients are forwarded to an Active Directory server. In environments where user authentication has already been consolidated into Active Directory, this configuration allows SCOoffice Server administrators to leverage off that infrastructure.
As an example, consider what happens when a client running Outlook reads his
Outlook is configured to retrieve using IMAP (or POP3). The client contacts the SCOoffice Server via IMAP, passing in the user’s username and password.
Rather than consulting LDAP, the SCOoffice Server forwards the authentication request to the Active Directory server specified in the admingui under ConfigurationDistributed Mail.
The Active Directory server verifies whether the credentials passed in from the client (via the SCOoffice Server) are valid. The Active Directory server informs the SCOoffice Server whether the user is authenticated or not.
If the user’s credentials were valid, the SCOoffice Server sends the client its via IMAP (or POP3).
When using the SCOoffice WebClient in conjunction with Active Directory authentication, the process is only slightly different:
The WebClient user enters his username and password. The WebClient uses HTTP (or HTTPS) to pass the user’s credentials to the SCOoffice Server.
If the user’s credentials were valid, the SCOoffice Server sends the client its via HTTP (or HTTPS).
Client

3. Active Directory Authentication

4. Distributed Mail – Single Server
SCOoffice Server
Alice
Corporate
Bob
When configured in single server role, the SCOoffice Server:
Is responsible for storing all user mail accounts in the LDAP directory on the SCOoffice Server.
Is responsible for storing user’s locally via IMAP
Is responsible for authenticating requests
Single Server Role
Stores all mail user accounts in local LDAP directory
Stores all users’ locally
Handles all authentication requests

5. Distributed Mail – Master Server
Slave
Alice
Corporate
Slave
Remote
Bob
Carl
Internet
When configuring for distributed mail, you must appoint exactly one master server and at least one slave server. It is essential that there be at least one slave server. This is because is stored on the slave server(s) and not on the master server.
The server configured as the master:
Is responsible for maintaining the definitive LDAP directory of user accounts, aliases, etc.
Is not responsible for storing .
Is able to authenticate requests.
Is responsible for redirecting clients to the appropriate slave server for retrieval.
Master Role
Stores the master LDAP user accounts database
No local storage for users
Can handle mail authentication requests
Redirects clients to slave for retrieval

6. Distributed Mail – Slave Server
Master
Slave
Alice
Corporate
Slave
Remote
Bob
Carl
Internet
When creating a distributed environment, there must be at least one slave server. Slave servers are where user’s are stored, not the master server.
Servers configured as slaves:
Have a copy of the master server’s LDAP directory.
Are responsible for storing for the users assigned to each slave server.
Are able to handle authentication requests.
Slave Role
Stores a local copy of the master LDAP user account database
Stores locally for each user defined on this server
Can handle authentication requests

7. Sharing in a Distributed Environment
Master
Slave
Alice
Corporate
Slave
Remote
Bob
Carl
Internet
It is very important to understand one aspect of how master and slaves operate. Consider what happens if Bob, a user who retrieves his via Outlook, browses to see what shared resources he can access. Bob’s Outlook is configured to connect via IMAP to a slave server. Carl’s user account was created on that same slave server. Carl has been kind enough to share some of his contacts, his calendar, and some folders. In this scenario, Bob will be able to access the items that Carl has shared.
Alice’s account, on the other hand, resides on another slave server. Bob will not be able to see any of the items that she has shared.
Contacts Calendar Folders
Contacts Calendar Folders

8. Sharing in a Distributed Environment
Master
Slave
Alice
Corporate
Slave
Remote
Bob
Carl
WAN Congestion
Internet
One way to resolve this issue is to have Bob’s Outlook client connect via IMAP to the master server. In addition to still being able to access the items shared by Carl, Bob will now be able to access the items shared by Alice.
While it’s possible to point all the user’s at the master server, beware of causing WAN congestion.
Contacts Calendar Folders
Contacts Calendar Folders

9. Duties in a Distributed Environment
MASTER
SLAVE
Stores No
Yes
Maintains LDAP directory
Yes, but only a copy
Handles authentication requests
The slide above summarizes the responsibilities of the master server versus slave servers.

10. Configuring Distributed Mail
On the master server:
Click Configuration Distributed Mail
Select Master
Click “Set”
To configure a master server:
In the admingui, click on ConfigurationDistributed Mail.
Select Master.
Click Set.

11. Configuring Distributed Mail (cont.)
On the master server:
Enter the slave server’s fully qualified domain name
Enter “admin”
Enter the admin password
Click “Add”
On the master server, perform the following steps for each slave server in the array of servers:
Enter the fully qualified domain name of the slave server. (e.g. elm.example.com).
Enter the username of the slave server’s administrator (i.e. “admin”).
Enter the password for the slave server’s administrator.
Click Add.

12. Configuring Distributed Mail (cont.)
LDAP notice
List of slave servers
New slave servers added here
This server’s role
After a slave server has been added to the array of servers, the ConfigurationDistributed Mail section of the admingui displays the list of all the slave servers. The Modify and Delete buttons allow individual slave servers to be modified or deleted. The New Slave section allows more slave servers to be added to the array. Additionally, the admingui displays the role of this server.
This same section reminds the administrator of the need to propagate the LDAP database to the slave.

13. Configuring Distributed Mail
On the slave server(s):
Click Configuration Distributed Mail.
Select Slave.
Click Set.
To configure a slave server:
In the admingui, click on ConfigurationDistributed Mail.
Select Slave.
Click Set.

14. Configuring Distributed Mail (cont.)
On the slave server(s):
Enter the master server’s fully qualified domain name.
Enter “admin”.
Enter the admin password.
Click Add.
On each slave server in the array of servers:
Enter the fully qualified domain name of the master server. (e.g. oak.example.com).
Enter the username of the master server’s administrator (i.e. “admin”).
Enter the password for the master server’s administrator.
Click Add.
??? This screen shot doesn’t jibe with what the admin guide says you’ll see. You’re supposed to see an Add button. This is a known issue with Internet Explorer. To work around this problem, use SCO OpenServer’s Mozilla web browser. ???

15. Reading Mail in a Distributed Environment
Master
You need to contact your slave server
I want to read my mail.
Client
Slave
Slave
Slave

16. Mail Delivery in a Distributed Environment
DNS Server
Master
SMTP Server
Slave
Slave
Slave