eDirectory User Synchronization

eDirectory user synchronization is a process by which information is pulled from eDirectory into the GroupWise directory. Ordinarily, it is not necessary to set this preference. When ConsoleOne is run with the GroupWise snap-ins, changes are written to both directories simultaneously.

Suppose, however, that the administrators in human resources do not have file-system rights to a GroupWise domain database. They can change phone numbers, mail-stops, or titles for users, and the changes will never propagate into the GroupWise address book where they will be really usefulunless eDirectory user synchronization is correctly configured. Furthermore, if you were to create admin-defined fieldswhich is discussed just a little later in this chapterenabling eDirectory user synchronization is particularly valuable.

By default, eDirectory user synchronization is not enabled. To change the eDirectory synchronization status, click Configure Agents, which will bring up the box shown in Figure 6.9.

Figure 6.9. The Configure Agents window

This window displays every MTA object in the GroupWise system. The state of each agent is either Enabled or Disabled. Before an agent can be enabled as an eDirectory Sync agent, it must have rights to read information from eDirectory.

Clicking Set Up eDirectory Access gives the highlighted MTA object the necessary trustee assignments to authenticate to and read from eDirectory. Before the rights are effective, however, the agent must be restarted.

With one or more agents enabled for eDirectory sync, you can make agent assignments. From the eDirectory User Synchronization Configuration window, highlight a domain and click Change Assignment.

Tip

It is interesting to note that an MTA can perform synchronization for more than one domain. Configuring an MTA this way can result in unnecessary GroupWise administration traffic. Novell recommends that every MTA be assigned to perform eDirectory synchronization for the domain to which it belongs, unless it is not possible for that MTA to authenticate to eDirectory for some reason.

Two more things must be configured before eDirectory user synchronization can occur. An event must be activated under the MTA's Scheduled Events tab. Chapter 9 talks about the eDirectory user synchronization event in more detail.