Q99465: Mac RSC: MM0741: Configuring the Remote Server Connection
Article: Q99465
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For Appletalk Networks
Version(s): 3.1
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 07-JUL-2000
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Mail for the Macintosh, version 3.1
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SUMMARY
=======
The Application Note titled "Configuring the Remote Server Connection," MM0741,
describes how to configure the Microsoft Mail Remote Server Connection to
automatically connect and exchange information between two servers. The Remote
Server Connection requires AppleTalk Remote Access to establish communications
through modems and phone lines.
To obtain this Application Note, contact Microsoft Product Support Services.
You can find MM0741.EXE, a self-extracting file, on the following services:
- Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet
On the www.microsoft.com home page, click the Support icon.
Click Knowledge Base, and select the product.
Enter kbfile MM0741.EXE, and click GO!
Open the article, and click the button to download the file.
- Internet (anonymous FTP)
ftp ftp.microsoft.com
Change to the Softlib/Mslfiles folder.
Get MM0741.EXE
- The Microsoft Network
On the Edit menu, click Go To, and then click Other Location.
Type "mssupport" (without the quotation marks).
Double-click the MS Software Library icon.
Find the appropriate product area.
Locate and Download MM0741.EXE.
For additional information about downloading, please see the following article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
MORE INFORMATION
================
The following is the text of the Application Note.
NOTE: The printed Application Note contains graphics to help you understand many
of the concepts discussed below.
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Microsoft(R) Product Support Services Application Note (Text File)
MM0741: CONFIGURING THE REMOTE SERVER CONNECTION
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Revision Date: 4/93
No Disk Included
The following information applies to Microsoft Mail for Macintosh,
version 3.1.
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| utility DISKCOPY is appropriate for this purpose]; 3) All |
| components of this Application Note must be distributed together; |
| and 4) This Application Note may not be distributed for profit. |
| |
| Copyright 1993 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. |
| Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows |
| is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. |
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INTRODUCTION
============
This document describes how to configure the Microsoft Mail Remote
Server Connection to automatically connect and exchange information
between two servers. The Remote Server Connection requires
AppleTalk(R) Remote Access to establish communications through modems
and phone lines. At each specified connect time, the Remote Server
Connection initiates a remote connection between the two servers via
AppleTalk Remote Access. Once a connection is made, mail and other
server data are transferred between the servers based on the message
routing configuration. Therefore, to successfully use the Remote
Server Connection program, you must first configure AppleTalk Remote
Access and message routing.
PLANNING ROUTING
================
To configure the Remote Server Connection, you must first plan routing
and set site names. To create a bridge between two sites, you must
designate a bridge server at each site. Because the server you select
will carry additional network traffic and will have AppleTalk Remote
Access installed on it, you may want to choose a faster server or a
server with fewer mail users. You also need to determine which server
will be the "calling server" and which will act as the "answering
server". To configure the servers to dial each other, each server will
act as both a calling server and an answering server.
As an example, all the servers in Seattle could be in a distinct mail
site named "Seattle," while the servers in Minneapolis could be in a
site named "Minneapolis." Servers that share the same site name and
same site password will automatically exchange user lists, mail, and
general server messages. For two site names to communicate, message
routing must be configured between the two sites.
To place these servers in their logical site names, perform the
following steps:
1. From any Microsoft Mail workstation, sign in as the network manager
to the server you are adding to a site.
2. Run the Mail Network Admin program.
3. From the Admin menu, choose Set Site Name. A dialog box will
appear.
4. In the Site Name box, type the name for the site.
5. In the Password box, type the password to be used by all the
servers in the site. This step is optional.
6. Choose the Update button.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 for each server you want to include in the site.
Important: All servers in a particular site must have the same site
name and password.
DESIGNATING BRIDGEHEAD AND COMMUNICATION SERVERS
================================================
When communicating between two mail sites, one server from each site
will be responsible for all modem communication and message routing.
This designated server is known as a "bridgehead" server and is
responsible for passing all messages from one site to another. You
should choose a server that has more processing power available or
fewer users defined to compensate for the additional processing the
server will need to do.
The server you select will be responsible for both message routing and
communications using the Remote Server Connection program. After you
configure message routing (as discussed in a later section), all other
servers will automatically be configured to send information to the
bridgehead for processing.
As an example, the MIS server can act as the bridgehead for the
Seattle site, and the Field Sales server can act as the bridgehead for
the Minneapolis site. These two mail servers will have AppleTalk
Remote Access and Remote Server Connection installed on them.
Because both the MIS server and the Field Sales server are
bridgeheads, they will pass any data from other servers in their
common site to the bridgehead at the other site. That is, both the
Corporate Marketing server and the R & D server will pass all
information destined for servers at the Minneapolis site to the MIS
server. The MIS server will then route all information over the
asynchronous connection to the Field Sales server. The Field Sales
will, in-turn, pass any information to the Field Marketing server.
Message routing configuration will be covered later in this document.
To correctly configure routing, the two servers must exchange some
basic information. The following section explains how to enable this
exchange to take place.
INSTALLING APPLETALK REMOTE ACCESS
==================================
The Remote Server Connection relies on AppleTalk Remote Access (ARA)
to establish a remote AppleTalk connection. Pages 4 and 5 of the
"AppleTalk Remote Access User's Guide" outline how to install ARA. You
must install the ARA software on both the calling server and the
answering server.
Setting Up Remote Access to Answer Calls (Answering Server)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Before your Macintosh can answer calls, you need to connect your
computer to an appropriate modem. For more information on modems, see
Appendix A of the "AppleTalk Remote Access User's Guide". Once you've
properly connected the modem and installed the Remote Access software,
configure the software to answer calls:
1. Run the Remote Access program.
2. From the Setup menu, choose Remote Access Setup. This opens the
Remote Access Setup control panel.
3. From the Modem pop-up menu, choose your modem type.
4. From the Port pop-up menu, choose the port to which your modem is
connected.
5. Select the Answer Calls check box.
6. The Remote Server Connection will only stay connected as long as is
necessary to transfer mail and other information; therefore, you do
not need to set a time in the Maximum Connection Time: Minutes box.
7. In the Allow Access To field, select This Macintosh Only. This is
the recommended setting.
Setting Up Remote Access to Make Calls (Calling Server)
-------------------------------------------------------
Before you can make a call with Remote Access, you need to do the
following:
1. Install the Remote Access software. Follow the installation
procedures in the "Introduction" section of the "AppleTalk Remote
Access User's Guide".
2. Connect a modem to your Macintosh and configure ARA for your
machine. Refer to steps 1-4 in the "Setting Up Remote Access to
Answer Calls" section above.
3. The Macintosh you are calling must have your name and password
configured in order to answer your call. Ensure that an account was
set correctly by the computer's owner and that you enter matching
information when you call. To answer your call, the Macintosh you
are calling does not need the Remote Access program open; however,
the other Macintosh and its modem must be turned on.
4. Obtain the telephone number of the modem connected to the Macintosh
you want to call.
5. Create a connection document, following the instructions in the
"Creating a Connection Document" section below.
Creating a Connection Document
------------------------------
The information ARA and the Remote Server Connection need to access
another Macintosh is stored in a "connection document".
1. Run the Remote Server Connection program. After the program has
loaded, choose Quit from the File menu. This step creates a default
folder that will be used later.
2. Run the Remote Access program. A new untitled connection document
appears. You can also create a new untitled connection document by
choosing New from the File menu if the program is running already.
3. Under Connect As, select the Registered User option.
4. Type in the name and password of a user who has been defined on the
answering server. (To register a user on the answering server,
choose Users & Groups from the Remote Access Setup menu.)
5. Type the phone number of the answering server. A comma designates a
pause. You can use dashes for readability, but the program doesn't
require them.
6. Select the Save My Password check box.
7. From the File menu, choose Save to save the connection document.
Important: The name of your connection document must be identical
to the Mail site you are calling, NOT the Mail server you are
connecting to.
8. Save the connection document in System Folder:Preferences:MS Mail
Remote Sites.
ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PAIR OF SERVERS
======================================================
Once you have created and saved your connection document, select the
Connect button to establish communication between the two servers.
Depending on the size of the two networks, it may take at least
fifteen minutes before the two servers "discover" each other. Once the
servers are communicating, create a routing bridge so the servers can
exchange information.
CONFIGURING MESSAGE ROUTING
===========================
For servers in different sites to communicate, it is necessary to
configure routing. A routing bridge is bi-directional: a bridge does
not exist until each site has configured a Mail server as a bridge
server to a Mail server at the other site. To configure routing
between the two remote servers, perform the following steps:
1. From any Microsoft Mail workstation, sign in as the network
manager to the server you are adding the bridge to.
2. Run the Mail Network Admin program.
3. From the Admin menu, choose Configure Routing. The Site-To-
Site Routing dialog box appears.
The From field displays the name of the server you are signed in to
and its site name.
The To list contains the names of the sites the server can be
bridged to. The list includes all the sites it has detected
directly and all the sites it can bridge to indirectly through
another site. If the remote site and server name do not appear in
this list, leave the remote connection up for a few more minutes
for the site to be "discovered."
4. From the To list, select the name of the site you want to
bridge the server to.
5. Choose the Bridged To Server pop-up menu to display a list of
servers in the site you have selected.
6. From the Bridged To Server list, choose the server at the
other site that your server will bridge to.
7. Select the desired options for importing and exporting user
lists.
8. Choose the Update button.
9. To complete the bridge, the network manager for the other
site should follow these steps to establish routing to your site.
If you know the network manager's name and password, you can sign
in to the remote server while ARA is still connected.
10. Return to the ARA program and disconnect from the remote site.
RUNNING THE REMOTE SERVER CONNECTION
====================================
After you use ARA to configure the remote connection and you establish
a routing bridge, use the Remote Server Connection software to
schedule and automate the connection times.
With the Remote Server Connection program, you can choose what hours
and days of the week to connect, or you can choose to connect whenever
there is urgent or outgoing mail. You can also temporarily disable the
connection settings without erasing any of the previously scheduled
times and days.
Important: To communicate with another server, you must first run
the Remote Server Connection program on the calling server. To make
sure the Remote Server Connection is running every time you start
the calling server, create an alias for the Remote Server Connection
program and place it in the Start Up Items folder in the calling
server's System Folder.
CONFIGURING THE REMOTE SERVER CONNECTION PROGRAM
================================================
1. Copy the Remote Server Connection program from the Microsoft Mail
Extras disk to the server Macintosh.
2. On the server, run the Remote Server Connection program. Microsoft
Mail displays the Remote Server Connection dialog box, which lists
connection details and call status.
Next Connection Shows when and where the server will make its next
scheduled remote connection.
Current Connection Displays information about a remote connection
during the connection; when the remote connection is disconnected,
the information is cleared from this box.
Status Log Displays messages that record the activity of the remote
server connection. You can cut, copy, and paste messages from the
Status Log box into a document and view them in a word processor.
The status messages are also automatically copied and appended to
the MS Mail Call Log file in the MS Mail Remote Sites folder. This
log file can be opened and printed using any word processing
program.
To set Remote Server Connection times
1. On the calling server, log in as the network manager.
2. Run the Remote Server Connection program.
3. From the Administration menu, choose Connection Times. You can
also set connection times with the Network Administrator
application, by choosing the Connection Times command from the
Admin menu.
Important: If the Connection Times menu option is unavailable, the
account you are signed into is not the network manager's.
4. In the Connection Documents list, select the name of the Mail site
you want to call.
5. Select the boxes and options that correspond to the times or
conditions when you want to make the remote access connection:
- Selecting "If There Is Urgent Mail" makes the connection if any
outgoing mail marked as Urgent is received by the server.
- Selecting "If There Is Outgoing Mail" makes the connection if any
outgoing mail is received by the server.
6. Choose the Update button.
The Remote Server Connection has now been configured and your mail
servers will connect and exchange information at the times specified.
COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
=============================
The following describes specific problems, possible causes, and
their solutions.
- "Time out value exceeded" error in Session Log.
Possible Cause: ARA on the answering server has been configured
to allow access to the entire network.
Open the Remote Access Setup Control Panel and change the
setting to Allow Access To This Macintosh Only. For more
information, see the "Setting Up Remote Access to Answer Calls"
section above.
- "Can't find site <site name>" error in Session Log.
Below is an example of the Session Log when this error occurs:
Connected to zone ZONE A
Scanning for site A
Transferring data to site A
Can't find site A
Performing full zone scan
...
Possible Cause: The ARA connection document has been named
after the server you are calling. However, the document should
correspond to the mail site.
Rename the connection document in System Folder:Preferences:MS
Mail Remote Sites. For more information, see the "Creating a
Connection Document" section above.
When the entry "Transferring data to site A" appears in the
log, it means that the Remote Server Connection has told the
local server to begin transferring mail to the other site. If
the local server can't find the bridge server on the other
site, it returns the "Can't find site A" error to the Remote
Server Connection.
Additional Possible Cause: The AppleTalk network is poorly
terminated.
Check both sides of the LocalTalk network for correct
termination.
- Mail servers connect but no mail or data is transferred, although
the status window reflects that data was transferred.
Possible Cause: You are using Microsoft Mail Server version
3.1.
There are some problems with the original Mail 3.1 release
where remote servers connect but do not exchange any data. This
problem is corrected in the 3.1a release of the Microsoft Mail
Server. To obtain the latest version of the mail server,
contact Microsoft Inside Sales at (800) 227-4679.
- Mail server dials continuously.
Possible Cause: Urgent mail has been sent and you are using
Microsoft Mail Server version 3.1.
There are some problems with the original Mail 3.1 release
where remote servers attempt to process urgent mail and dial
continuously. The servers connect, but the message is not
transmitted due to the problem explained above. Mail therefore
continues to attempt to send the message. This is corrected in
the 3.1a release of the Microsoft Mail Server. To obtain the
latest version of the mail server, contact Microsoft Inside
Sales at (800) 227-4679.
- There are no connection documents listed in the configuration
dialog box of the Remote Server Connection (RSC).
Possible Cause: The RSC program has not been quit from since
the ARA document was saved to the MS Mail Remote sites folder.
Quit the RSC program and re-open.
Additional query words: 3.10 wga appnotes Appnote SoftLib
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Keywords :
Technology : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbMailSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMail310Mac
Version : :3.1
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