Network

OLfolders requires a TCP/IP network. The folder sharing may also work with an IPX/SPX network, however this is more complicated to set up.

The OLfolders installation requires a configured and functioning TCP/IP network in order to ensure the interference-free exchange of data. TCP/IP is the protocol that is also used for the Internet. If you use e-mail on the workstations or can surf the web, your network is already correctly configured. It is irrelevant at this point whether or not a server exists and everyone is interconnected (peer-to-peer network).

TCP/IP port and firewall

TCP/IP uses “ports” to control the communication within the network. The web requires port 80, for e-mail; ports 25 (send) and 110 (receive) are used. OLfolders requires port 2002. Since there is no global registration point for ports, using port 2002 may cause conflicts, if a different program also wants to use port 2002.

If a firewall is configured in your network it’s possible that port 2002 is released in the intranet. Port 2002 should not be visible to the outside, unless you wish to access your Outlook data via the Internet.

If you cannot release port 2002, it is also possible to change the port. To change the port, use the OLfolders Administrator program to set the port differently for the server and the client. If the port is changed, it also has to be changed on all the workstations, since communication is only possible via the same port.

Initial installation (QuickStart) of OLfolders

The OLfolders QuickStart method permits reliable and swift installation and does not require a lot of experience with Microsoft Outlook and networks.

Decide yourself whether you prefer this method or the Installation (detailed) method described in detail in chapter REF _Ref56923703 \r \h 5.

A QuickStart installation is performed in the following steps:

(a) Server:

Installation of the server on the OLfolders server PC using the setup routine

• Configuring Microsoft Outlook
• Configuring a user (client) in OLfolders

Server/client network (server/client structure)

Within a client/server structure, all the data is located centrally on the server, with all clients accessing it. Since OLfolders does not use a domain controller or similar services, any computer can be used as the “server”.

Within a peer-to-peer network (everyone with everyone), the data is not stored in a central location, but distributed over workstations, with user 'A' accessing the data of user 'B' and vice versa.

With OLfolders a peer-to-peer network is installed in exactly the same way as for a server/client structure, we shall not go into any further detail regarding the peer-to-peer variant in this section.

The Microsoft Outlook program installed centrally on the server permits all clients to access the data stored there (contacts, appointments, e-mails, etc.) as a public folder. Each client also possesses a local data file, which is used to manage contacts and appointments. This data file is used for sending and receiving e-mails. Concurrently, this public folder allows each client to view centrally received e-mails and, if necessary, to edit them.

It is possible to configure Outlook on the server to receive general e-mails such as (info@..., webmaster@..., support@..), which cannot be assigned to one client. These are available to each client within the public folder.

Additional servers can be installed on the workstations in order to allow a manager’s appointments to be processed by the secretary.

Note:

The term ‘server’ does not imply a domain controller such as an NT or Windows 2000 server, but the OLfolders server.exe program.

The OLfolders server is installed on the computer that is to be accessed which is centrally available as a server. In this case, the local .pst file becomes the Public Folder. The client no longer has to be installed, since the central Microsoft Outlook program can access its own PST file and is already connected via the personal folder.

Tip:

Install the server, not the client, on the PC that you wish to access.

Install the client, not the server, on those PCs that will access a central Microsoft Outlook program.

(b) Client:

• Installation of the clients using setup
• Configure a connection in Microsoft Outlook
• As an option, we advise configuring the following functions after first completing a QuickStart installation:
• Assignment of rights for Microsoft Outlook folder
• Configuration of a number of profiles within the server Outlook
• Start the server as a service under Windows NT.
• E-mail server
• E-mail forwarding