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Oracle® Beehive Deployment Guide
Release 1 (1.5)
Part Number E14834-03
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8 Deploying Oracle Beehive with Supported Clients and Devices

The Oracle Beehive platform provides a unified client implementation model that supports deployments with a variety of end-user clients and devices. This chapter discusses the considerations related to deploying supported clients and devices, and includes the following topics:

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook

Note:

As of Oracle Beehive Release 1 (1.5), the product name "Oracle Beehive Integration for Outlook" has been changed to "Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook".

Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook is a Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) service provider for Microsoft Outlook. Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook extends the functionality of Microsoft Outlook by providing Outlook users with unified access to Oracle Beehive-based collaborative features and data in a familiar environment. Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook requires installation on the computers of individual users.

This section provides the following topics:

Considerations for Deploying Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook

To access, download, and install Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook on users' computers, Oracle Beehive provides a download agent, which is accessible from the following location:

$ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bootstrap/obeo/setup

Administrators can make the download agent available to users from internal websites. Upon execution, the download agent connects users to Oracle Beehive, challenges them for their credentials, and enables them to download and install Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook. Users can delete the download agent once they complete the installation.

Note:

In addition to the download agent distribution model, administrators can manage and distribute the Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook installation package through Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP 2 for Windows Terminal Services. Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook can also leverage Windows Terminal Services once it is installed.

Oracle Beehive also provides a language pack application module for Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook, which can be accessed by administrators in the same location as the Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook download agent. Administrators can modify the application module by adding or removing one or more languages. The module can be deployed to users through the Device Management Application Repository or another preferred method, such as by download from an intranet.

By default, Oracle Beehive provides Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook as a zip file (.zip) in the Device Management Application Repository. The contents of the zip file include a Windows executable installation program (.msi) and an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file that describes the installation program. The structure of the file follows the XML-based metadata schema mandated by the Device Management Service (DMS).

Populating Users' Global Address Lists (GAL) Incrementally

By default, new installations of Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook that are deployed using the Device Management Service (DMS) method will initially construct the Global Address List (GAL) by downloading only the manager, peers, direct reports, and groups of the authenticated user. Additional contacts will be downloaded and added to the local cache on an ad-hoc basis whenever the user performs an action that requires a lookup. This approach substantially reduces the load on the User Directory Service (UDS) after an upgrade or patch that affects the structure of UDS entries.

You can disable this behavior by editing the following section of the Client Application metadata.xml file, and then uploading the file to Oracle Beehive using the beectl upload_client_application command:

<configuration>
   <param name="FILE:profile.ini:GENERAL:GAL-DOWNLOAD-UDS-ON-DEMAND-CACHING-ONLY" value="FALSE"></param>
</configuration>

For more information, refer to the following topics, which can be found in Chapter 29 of the Oracle Beehive Installation Guide for your platform (Chapter 31 in the Windows version):

  • "Installing Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook"

  • "Updating and Configuring Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook Through DMS"

Migrating Users' Microsoft Outlook Settings and Profiles

To ease the transition to Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook, Oracle Beehive provides a migration tool in the download agent. The Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook migration tool enables users to:

  • Migrate existing personal folder data files (*.pst) from previous profiles

  • Migrate LDAP settings from previous profiles

  • Add new LDAP settings

  • Add new personal folder data files

To present users these options requires administrators to enable the migration tool with the /migrate option. Administrators must also configure and specify the migration .ini file (migrateinifile.ini) provided with Oracle Beehive. If the migration tool initialization file is not specified, the dowload agent will only allow users to migrate personal folder data files and LDAP settings from previous profiles. For more information, please refer to Oracle Beehive Installation Guide for Microsoft Windows.

Note:

Using the profile migration tool is an advanced deployment option. If you intend to use this tool, Oracle recommends that you plan for and test it accordingly.

Upgrading Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook

Administrators can upgrade existing Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook versions simply by deploying newer packages to the Device Management Application Repository using beectl. Administrators can also remove existing packages and replace them with newer ones, as needed. After installation on user computers, Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook automatically detects newer versions that are made available through the Device Management Service. Users can receive updates automatically upon Outlook startup or manually by clicking the update option in the About Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook dialog window.

How Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook Communicates with Oracle Beehive

Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook communicates with Oracle Beehive through the Beehive Transport Infrastructure (BTI) and the proprietary MX protocol that the BTI provides. Thus, Oracle Beehive Extensions for Outlook users can either connect directly to an Oracle Beehive deployment or they can be tunneled through standard HTTPS ports.

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer

Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer is an extension to Microsoft® Windows® Explorer that provides Oracle Beehive users direct access to their workspaces and workspace content. Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer is supported on the Microsoft Windows XP and Vista operating systems.

Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer requires a client installation on the computers of individual users. Administrators can make the Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer client installation package available to users through internal websites or Oracle Beehive Central. Users can then download and install Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer on their computers.

To access, download, and install Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer on users' computers, Oracle Beehive provides a download agent, which is accessible from the following location:

$ORACLE_HOME/beehive/bootstrap/obee/setup

Administrators can make the download agent available to users from internal websites. Upon execution, the download agent connects users to Oracle Beehive, challenges them for their credentials, and enables them to download and install Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer. Users can delete the download agent once they complete the Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer installation.

Oracle Beehive also provides a language pack application module for Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer, which can be accessed by administrators in the same location as the Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer download agent. Administrators can modify the application module by adding or removing one or more languages. The module can be deployed to users through the Device Management Application Repository or another preferred method, such as by download from an intranet.

By default, Oracle Beehive provides Oracle Beehive Extensions for Explorer as a zip file (.zip) in the Device Management Application Repository. The contents of the zip file include a Windows executable installation program (.msi) and an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file that describes the installation program. The structure of the file follows the XML-based metadata schema mandated by the Device Management Service.

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Zimbra

Note:

As of Oracle Beehive Release 1 (1.5), the product name "Oracle Beehive Integration for Zimbra" has been changed to "Oracle Beehive Zimbra".

Oracle Beehive Zimbra is a Web-based client that enables Oracle Beehive users to access, view, and manage their e-mail, calendars, and address books.

Deploying Oracle Beehive Zimbra requires installation on an Oracle Beehive server instance. The Oracle Beehive Zimbra installation is bundled with the Oracle Beehive installation and can be performed as part of the latter's installation procedure, or it can occur separately.

Note:

As of Oracle Beehive Release 1.5, Oracle Beehive Zimbra no longer needs to be installed in a separate Oracle home.

After Oracle Beehive Zimbra is installed and configured on an Oracle Beehive server instance, users can access and leverage it simply by launching a supported Web browser and entering the URL configured for the client. Typically, this URL appears in the following format:

http://<Your-Server-Name>:<Port-Number>/zimbra/

Oracle Beehive Zimbra supports the following Web browsers in the Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X operating systems:

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Central

Oracle Beehive Central is a Web-based client that provides users a central location to download supported clients and set their preferences for Oracle Beehive functionality. This includes the ability to delegate privileges for users' e-mail, calendars, tasks, notes, journals, and contacts.

Oracle Beehive Central provides both a public and private home page. The public home page is accessible to all users and does not require them to provide authentication credentials. Typically, the public home page is used to allow users to download supported clients. The private home page is accessible only to users that provide their authentication credentials. The private home page is where users can set their preferences for Oracle Beehive functionality, in addition to downloading supported clients.

Oracle Beehive Central is automatically deployed during the Oracle Beehive installation process. To access Oracle Beehive Central, users need only to launch a supported Web browser and enter the URL designated for Oracle Beehive Central for their deployment. Typically, this URL appears in the following format:

http://<Your-Server-Name>:<Port-Number>/bcentral/

Oracle Beehive Central supports Mozilla Firefox 2.0 in the Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris operating systems, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 in the Windows operating system only.

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Conferencing

Oracle Beehive Conferencing is a feature-rich client that enables Oracle Beehive users to conduct Web-based meetings and presentations. Deploying Oracle Beehive Conferencing includes server-side and client-side considerations, which are discussed in the following topics:

Deploying the the Voice Conferencing Media Server

Oracle Beehive comes with the Voice Conferencing Media Server, which provides voice conferencing functionality for Oracle Beehive Conferencing. To ensure overall system performance and the quality of voice conferences, Oracle recommends that you deploy the Voice Conferencing Media Server on its own dedicated computer and then configure your Oracle Beehive instance to use the remote Voice Conferencing Media Server instance. Furthermore, since the Voice Conferencing Media Server is supported on Linux x86 computers only, this recommendation applies to all Oracle Beehive deployments, including those on the Sun Solaris and Microsoft Windows operating systems.

For more information on how to install and configure the Voice Conferencing Media Server on its own computer, please refer to "Configuring Remote Media Server for Oracle Beehive Conferencing" in the Oracle Beehive Installation Guide for your operating system.

Deploying Oracle Beehive Conferencing on Users' Computers

Oracle Beehive Conferencing requires a client installation on the computers of individual users. Administrators can make the Oracle Beehive Conferencing client installation package available to users through Oracle Beehive Central, internal websites, or traditional desktop software delivery tools. Users can then download and install the Oracle Beehive Conferencing client on their computers.

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Oracle Beehive Workspaces Client

Oracle Beehive Workspaces Client is a Web-based client that leverages dynamic, wiki page technology to support team collaboration activities in Oracle Beehive workspaces.

Oracle Beehive Workspaces Client is installed by default during the Oracle Beehive installation. No separate installation on users' computers or Oracle Beehive servers is required.

After Oracle Beehive is installed and configured, users can access and leverage Oracle Beehive Workspaces Client simply by launching a supported Web browser and entering the URL configured for the client. Typically, this URL appears in the following format:

http://<Your-Server-Name>:<Port-Number>/workspaces/

Oracle Beehive Workspaces Client supports the following Web browsers on the Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems:

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Standards-based Clients

Oracle Beehive supports several standards-based protocols, enabling organizations to deploy commonly-available and custom clients with the platform. Standards-based clients can provide a wide array of Oracle Beehive functionality, such as e-mail, time management, and instant messaging.

Deploying standards-based clients typically requires the following steps:

Note:

Oracle Beehive Deployments with Mobile Devices

Oracle Beehive enables users of supported mobile devices to send and receive collaborative data, such as e-mail, calendar synchronization, and instant messages. Deploying mobile devices with Oracle Beehive typically requires completion of the following tasks:

Deploying Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Clients Supported by Oracle Beehive

For Microsoft Windows Mobile devices, Oracle Beehive provides a plug-in for Microsoft Windows Mobile Outlook that enables real-time push mail. To install, provision, and manage the plug-in, Oracle Beehive provides the Mobile Management Console. Users must first install the Mobile Management Console, provided as a cabinet file (.cab), on their mobile devices through one of the following methods:

  • Over-the-air (OTA): Users open a pre-assigned Web page or URL from their mobile devices, or they receive a Short Message Service (SMS) message that contains the URL, enabling them to access, download, and install the .cab file. For more information on these options, please refer to "Over-the-Air Configuration Using SMS" and "Over-the-Air Configuration Without SMS" in Oracle Beehive Mobile Devices Configuration Help.

  • Active synchronization (ActiveSync): Users download the .cab file to their computers through a Windows-based utility provided with Oracle Beehive. Users then synchronize their mobile devices with their computers to install the .cab file. For more information on this option, please refer to "Configuration Using ActiveSync" in Oracle Beehive Mobile Devices Configuration Help.

  • Storage card: Administrators or support personnel download the .cab file to their computers through a Windows-based utility provided with Oracle Beehive. Then, they run the utility from the command line to install the .cab file on storage cards. Users can then insert the storage cards into their devices.

After the Mobile Device Management Console is installed, it automatically starts up, connects to the Oracle Beehive Mobile Device Management Service, and requests a list of all available mobile software for the user. This list contains the default Mobile Outlook plug-in but it can also contain other third-party mobile software managed by Oracle Beehive. The user may then choose which software to install on the mobile device, including the Mobile Outlook plug-in.

To upgrade the Mobile Outlook plug-in or other third-party mobile software managed by Oracle Beehive, users can periodically check for updates on their mobile devices or they can wait for their Oracle Beehive administrators to provide alerts informing them of available updates.

Enabling the Oracle Beehive Short Message Service (SMS) Delivery Channel

The Oracle Beehive SMS Delivery Channel is the component of the SMS Service that enables delivery of SMS messages. The SMS Delivery Channel supports the Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol, which is a telecommunications industry standard supported by most SMS service providers.

By default, the Oracle Beehive SMS Delivery Channel is configured to use the Verisign Intelligent Messaging Network. However, organizations may choose to leverage the network of any SMS service provider that supports SMPP, such as Clickatell. Organizations may also leverage the Oracle iAS Wireless XMS interface, which was the default interface for Oracle Collaboration Suite 10g and is also supported by Oracle Beehive.

The steps required to configure and enable the SMS Delivery Channel depend on which SMS service provider you choose. For example, if you choose the Verisign Intelligent Messaging Network, you must first subscribe to it (to request a free trial, please contact Verisign). Once you activate your Verisign subscription, you will need to configure and enable the Oracle Beehive SMS Delivery Channel for it. This includes configuring your SMPP settings, setting your SMS mode to "SMPP", and enabling the SMS Delivery Channel. To perform these tasks you use the beectl utility.

For more information on the specific steps required to configure the SMS Delivery Channel for your chosen SMS provider, please refer to the section entitled "Configuring SMS using SMPP" in the Oracle Beehive Administrator's Guide.

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