Chapter 7 Understanding Messaging Server Schema and Provisioning Options

This chapter describes the schema and provisioning options for Messaging Server. Because of the complexity in provisioning Messaging Server, you need to understand your options before installing the product.

Understanding Messaging Schema Choices

This section describes the two schema options that are available and supported with Messaging Server, and how to decide which to use.

Deciding Which Schema to Use

Choosing the schema that’s right for your installation depends on your provisioning needs:

LDAP Schema 1

LDAP Schema 1 is a provisioning schema that consists of both an Organization Tree and a DC Tree. This set of schema (at the time, it was simply called “schema”) was supported in previous Messaging Server 5.x versions.


Note	See the commdirmig command in the Sun Java System Communications Services Schema Migration Guide for information on how to migrate from Sun Java System LDAP Schema version 1 to Sun Java System LDAP Schema version 2. Support for installation and provisioning of Schema 1 will be deprecated and removed from future releases. However, customers with their own provisioning tools may continue to use LDAP Schema 1.

When Messaging Server searches for user or group entries, it looks at the user‘s or group’s domain node in the DC Tree and extracts the value of the inetDomainBaseDN attribute. This attribute holds a DN reference to the organization subtree containing the actual user or group entry.

Only sites that have installed previous versions of Messaging Server should use Schema 1.

LDAP Schema 1 Supported Provisioning Tools

Schema 2 (Native Mode)

Schema 2 is a newly defined set of provisioning definitions that describes the types of information that can be stored as entries by using the Directory Server LDAP.

The native mode uses search templates to search the LDAP directory server. Once the domain is found by using the domain search template, the user or group search templates are used to find a specific user or group.

You should use native mode if you are installing Messaging Server for the first time and you do not have other applications on your machine that are dependent on a two-tree provisioning model. You should also use this mode if you want to install other products in the Java Enterprise System product suite.


Note	Migrating to Schema 2 is imperative if you plan to install Messaging Server with other Sun Java System products in the future.

If you have an existing Messaging Server 5.x installation that uses Schema 1, and you want to integrate Messaging Server with other Java Enterprise Server products, you should migrate your directory to Schema 2 after you upgrade to Messaging Server 6. Refer to the Sun Java System Communications Services Schema Migration Guide for information on how to migrate from LDAP Schema version 1 to LDAP Schema version 2.

LDAP Schema 2 Supported Provisioning Tools

Schema 2 Compatibility Mode

Schema 2 compatibility mode is an interim mode between Schema 1 and Schema 2 native mode. Schema 2 compatibility mode supports both schemas and enables you to retain the existing two-tree design you already have. Schema 2 compatibility mode also assumes that you have installed Identity Server prior to installing Messaging Server.

Use Schema 2 Compatibility if you have existing applications that require Schema 1, but you also need functionality that requires Schema 2, for example, Identity Server, single sign-on, and so forth.


Note	Schema 2 Native Mode is the recommended provisioning model for all Sun Java System products in the Java Enterprise System product suite.


Note	Schema 2 compatibility mode is provided as a convenience in migrating to the Schema 2 Native mode. Do not use Schema 2 compatibility mode as your final schema choice. The migration process from Schema 1 to Schema 2 compatibility mode and then finally to Schema 2 native mode is more complex that simply migrating from Schema 1 to Schema 2 native mode. See the Sun Java System Communications Services Schema Migration Guide for more information.

Understanding Messaging Server Provisioning Tools

Through supported Messaging Server provisioning tools, you can query, modify, add, or delete user, group, and domain entry information in your LDAP directory. This section examines these Messaging Server provisioning tools.

The following sections provide high-level information about the supported provisioning tools:

Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging

Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging provides both a command-line and a graphical user interface to provision users and groups. Delegated Administrator uses Sun LDAP Schema 1, which is the Messaging Server 5.x version of provisioning definitions.

LDAP Provisioning Tools

Schema 1 users and groups can be provisioned using the LDAP Directory tools (Schema 2 is not supported). Unlike the Delegated Administrator graphical and command-line interfaces, you can directly provision users and groups by adding, removing, and modifying the LDIF records through LDAP without having to use a user interface.

User Management Utility

Sun Java System Identity Server uses Schema 2. Because the Sun Java System component products in the Java Enterprise System product suite use Schema 2, use the Communications Services 6 User Management Utility. This should particularly be the case if you are using more than one Java Enterprise System product, or if you are performing a brand new installation of Messaging Server.


Note	Prior to installing and configuring Messaging Server, you need to decide upon a schema model and tool or tools for provisioning your Messaging Server entries.


Note	Even though you install Identity Server, there is no graphical user interface compatibility with Messaging Server. Therefore, to provision users and groups with an interface, you can only use the user management utility.

See the Sun Java System Communications Services User Management Utility Administration Guide for installation details.

Comparing Your Provisioning Tool Options

Table 7-1 shows the various supported schema, provisioning tools, provisioning limitations, and recommended documentation for additional information.

Table 7-1 Messaging Server Provisioning Mechanisms
Supported Provisioning Tool	Provisioning Tool Functionality	Provisioning Tool Limitations	For Further Information
Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging Graphical User Interface Uses: Schema 1	Provides a graphical user interface for administrators to manage users, groups, domains, and mailing lists. End users can manage vacation messages and sieve filters.	Only available to existing Messaging Server 5.x customers who are now upgrading to Messaging Server 6. Can only be used with Sun ONE Web Server 6.0 (which is only available with the Messaging Server 5.2 bundle). It cannot be used with Sun ONE Web Server 6.1. Incompatible with Sun Schema 2 and with other Java Enterprise System products. Unable to use mail filters through Sun Java System Messenger Express. Must use filters through Delegated Administrator. Must use auto reply channel which is only available in Messaging Server 5.2 product.	Read the Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging 1.3 documentation. Describes how to install and administer the Sun ONE Delegated Administrator interface.
Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging Command-line Interface Uses: Schema 1	Provides a command-line interface for administrators to manage users, groups, domains, and mailing lists.	Incompatible with Sun Schema 2 and with other Java Enterprise System products.	Read the Sun ONE Delegated Administrator for Messaging 1.3 documentation. Provides syntax and usage for Sun ONE Delegated Administrator command-line utilities.
LDAP Provisioning Tools Uses: Schema 1	Provides tools to directly modify LDAP entries or for creating custom provisioning tools.	Incompatible with Sun Schema 2 and with other Java Enterprise System products.	Read the Sun ONE Messaging Server 5.2 Provisioning Guide and Sun ONE Messaging and Collaboration Schema Reference Manual. Describes the Sun LDAP Schema 1 provisioning model. In addition, these guides explain how to use LDAP provisioning tools and the usage of specific attributes and object classes.
Sun Java System Console Uses: Schema 1	Though provisioning functionality is included in the Sun Java System Console, it is not recommended for provisioning Messaging users and groups. Instead, use Sun Java System Console to administer server configuration such as quotas, log files, and other related Message Store items.	Incompatible with Sun Schema 2 and with other Java Enterprise System products. Not recommended as a provisioning tool in that the Console is unable to properly add and modify users and groups.	Read the Sun Java System Messaging Server Administration Guide and corresponding Sun Java System Console Online Help.
User Management Utility Uses: Schema 2	Provides a command-line interface for administrators to manage users, groups, domains, and mailing lists. Compatible with other Java Enterprise System products.	Not backwardly compatible with Sun Schema 1. No GUI provisioning tool to use with Sun Java System Identity Server Sun Java System Identity Server must be installed to enable this command-line interface.	Read the Sun Java System Communications Services User Management Utility Administration Guide. Provides syntax and usage for the command-line utility.

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