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iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Installation Guide



Chapter 1   Preparing for Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server


This chapter contains the following sections to help you prepare to install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server Release 3.0:



iPlanet Instant Messaging Server Installation Overview

You can install and configure iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in one of two ways:

  • As part of the iPlanet Portal Server environment, making iPlanetTM Instant Messenger available as an application in the iPlanet Portal Server Desktop Applications channel (Solaris only)

  • As a standalone server

Whether you install iIM Server in the iPlanet Portal Server environment or as a standalone server, you can use a variety of configurations to fit your site needs. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Administrator's Guide for more information on these configurations.


Note Currently, you must use the Solaris platform to install a portal deployment of iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.



Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server with iPlanet Portal Server

The six basic steps involved in installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in the iPlanet Portal Server environment are:

  1. "Gathering Your Installation Information".

  2. Installing iPlanet Portal Server. See the iPlanet Portal Server documentation for more information at:

    http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/portal.html

  3. (Optional) "Installing and Configuring an LDAP Server".

    You can use either iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory or an external LDAP server.

  4. "Installing and Configuring a Messaging Server".

  5. (Optional) "Installing iPlanet Delegated Administrator".

    You might want to use iPlanet Delegated Administrator with an external LDAP directory. You would not need iPlanet Delegated Administrator when using iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory.

  6. Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server. See Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Solaris".


    Note If you have not already installed the iPlanet Portal Server, LDAP directory server (optional), SMTP server, and Delegated Administrator (optional), install them now, before installing the product.


When you install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in the iPlanet Portal Server environment, users invoke the iPlanet Instant Messenger client from their iPlanet Portal Server Desktop Applications channel. In the iPlanet Portal Server environment, you configure iPlanet Instant Messenger in either secure or non-secure mode. In secure mode, communication is encrypted through the iPlanet Portal Server Netlet. A lock icon appears in iPlanet Instant Messenger's Status area when you are running in secure mode. See the iPlanet Portal Server documentation for more information on Netlet at:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/portal/30/ag/


Note You can configure the iPlanet Instant Messenger client for secure mode only if the iPlanet Portal Server gateway (iPlanet Portal Server SRAP component) is configured.



Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server as a Standalone Server

The six basic steps involved in installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server as a standalone server are:

  1. "Gathering Your Installation Information".

  2. "Installing and Configuring an LDAP Server".

  3. "Installing and Configuring a Web Server".

  4. "Installing and Configuring a Messaging Server".

  5. (Optional) "Installing iPlanet Delegated Administrator".

  6. Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server. See Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Solaris" or Chapter 3 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Windows NT."


    Note If you have not already installed the LDAP directory server, web server, SMTP server, and Delegated Administrator (optional), install them now, before installing the product.


When you install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server as a standalone server—that is, not in the iPlanet Portal Server environment—users invoke the iPlanet Instant Messenger client as a URL in their web browser. (Users can set up a bookmark or desktop shortcut as well to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger.)


Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Solaris

When installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on the Solaris platform, keep the following in mind:

  • The installation program uses an X-Windows graphical user interface. Invoke the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server installer from a local terminal window.

  • If you cannot use X-Windows remotely or if your machine does not have X-Windows installed, you must use the command-line installation. The command-line installation follows the same process as the graphical installation. The difference between the graphical and command-line interfaces is in how you invoke the installation setup script.

  • If you must run the installation program from a remote terminal, be sure to set your DISPLAY environment variable properly on the remote machine and be sure to allow X-Windows connections from the machine to appear on your terminal (for example, by using the xhost + utility). Do not run the installation program in the background.



iPlanet Portal Server System Requirements

If you are installing iPlanet Portal Server, make sure you have met the minimum hardware and operating system requirements. For the latest information on the supported platforms, and software and hardware requirements, see the iPlanet Portal Server release notes at:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/portal.html


Note Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in the iPlanet Portal Server requires that you use Solaris as the operating environment. iPlanet Portal Server currently runs only on Solaris. Additionally, though iPlanet Portal Server supports Solaris 2.6, Solaris 7, and Solaris 8, iPlanet Instant Messaging Server supports just Solaris 2.6 and Solaris 8. If your portal is running Solaris 7, you cannot install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.




iPlanet Instant Messaging Server System Requirements


Before you install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server, make sure you have met the minimum hardware and operating system requirements. For the latest information on the supported platforms, and software and hardware requirements, see the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server release notes at:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/portal.html



iPlanet Instant Messaging Server Installation Privileges


Install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server logged in as root (Solaris) or administrator (Windows NT). Superuser privileges (root or administrator) are required for iPlanet Instant Messaging Server Release 3.0 installations.



Gathering Your Installation Information


Before beginning the installation process, gather the installation and configuration information you will need.


Installation Checklist

You need the following information to complete the installation procedure.


Component Selection

Choose one or both of the following:

  • iPlanet Instant Messaging Server (includes both the server and multiplexor)

  • iPlanet Instant Messenger (includes both the client and online help files)


Installation Directory

Determine the name and path of the directory in which you want to install the server, for example:

  • Solaris: /opt

  • Windows NT: c:\Program Files\iPlanet\InstantMessaging


Domain and Host Names, and Server Ports

Determine the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server logical domain name and host name of the machine where you are installing the iIM Server software.

Determine the TCP ports for the following:

  • Multiplexor port (default is 9999)

    The port on which the iIM server listens for multiplexors. (In the iim.conf file, this is the iim_mux.serverport parameter.)


    Note Windows NT can only support one multiplexor per host, unlike Solaris, which supports multiple multiplexors.


  • Client port (default is 9909)

    The port on which the multiplexor listens for the iPlanet Instant Messenger. (In the iim.conf file, this is the iim_mux.listenport parameter.)


Service User and Group (Solaris only)

These accounts are the user and group identity under which server will run. The defaults are inetuser and inetgroup. The installation program automatically creates these accounts if they do not already exist.


Client and Online Help Files Location

Determine the name and path of the directory in which you want to install the client and online help files for iPlanet Instant Messenger. These files must reside where the web server, or iPlanet Portal Server for portal deployments, is serving the files.

If the web server (or iPlanet Portal Server) is on the same host as the iIM Server and iPlanet Instant Messenger, then use the top level docs directory (web server document root) for the web server. When installing on iPlanet Portal Server, you can accept the default location. iPlanet Portal Server will be able to find the files in the default directory, or location you specified. You do not have to put it under the iPlanet Portal Server installation directory.

If the web server is on a host other than the iIM server, then install the iPlanet Instant Messenger component on the web server host instead of the iIM server host.


Note If you choose not to install at the web server document root, you need to edit the iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files to reflect the proper codebase.

For more information on editing these files, see Chapter 3 in the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Administrator's Guide.



iPlanet Portal Server

You can install iPlanet Instant Messenger in the iPlanet Portal Server environment to run as an application in the iPlanet Portal Server Desktop Applications channel. In the iPlanet Portal Server environment, you choose whether to run iPlanet Instant Messenger in either secure or non-secure mode.


Note You can run iPlanet Instant Messenger in secure mode only if the iPlanet Portal Server gateway (iPlanet Portal Server SRAP component) is configured.



Mail Server

Users can choose to have iPlanet Instant Messenger alerts forwarded as email when they are offline. To enable this feature, the installer asks you to identify the SMTP server to be used.


LDAP Server Information

Identify the following LDAP server information for user authentication and preferences:

  • Host. Host name of the machine on which the LDAP server is running. The default is the host name of the machine on which you are running the installation program.

  • Port. Port number that the LDAP server listens to. The default is 389.

  • Base DN. Base DN (distinguished name) is the entry in your LDAP directory used as the starting point from which searches occur. For example, if you specify a base DN of ou=people, o=i-zed.com, LDAP search operations executed by iIM Server will examine only the ou=people subtree in the o=i-zed.com directory tree. The installation program does not attempt to verify your entry.


    Note In a portal deployment using iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory, use the value for the portal domain name you entered when installing iPlanet Portal Server. The portal configuration file /etc/opt/SUNWips/properties.file provides the information you need. The line java.naming.provider.url contains the LDAP server name, port number, and base DN.



Database, Logs, and Runtime Files Location

Specify the directory to place runtime files, including the server database, (contains information such as user directories and news channel directories), server and multiplexor logs, and other files created by the server and multiplexor at runtime.

  • On Solaris, the default directory for runtime files is:

    /var/opt/SUNWiim/default

  • On Windows NT, the default is:

    c:\Program Files\iPlanet\InstantMessaging\


    Note For Windows NT, this directory must be located on an NTFS formatted drive and not on a FAT file system.




Installing and Configuring an LDAP Server

iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in standalone mode requires an LDAP directory server. When installed in standalone mode, iPlanet Instant Messaging Server uses the directory to perform user authentication and to search for users.

iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in portal mode can use either an external LDAP server or iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory. When installed in portal mode and using an external LDAP directory server, iIM Server uses the directory to perform user authentication and to search for users. When installed in portal mode and using iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory, iIM Server uses the directory for user search only, not user authentication.

iPlanet Instant Messaging Server supports directory servers such as iPlanet Directory Server. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack 3.0 Release Notes for information on supported software and versions. If you want to use your existing LDAP directory, simply install iIM Server.

If you use an external LDAP directory to maintain your user namespace, the default configuration makes the following assumptions regarding the schema used by this directory:

  • User entries are identified by the inetOrgPerson object class.

  • Group entries are identified by the groupOfUniqueNames object class.

  • The iPlanet Instant Messenger user ID attribute of a user is provided by the uid attribute (from inetOrgPerson objectclass).

  • The email address of a user is provided by the mail attribute.

  • The display name of a user or group is provided by the cn attribute.

  • The list of members of a group is provided by the uniqueMember attribute (groupOfUniqueNames object class).

You can change these default settings by editing the iim.conf file. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Administrator's Guide for details.


Note iPlanet Instant Messaging Server ships with a limited license LDAP directory server, which you are allowed to use only with iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.


If you decide to use an LDAP directory server but do not have one installed, you must install one before installing iIM Server software. For information on how to install and configure iPlanet Directory Server, go to:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/directory.html


Directory Considerations for Both Standalone and Portal Configurations

By default, iIM Server needs the directory, whether an external LDAP server or iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory, to be searchable by an anonymous user. Refer to your directory documentation to determine if it is searchable by an anonymous user.

If your directory is not configured for anonymous user search, after the installation completes, you need to configure iIM Server with the credentials of the user you want iIM Server to use to be able to search the directory as a particular (not anonymous) user. You must configure the LDAP credentials in the iim.conf file so that the iIM Server can search the LDAP directory. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Administrator's Guide for details.


Directory Considerations for iPlanet Portal Server

When installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server in the iPlanet Portal Server environment, you can use either an external LDAP directory server, such as iPlanet Directory Server, or the internal directory that ships with iPlanet Portal Server. iPlanet Portal Server refers to this internal directory as the Profile Service's internal LDAP store.

When making your directory decision, consider the following:

  • If you use an external LDAP directory server, the uids contained in the directory become user IDs for iPlanet Instant Messenger users. iPlanet Instant Messenger performs both user authentication and user search with that directory. This means that when configured for external LDAP, iPlanet Instant Messaging users can log on directly to the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server (standalone mode) without first starting a session with iPlanet Portal Server. The portal user ID must also exist for the user in the external LDAP directory, usually as the uid attribute.

  • If you use iPlanet Portal Server's internal directory, iPlanet Instant Messenger will not use the directory for user authentication, just user search. When configured for internal directory, iPlanet Instant Messaging users must first establish a session with iPlanet Portal Server to use iPlanet Instant Messaging. Users cannot log on to iIM Server in standalone mode.



Installing and Configuring a Web Server

iPlanet Instant Messaging Server requires a web server to serve up client files to the iPlanet Instant Messenger. iIM Server supports web servers such as iPlanet Web Server. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack 3.0 Release Notes for information on supported software and versions.


Note iPlanet Instant Messaging Server ships with a limited license web server, which you are allowed to use only with iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.


If you do not have a web server installed, you must install one before installing the iIM Server software. You can install the web server on the iIM server host, or on a different host. See "Client and Online Help Files Location" for information on where to install the iIM Server HTML files for these two scenarios.

For information on how to install and configure iPlanet Web Server, see:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/enterprise.html


Note If you are using iPlanet Portal Server, you automatically use the web server that ships with that product.




Installing and Configuring a Messaging Server


iPlanet Instant Messaging Server requires an SMTP server to forward iPlanet Instant Messenger alerts as email to users when they are offline. To enable this feature, the installer asks you to identify the SMTP server to be used. If you do not have a messaging server installed, you must install one before installing the iIM Server software. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack 3.0 Release Notes for information on supported software and versions.



Installing iPlanet Delegated Administrator


A user provisioning tool, such as the iPlanet Delegated Administrator, is recommended, but optional. See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack 3.0 Release Notes for information on supported software and versions.

User provisioning can also be accomplished with LDAP command-line tools. All iPlanet Instant Messaging related preferences are accessible with the iPlanet Instant Messenger. As such, the use and deployment of Delegated Administrator is optional.

For information on iPlanet Delegated Administrator, see:

http://docs.iplanet.com/docs/manuals/messaging.html



Installation Options Overview for iPlanet Instant Messaging Server


iPlanet Instant Messaging Server's installation program enables you to:

  • Perform a fresh installation

  • Reinstall over an existing installation

  • Upgrade from the beta version to the current version of the software

Use the information in this section to become familiar with iIM Server's installation options before actually running the installer.


Note The installer itself does not offer an uninstall option. As part of the original installation process, an uninstall program was copied to a directory on the target host. To uninstall (delete) existing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server components, use the uninstall program. See Appendix A "Uninstalling iPlanet Instant Messaging Server" for more information.



Performing a Fresh Installation

The first time you install iPlanet Instant Messaging Server components, the installer leads you through all the screens necessary to perform the installation. You can choose to install the client component only, the server component only, or both the client and the server components. Additionally, in the client installation, if the installer detects an iPlanet Portal Server installation, it prompts you to install iPlanet Instant Messenger as an application channel, and whether to run iPlanet Instant Messenger in secure or non-secure mode. (This applies only to Solaris installations.)

Within the server component installation, you have two options, server and multiplexor, or multiplexor only. (Use the last option, multiplexor only, if you have a multiplexor on a machine separate from the server.)

For instructions on installing the client and server components for Solaris, see Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Solaris;" for Windows NT, see Chapter 3 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Windows NT."

After installing the client component, you must configure your client systems to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger. See Chapter 4 "Configuring iPlanet Instant Messenger" for more information.


Note When installing iIM Server, install the client component on the same host where the web server resides. This might be the same host where you install the iIM server component, or not. If the web server and iIM server do not reside on the same host, do not install the client component on the iIM server host. Instead, start the installer for a second time and install the client component on the web server host.



Reinstalling Over an Existing Installation

If the installer detects an existing version of iPlanet Instant Messaging Server already installed on the target host, you will be asked to choose to either upgrade or reinstall. Use Table 1-1 to help you decide which option to choose. Choose to reinstall if you want to change your installation options.


Table 1-1    Upgrade vs. Reinstall Considerations  

Type of Installation

Enables Changing Configuration Options?

Enables You to Add a Component to This Server?

Preserves Existing Database and Configuration?

Should You Back Up Existing iIM Server Files?

Upgrade  

No.  

No.  

Yes.  

Not necessary, but should be done as a precaution.  

Reinstall  

Yes. You can change all installation options.  

Yes.  

No.  

Depends: Back up any customizations, configurations, or databases you want to keep.  

Essentially, reinstalling is like starting over with a new installation. The installer first removes all existing files, and then installs the new version as if it were a first time installation. During the reinstall, you can also install additional components for the first time. For example, if you currently have only the server component installed and you want to replace it, and add the client component on the same host at the same time, reinstall enables you to do both.

You cannot delete existing components using the reinstall option. In the above example, the server component cannot be removed by deselecting it at the Component Selection screen.


Note To delete an existing component, you must use the uninstall procedure found in Appendix A "Uninstalling iPlanet Instant Messaging Server."


If you want to keep any customized iIM Server files, back them up before performing the reinstall. You will then have to merge your customized files back into the new files.

For instructions, see Chapter 2 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Solaris," or Chapter 3 "Installing iPlanet Instant Messaging Server on Windows NT."


Note Because the install and reinstall procedures are essentially the same, they are together in the same chapter.



Upgrading to a New Version of the Software

If the installer detects an existing version of iPlanet Instant Messaging Server already installed on the target host, you will be asked to choose to either upgrade or reinstall.

To install a new version of iPlanet Instant Messaging Server components without disturbing your customized iIM Server files, and without changing any of the installation options, use upgrade.


Note Back up your customized iIM Server files before upgrading to protect yourself should problems occur during the installation process.


You cannot add a new component to your installation using the upgrade option.

For more information and instructions on how to upgrade your iPlanet Instant Messaging Server installation, see Appendix B "Upgrading iPlanet Instant Messaging Server."


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Copyright © 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Last Updated December 04, 2001