In this article I will show you how to install GroupWise Messenger.

I couple of my company users asked me if there was something like MS Messenger that they could use to communicate with each other. As system administrators, we really wouldn't want to install MS messenger on the workstations because of all the security risks it has.

I told my colleagues that there was something like MS Messenger - it's GroupWise Messenger. With GroupWise Messenger, all my colleagues can see who is online, send them mail, chat with each other, etc.

I think GroupWise messenger is really a cool eDirectory tool that more users could use to get more out of their GroupWise systems.

Server-Side Installation

Before you install GroupWise Messenger, make sure you have a GroupWise system running.

1. Insert the GroupWise Messenger Disk and double-click setup.exe from the root of the CD. The installation screen appears.

2. From there, click Install Server.

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Figure 1 - Install Server option

3. Select your language and click OK.

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Figure 2 - Selecting the language

4. In the next screen, accept the license agreement.

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Figure 3 - License agreement

5. Click Yes.

6. If you are creating a New Messenger Server, leave the radio button as it is and click Next.

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Figure 4 - Installation options

7. In the next screen, select the location where the agent files are installed. Usually this is on Sys:\Novell\NM, but you can select a other location if you like. I'm leaving it on sys:\novell\nm.

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Figure 5 - Server information

8. Click Next.

9. If the Directory does not exist, you will see this message:

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Figure 6 - Prompt to creat the NM directory

10. Click Yes to bring up this screen:

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Figure 7 - System configuration

11. Leave everything as it is if you are OK with the settings. You can select another context for the Messenger objects if you like.

12. Click Next to show this screen:

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Figure 8 - Prompt to extend schema

13. Click Yes to extend the schema.

After a couple of seconds you will see this screen:

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Figure 9 - Success message, schema extension

14. Click OK to continue to the next screen:

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Figure 10 - Components to install

15. Click Next to install all the files.

In the next screen you can configure how to access the GroupWise messenger agents.

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Figure 11 - Directory access

16. Leave the default setting as it is and click Next.

17. In the next screen, select the admin user of the tree, give the password, and click Next.

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Figure 12 - Directory authentication

18. In the next config screen, select the OU from where the agent will look for the user who is on GroupWise Messenger.

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Figure 13 - User configuration

19. Click the check box to make sure all the users under the selected OU or O also may use GroupWise Messenger.

20. Click Next and leave the server settings at the defaults.

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Figure 14 - Server address

21. Click Next.

Here, I choose not to configure my system for SSL:

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Figure 15 - SSL configuration option

22. Click Next.

23. Provide the directory where ConsoleOne is installed.

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Figure 16 - Admin configuration

24. Click Next to see an installation summary.

25. Make sure all the settings are correct and click Next.

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Figure 17 - Copy Files dialog

All the GroupWise Messenger software will be installed now, so just wait a while to complete the setup.

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Figure 18 - Install progress

After all the copying is done, you will see this screen:

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Figure 19 - Setup Complete dialog

26. Check the last two boxes and click Finish.

You will see that the agents are starting on the server console now.

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Figure 20 - Running the Messenger NLM

Client-Side Installation

Now that the server-side installation is done, let's install the workstation client and use GroupWise Messenger.

1. On the Main installation Page, click install Client.

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Figure 21 - Install Client option

2. Select the language you like.

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Figure 22 - Language selection

3. Click OK, and the installation wizard begins.

4. Click Next on the following screen:

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Figure 23 - Choosing the destination location

5. In the Folder screen, click Next:

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Figure 24 - Selecting the program folder

6. In the next screen, select the languages you would like to use.

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Figure 25 - Language selection

7. Click Next to start the installation.

After a couple of seconds, the client is installed, and you will see this screen:

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Figure 26 - Setup Complete dialog

8. Click Finish to start the client.

You will now see the GroupWise Messenger Login screen:

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Figure 27 - GroupWise Messenger Login screen

9. Log in with your eDirectory Username and password. Also, give the server IP address or DNS name in the Server field.

10. Click OK to log in.

11. After you click OK, you will see the GroupWise Messenger screen:

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Figure 28 - GroupWise Messenger screen

Conclusion

I would recommend playing with GroupWise Messenger a while to see what it can do - you may well be very suprised at its capabilities.

After you've checked out the cool GroupWise Messenger options, you can tell your colleague who wants to use Microsoft Messenger that you have something much more powerfull. GroupWise Messenger will intergrate with your GroupWise system so you can see all your other colleagues at work and chat with them.

I personally think there are a lot of managers who don't see the benefit of a Messenger System in their company. If you explain to them that it can also be used to quickly ask something to a colleague rather then phone them 100 times a day, and that you can see if a colleague is online so you will know he's at work, I think the manager would "sleep on it" for it for a day before saying no. Also, you can tell him that GroupWise Messenger is free if you have GroupWise 7 or Zenworks Suite 7 already installed. This really could bring a smile to his face, so he'd give you the green light to install GroupWise Messenger ...