Introduction

This document walks through how to configure SQL Mail for Microsoft SQL Server to work with Novell Groupwise. For the purpose of this document I will refer to the user account as sqluser and the password as sqlpassword.

Requirements

You should have both Microsoft SQL Server and Groupwise installed. In my environment, I had SQL Server 2000 and Groupwise v6.5 installed on Windows 2003 Server.

Configuration

There are four main steps to setting up your SQL Server to work with Novell Groupwise.

User Setup

You will need to create a [specific user] sqluser who has three accounts - a Novell Login, Novell GroupWise Login, and Windows Login. Make sure that all three are the same name and password. For example I use sqluser with sqlpassword for all three. Make sure that sqluser is a part of the Administrators group under windows.
Note: After finishing this step you must login under your new account for the remaining steps.

Service Setup

Change both the MSSQLSERVER and SQLSERVERAGENT services to use the .\sqluser account and password.

Mail Setup

Make sure you are logged in under sqluser otherwise your mail settings will be incorrect. Open the Mail applet in the Control Panel. You should already have a Novell Default Settings profile. Under properties you will see a list of services associated with the profile. Select Novell GroupWise Message Store and view the properties.

Modify the following fields in the Message Store Configuration.

Note: TCP/IP address and TCP/IP port are listed under about groupwise in the help menu of the client.

SQL Server Setup

In Enterprise Manager select Support Services and view properties. Make sure Profile Name has Novell Default Settings selected and click Test. SQL Server should return a message “Successfully started (and stopped) a MAPI session with this profile".
Note: If Enterprise Manager hangs see the troubleshooting section.

Under Management, view the properties for SQL Server Agent. Service Startup Account Section should have .\sqluser and sqlpassword filled in. If Mail Session is grayed out it is because your SQL Server Agent Service is not started, make sure to start it and come back to the properties window. Mail profile should have Novell Default Settings selected. It will ask if the SQL Server Agent Service can restart, click OK to restart the service.

Select the Operators section under SQL Server Agent. Create a New Operator, if your Novell Default Settings profile had the Novell Groupwise Address Book listed under its service you will be able to use the addressbook at this point to look up emails. You can choose to select the user from the addressbook or you can simply type in an email address on the line. Once you have a email address click the Test button. It will ask you to confirm your test. Click OK. You should now see “The message was sent successfully.”

Congradulations SQL Mail now work!

Troubleshooting

Test Hangs SQL Server

Since Microsoft SQL Server runs as a service it connects to Novell GroupWise through a "hidden" virtual desktop. This can have the effect of making it look like SQL Server is hung when the GroupWise initialization prompts for additional information such as the user's password. If this occurs the most likely problem is your Command Line settings. Make sure you didnt have a typo or incorrect settings.

To test your command line goto Windows Command Line and type the following example.

Note: If groupwise loads without prompting for additional information then your command line is correct.

Test Fails to Send Email to Operator

The test button seems to ignore the selected profile under SQL Server Agent and instead operates against the default mapi profile. It may be necessary to set the selected profile as the default profile. This is not an issue if you only have the Novell Default Settings profile.

No Address Book for Operators

The most likely problem is that you do not have Novell Groupwise Address Book service setup for the Novell Default Settings mail profile.

Mail Session is Grayed Out

SQL Server Agent service is not running. Once you start the service you should be able to return to the properties and change the mail session.

SQL Mail has an Empty Profile List

What is happening is SQL Server looks at the mail settings for the user associated with MSSQLSERVER service. If you have local system account set for the user to run the service it will not know what mail settings to use. Another reason could be that when you setup your mail profile you were not logged in to windows under your sqluser account and the changes where associated to the incorrect user. Make sure that sqluser is set to run the MSSQLSERVER service. Once both the mail profile and MSSQLSERVER service are set to run with sqluser you should see the profiles listed again under SQL MAIL.

Your Problem Not Listed

If you are unable to find the error you are having or have run into another error you have solved please feel free to email me at chris dot shepherd at gmail dot com and I would be happy to answer any questions and / or update this documentation.