Adding Hosts Based on External Databases

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IMail Server can use an external database to register and authenticate users on a particular mail host. Users that you add to and delete from an IMail Server host are also added to and deleted from the external database.

Before you use an external database for a mail host, use the Windows Control Panel to make sure there is a System DSN (Data Source Name) that points to a valid database name. See your Windows and database documentation for information on the System DSN.

After you have verified the System DSN that points to the database you want to use, the next step depends on whether you are creating a new primary host or converting an existing host to an external database.

Configuring the Primary Host

If you have installed IMail Server for the first time, and have based the primary host on an external database, you are ready to configure the host.

1. Start IMail Administrator and select localhost in the left panel.
2. Click Add Host.
3. Select the primary host in the list.
4. Click Configure. Go to "Configuring an External User Database".

Creating a Host Based on an External Database

1. Start IMail Administrator and select localhost in the left panel.
2. The General tab appears, in the right panel. Click Add Host. The Virtual Host Configuration dialog appears.
3. Click Add. A virtual host name (i.e. $virtual001) appears in the Local Addresses list.
4. Select Use External User Database.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Configure. The External User Database dialog box appears. Go to "Configuring an External User Database".

Configuring an External User Database

The connection between IMail Server and an external user database is accomplished via a dynamic link library (DLL file). IMail Server includes a sample .dll file (ODBCUSER.DLL). This DLL uses the ODBC method, but can be modified to support other external database methods. The complete source code for this DLL is provided upon request from Ipswitch.

When you configure an external user database, IMail Server creates an ODBC database that holds tables configured with the correct fields. The fields are identified in the Table Name section below. After the database is created and the ODBC system data source name is established in the ODBC Source Administration tool (located in the Windows Control Panel), you can use the database to store user authentication information and user properties. This information can be managed through IMail Administrator, including adding and deleting users.

Note: When you use an external database, any IMail service you run (except the System Logger Service) must be set up (using the Control Panel Services application) so the account that IMail Server runs under has access to the external database.

To configure an external database connection:

1. Follow the instructions in "Creating a Host Based on an External Database".
2. In the Virtual Host Configuration dialog box, select Use External User Database, then click Configure. The External User Database dialog box opens.
   
3. Enter the parameters for the external user database:
   • External Database Implementation DLL. Enter the full path to the odbcuser.dll installed on your local server or the path of a .DLL that supports the functions: GetUserEntry, SetUserEntry, DeleteUserEntry, AuthorizeUser, GetFirstUserEntry, and GetNextUserEntry. (These are defined in the odbcuser.h file.)
   • ODBC System Data Source Name (DSN). Enter the source name for the database where the user information is stored. IMAILSECDB is the default name that the ODBC link uses.

     Note: For users using SQL 7.0 or above, enter the following information after the ODBC System Data Source Name box: DNS_NAME;UID=<username>;PWD=<password>. The user name and password need to be the user ID and password for the SQL database and not an IMail Server account. Example: If you use the Data Source Name IMAILSECDB and the username AUGUSTA and password GEORGIA, the correct format of the ODBC System Data Source Name box is: IMAILSECDB;UID=AUGUSTA;PWD=GEORGIA

   • Table name. Enter the database table name. If the field is blank or contains [default], the host name is used with dots replaced by underscores. The Table name cannot begin with a number.
4. Under Global Settings, select options:
   • Enable Multiple Connections to allow multiple connections from the external database to Imail Server.
   • Maximum Number of Connections to set the maximum number of connections from the external database to IMail Server
5. Click OK.

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