Connections

From the Configuration->Connections menu, it is possible to define one or more outgoing connections to other servers. Available client connections are as follows:
 

• IMAP/POP Client Connection - connection to an external IMAP/POP server for mail retrieval
• SMTP Client Connection - connection to an external SMTP server
• Google Client Connection  - connection to Gmail
• Exchange Client Connection - connection to Microsoft Exchange web services / Web DAV interfaces
• Maildir Client Connection - connection to local disk location containing RFC 2822 emails
• Object Store Client Connection - connection to external object storage services

IMAP / POP Client Connection

IMAP / POP Connections are primarily used for retrieving mail from a temporary journal mailbox. Typically, a temporary 'journal' mailbox is created in a mail server such as a Microsoft Exchange. The mail server is configured to forward copies of all internal, outgoing and external mails to the journal account. An IMAP/POP connection is created in MailArchiva to retrieve mails from the journal account, and subsequently delete them once they have been processed.

MailArchiva's IMAP client supports the use of IMAP Idle. This technology allows MailArchiva to receive message arrival notifications from the server and thus save on bandwidth.
Unfortunately, some mail servers may stop delivering notifications after a period and archiving will stop. In this case, it is necessary to disable IMAP Idle setting.

Created IMAP / POP Connections are also used for importing emails from the IMAP / POP accounts. Once an IMAP/POP connection is created, emails can be imported via Configuration-Import option and selected the relevant connection.

SMTP Client Connection

SMTP client connections are used for the purposes of establishing outgoing SMTP connections to mail servers. They are typically used for activities such as sending status notifications to administrators, replaying requested messages back to users and proxing emails using MailArchiva's routing engine.

Send As Rights

If the intention is to use the SMTP connection for the purposes of allowing Administrators or Auditors to send messages from any users back to themselves  (i.e to use the Send function in MailArchiva's search interface), then the account specified must have appropriate rights to send on behalf of any user (send emails using any from address).

For instance, in the case of Microsoft Exchange, users assigned Send As permission have the ability to send emails using any from address. By default, Domain Administrators have the Send As right, so it is easiest to enter a Domain Admin credentials. If this does not sit comfortably, the Send As right will need to be assigned to the specified user.

In Exchange 2007/2010, the Send-As right is assigned with the equivalent of the following shell command:

In Exchange 2003, the steps would be as follows:

1. On an Exchange computer, click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. On the View menu, click to select Advanced Features.
3. Expand Users, right-click the MailboxOwner object where you want to grant the permission, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Security tab, and then click Advanced.
5. In the Access Control Settings for MailboxOwner dialog box, click Add.
6. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, click the user account or the group that you want to grant "Send as" permissions to, and then click OK.
7. In the Permission Entry for MailboxOwner dialog box, click This Object Only in the Apply onto list.
8. In the Permissions list, locate Send As, and then click to select the Allow check box.
9. Click OK three times to close the dialog boxes

Exchange Client Connection

An Exchange Connection is needed to synchronize and import data from MS Exchange. Before creating the connection, ensure that an impersonation account has been created in MS Exchange.

1. In Configuration->Connections, select "Exchange Client", then click New Connection
2. Leave Auto Discover checked
3. In the Server address field, enter the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of Exchange Client Access Server (CAS) (e.g. exchange.company.com)
4. In the Impersonate Account field, enter the User Principal Name (UPN) of the impersonation account (e.g. user@company.local)
5. Enter the associated Impersonation Account password
6. In the Connection Mode field, select "Secure"
7. Click Save to save the configuration
8. Click Test Connection to verify whether the connection is functioning as expected

Google Client Connection

Google Connections are used for the purposes of connecting MailArchiva to Gmail over the Internet. With the Google connection enabled, MailArchiva will continously archive new emails from all mailboxes in a GoogleApps domain. Refer to Google Apps Archiving & Sync for specific instructions on how to setup archiving with Google Apps.

There are two modes of retrieval:
 

• Synchronize - MailArchiva will continously synchronize all new email and folders residing in all mailboxes in a Google Apps domain.
• Monitors -  MailArchiva will instruct Google to setup 'monitors' for each and every account defined in Google Apps. When a monitor is setup for a particular account, a copy of all incoming, outgoing and internal mail will be sent to a temporary mailbox. Over time, MailArchiva will attempt to ensure that if new users are created in Google Apps, monitors will automatically be setup for each new account.

The Synchronize method is a newer method of retrieval. It has the advantage that folder structures are automatically synchronized with MailArchiva. The Monitor receive method is used in rare situations where Google Audit envelope data is needed. Since the Synchronize method obtains emails from Gmail accounts directly, only the original messages are downloaded.

With a Google Coonnection enabled, MailArchiva will automatically download and archive emails passing through Google Apps. Since MailArchiva v3.4.0 and higher, a separate IMAP connection is no longer needed.

Maildir `Client Connection

Maildir Connections are used for the purposes of sweeping up emails in Maildir format from a user's home directory for the purposes of data import. Once a Maildir connection is created, emails can be imported from a repository of emails in Maildir format by clicking Configuration->Import and selecting the Maildir connection.

Object Store Client

MailAchiva has the capability to archive and backup to remote object stores. An object store client connection defines the connection between MailArchiva and an object store service. After an object store connection is created, it becomes possible to define a volume in Configuration->Volumes whose store path refers to it.

The following object storage providers are currently available:

	Object Store Provider	Description
	BackBlaze B2 Storage	BackBlaze B2 is currently the most cost effective public cloud storage on the market.
	Amazon S3	Amazon offers both Standard S3 and Glacier storage classes. Glacier is typically used for long term archival.
	Open Stack Swift	Swift is an on premise, highly available, distributed, eventually consistent object/blob store.
	Azure Blob Storage	Microsoft Azure is one of the major public cloud object storage offerings. Multiple tiers are available including Standard Blob Storage, Cool Blob Storage and Archive Blob Storage tiers.
	Rackspace Cloud Files	Rackspace offers public cloud storage that has the ability to replicate data across their content delivery network (CDN) for fast retrieval.
	Minio	Minio is an open source object storage server with Amazon S3 compatible API. Choose the S3 link.
	Delll EMC Atmos	Software-defined object storage designed for both traditional and next-generation workloads.
	S3 Compatible Blob Storage	MailArchiva should integrate with object stores that support the S3 API spec.

Before defining the connection, signup to a public object store service or install an on premise object store server.
 

Object Storage Connection Setup

The process for configuring MailArchiva to archive to an object store is as follows:
 

1. Create an object store account with your preferred cloud provider
2. Create an object store client connection in Configuration->Connections
3. Click the Test on the connection to test the connection to the blob store
4. If the test succeeds, check the enable the connection box, click Save.
5. In Configuration->Archive, select new Volume Format to EXTERNAL. Click Save.
6. In Configuration->Volumes, close any existing active volume.
7. in Configuration->Volumes, click New Volume button.
   1. In the store path, select the newly created blob store connection.
   2. Adjust index path as required.
   3. Click Save

Refer to Using Object Stores for further instructions on how to create a volume referencing an object store connection.

Backblaze Object Store Connection

Setup cloud storage account with Backblaze B2. When creating a Backblaze Object Store connection:

1. In Store Engine field, select "b2"
2. In Identity, enter Account Id for Backblaze B2 (obtained from Backblaze)
3. In Credential, enter Master Secret for Backblaze B2 (obtained from Backblaze)
4. In Bucket UID, enter the UID of an existing Backblaze Bucket (create one if necessary!)

Azure Object Store Connection

When creating an Azure Object Store connection:
 

1. In Store Engine field, select "azureblob"
2. In Identity, enter the Azure storage account name (obtained from Access Keys in Azure)
3. In Credential, enter your Azure key (obtained from Access Keys in Azure)
4. In Location, enter "azureblob".

Digital Ocean Spaces Connection (S3 Compatible Storage)

Create a Spaces account in Digital Ocean and associated Spaces APIaccess credentials. Example Spaces API credentials are illustrated below:

1. In Store Engine field, select "s3"
2. In Location, enter the equivalent of "https://ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com"
    
3. Note: It is necessary to remove the prefix from the Digital Ocean location URL.
4. In Bucket UID, enter the name of the desired bucket.
5. In Identity, enter the identity key (e.g.: V6HBN6NLZUUJTE3TCDIA)
6. In Secret, enter the secret key (e.g. bfvNZjkqlAjAH4sL+Nft9xM8957ZwdTFa+MyhKGpO5Q)