CommuniGate Pro
Version 6.3
 

Installation

You should download the CommuniGate Pro software either from the CommuniGate Systems Web site, or from any authorized mirror site. Make sure you have the latest version of the software, and that the downloaded version is designed to work on the selected platform.



Install the Server following the instructions below, and then proceed with Initial Configuration.


Installation

On all systems, the CommuniGate Pro uses 2 directories (folders):
  • the application directory containing the Server application and supplementary files (as Web Interface page templates). Files in this folder are not modified when the system runs.
  • the base directory containing Account data, Settings, Queued messages, Logs, and other Server data.

Installing on a Linux System

  • Log in as a super-user (root).
    • Using the Red Hat Package Manager (the .rpm file):
        rpm -i CGatePro-Linux-version.rpm
    • Using the Debian Package Manager (the .deb file):
        dpkg -i CGatePro-Linux_version.deb
    • Using other systems (the .tgz file):
        tar -xzf CGatePro-Linux-version.tgz
        cd CGateProSoftware
        sh install.sh
    Though CommuniGate Pro has a minimal dependence on external libraries, for the sake of resolving the remaining ones it may be preferable to use the advanced package managers such as yum or apt for the downloaded package:
    •   yum localinstall CGatePro-Linux-version.rpm
    •   apt install ./CGatePro-Linux_version.deb
    The CommuniGate Pro software will be installed in the /opt directory.
  • The installer will create the /etc/rc.d/init.d/CommuniGate startup script. To make the CommuniGate Pro Server start and stop automatically when the system starts up and shuts down, the installer adds the startup file links to the /etc/rc.d/rcn.d directories.
  • If your system was running some standalone SMTP server/MTA (such as Postfix, Exim or sendmail), you need to stop and disable that server.
    For example, you can use this command to disable sendmail (need to restart the server computer to take effect):
      /sbin/chkconfig sendmail off
    or these commands to stop and remove Postfix:
      systemctl stop postfix
      yum remove postfix

  • If your system was running POP, IMAP, or poppwd servers, remove the lines describing those servers from the /etc/inetd.conf file (or put the hash #) symbol into the first position of those lines).
  • The Installer renames the /bin/mail program into the /bin/LegacyMail. If you decide to uninstall the CommuniGate Pro system, the legacy mail program will be renamed back to /bin/mail.
  • The Installer creates the new /bin/mail application - a drop-in substitution for the legacy mail program.
  • The Installer creates the "base directory" /var/CommuniGate and the Server uses it by default. You can move the "base directory" to any other location. In this case, replace the /var/CommuniGate with symbolic link pointing to the new location.
  • Restart the system or launch the start-up script manually:
      /etc/rc.d/init.d/CommuniGate start
  • Proceed with Initial Configuration.

Installing on a MS Windows System

  • Use any "unzip"-type tool to unpack the CGatePro-Win32-Intel-version.zip file. The tool should be able to use long file names.
  • Some "unzip" applications have the Install option, use that option if available. If the Install option is not available, unpack the archive. The unpacked directory should contain the CommuniGate Pro application folder and the Installer.exe application. Launch the Installer.exe application.
  • If the CommuniGate Pro software is running, the Installer asks your permission to stop it.
  • The Installer asks you where to place the CommuniGate Pro application folder, and where to create the "base" directory. If a previous version of CommuniGate Pro has been already installed, the Installer shows the locations used, and the Install button is renamed into the Update button.
  • Click the Install/Update button to copy the CommuniGate Pro software into the selected location. If the CommuniGate Pro "base" folder does not exist, the Installer creates an empty folder in the selected location.
  • The information about the selected locations is stored in the System Registry.
    Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 and newer
    The CommuniGate Pro Messaging Server (the CGStarter.exe application) is registered as a service that starts automatically when the system starts. This small application starts the CGServer.exe - the CommuniGate Pro Server application. The Installer asks if you want to start the Server now.

    Note:you should use the Services control panel to verify or change the Log On as name for the CommuniGate Pro service. That name should have the Act as part of the operating system Windows NT privilege. If the CommuniGate Pro Server does not have this privilege, not only it will fail to authenticate users using the Windows NT password system, but an attempt to use an incorrect password may cause the server to crash. This problem is fixed in the Windows NT Service Pack 4.

    Note:if your server should serve 100 accounts or more, check the description of the TIME_WAIT problem and follow the instructions to decrease the NT TIME_WAIT time interval.

  • Launch the Server and proceed with Initial Configuration.
You can also start the CommuniGate Pro server manually, as a "console application", by launching the CGServer.exe file. If started without parameters, the Server creates the C:\CommuniGatePro folder and uses it as its "base" folder". If you want to use any other location, use the --Base command line parameter:
CGServer.exe --Base D:\OtherDirectory

Installing on a FreeBSD System

There are two CommuniGate Pro packages: one for FreeBSD 9.x (supporting FreeBSD 9.x versions), one - supporting FreeBSD 10.x and later versions.

  • Log in as a super-user (root).
  • Install the CommuniGate Pro package. FreeBSD 9.x:
      pkg_add CGatePro-FreeBSD9-version.tgz
    FreeBSD 10.x:
      pkg add CGatePro-FreeBSD10-version.txz
    The CommuniGate Pro software will be installed in the /usr/local/sbin directory.
  • If your system was running Postfix, sendmail or any other SMTP server, stop that server and modify the OS start-up scripts so the system will not start that other SMTP server automatically.
  • If your system was running POP, IMAP, or poppwd servers, remove the lines describing those servers from the /etc/inetd.conf file.
  • The Installer creates a script /usr/local/etc/rc.d/CommuniGate.sh, so the CommuniGate Pro Server is started automatically when the FreeBSD system starts.
  • The Installer creates a symbolic link /bin/cgmail for the command line mode mail program to use with the CommuniGate Pro system.
  • The Installer creates the "base directory" /var/CommuniGate and the Server uses it by default. You can move the "base directory" to any other location. In this case, replace the /var/CommuniGate with symbolic link pointing to the new location.
  • Restart the system or launch the start-up script manually:
      /usr/local/etc/rc.d/CommuniGate.sh start
  • Proceed with Initial Configuration.

Installing on a MacOS X (Darwin) System

  • Make sure you are running MacOS X version 10.5 or better.
  • Log in as a user with the administrative rights.
  • Unpack the CommuniGate Pro archive using any uncompressing utility, or start the Terminal application and use the shell tar command:
      tar xzpf CGatePro-Darwin-platform-version.tgz
    the CommuniGate.pkg package directory will be created in the current directory.
  • Install the software by double-clicking the CommuniGate.pkg icon.
    The CommuniGate Pro software will be installed in the /usr/local/ directory.
  • Note: The Installer creates the startup directory /Library/StartupItems/CommuniGatePro, so the CommuniGate Pro Server will auto-start on the MacOS X System older than version 10.10. The Installer creates also /Library/LaunchDaemons/CommuniGatePro.plist item to control automatic start on newer versions of MacOS X.
  • The Installer creates the "base directory" /var/CommuniGate and the Server uses it by default. You can move the "base directory" to any other location. In this case, replace the /var/CommuniGate with symbolic link pointing to the new location.
  • Restart the MacOS X System.
  • Proceed with Initial Configuration.

Installing on an AIX System

  • Make sure you are using the AIX System version 4.3 or better.
  • Log in as a super-user (root).
  • Unpack the CommuniGate Pro archive with the compress command:
      compress -d CGatePro-AIX-PPC-version.bff.Z
  • Use either the installp command, or the smit utility, or the smitty utility to install the software.
  • The installation script creates a startup script /etc/rc.cgpro and updates the /etc/inittab file to start the CommuniGate Pro server on run level 2.
  • The startup script creates the "base directory" /var/CommuniGate and the Server uses this directory by default. You can move the "base directory" to any other location. In this case, replace the /var/CommuniGate with symbolic link pointing to the new location.
  • If your system was running Postfix, sendmail or any other SMTP server, stop that server and modify the OS start-up scripts so the system will not start that other SMTP server automatically.
  • If your system was running POP, IMAP, or poppwd servers, remove the lines describing those servers from the /etc/inetd.conf file.
  • Restart the system or launch the start-up script manually:
      /etc/rc.cgpro start
  • Proceed with Initial Configuration.

Installing on a Sun Solaris System

  • Make sure you are running Solaris version 8 or better.
  • Log in as a super-user (root).
  • Unpack the CommuniGate Pro archive with the gtar command (or with the gunzip and tar commands):
      gunzip CGatePro-Solaris-version.tar.gz
      tar -xpf CGatePro-Solaris-version.tar
  • Install the CommuniGate Pro package:
      pkgadd -d .
    The CommuniGate Pro software will be installed in the /opt directory.
  • If your system was running sendmail, Postfix or any other SMTP server, stop that server and remove that server start-up script from the /etc/rcn/ directory, so the system will not start that other SMTP server automatically.
  • If your system was running POP, IMAP, or poppwd servers, remove the lines describing those servers from the /etc/inetd.conf file.
  • The Installer creates a symbolic link /bin/cgmail for the command line mode mail program to use with the CommuniGate Pro system.
  • The Installer creates a startup script /etc/init.d/STLKCGPro.init, and the symbolic link /etc/rc2.d/S88CommuniGate for that script.
  • The Installer creates the "base directory" /var/CommuniGate and the Server uses it by default. You can move the "base directory" to any other location. In this case, replace the /var/CommuniGate with symbolic link pointing to the new location.
  • Restart the system or launch the start-up script manually:
      /etc/init.d/STLKCGPro.init start
  • Proceed with Initial Configuration.

Initial Configuration

When the CommuniGate Pro software is installed:
  • Restart the OS or start the CommuniGate Pro Server manually.
  • Within 10 minutes, connect to the WebAdmin Interface with any Web browser, using the port number 8010. Type the following URL in your browser:
    http://your.server.domain:8010
    where your.server.domain is the domain name or the IP address of the computer running the CommuniGate Pro Server.
  • Read the License Agreement, enter the preferred password for the postmaster Account, and click the Accept button.
  • You will be redirected to the QuickStart page. Use the postmaster name and the selected password to open the page.
  • Proceed using the Quick Start instructions.

If you failed to enter a new postmaster password within 10 minutes, the Server will be shut down. When you are ready to enter the password, repeat the steps listed above.

The Migration section can help you to schedule your CommuniGate Pro deployment process.


Upgrading to a Newer Version

When you upgrade to a new version, the files in the application directory are substituted with the new files.

The base directory and all its files are not modified when you upgrade the CommuniGate Pro Server software, so all Accounts, Mailboxes, messages, settings, File Storage files, Licenses, customized Web Skin, and Real-Time Application files stay in place and continue to work with the new version of the CommuniGate Pro software.

Note: if you chose to manually modify Web Skin or Real-Time Application files right in the application directory, then you should save them before upgrading.

To upgrade:
  • Download the new version of the CommuniGate Pro Software.
  • Stop the CommuniGate Pro Server.
  • Remove the previous version of the software using the same installation utility you used to install the software (the base directory will not be removed). This step is needed if the OS installer does not allow you to install a new version "on top" of the old one.
  • Install the new version of the CommuniGate Pro Software.
  • Start the CommuniGate Pro Server.

Moving to a New Hardware Server

You may want to move your CommuniGate Pro server to a different computer - running the same or a different OS. All your module settings, Account and Domain settings, Mailboxes, licenses, and other data can be preserved.

CommuniGate Pro keeps all its data in the base directory. This is the only directory you need to copy to your new server computer.

CommuniGate Pro uses the same file formats on all hardware and software (OS) platforms, so usually you can just pack the entire CommuniGate Pro base directory into an archive file (using tar and gzip on Unix systems, zip on MS Windows systems), and unpack the archive on the new server computer.

Additional processing is needed when you move the CommuniGate Pro Server from a computer running any MS Windows operating system to a computer running any flavor of Unix, or vice versa. CommuniGate Pro files are text files, and text files on MS Windows and Unix have different EOL (end of line) symbols: CR-LF (return - linefeed) on MS Windows and bare LF (linefeed) symbol on Unix systems. To copy files properly, you may want to use any FTP software to copy files between those systems: when an FTP client is instructed to transfer files in the ASCII mode, it properly converts EOL symbols.
Note: CommuniGate Pro base directory can contain non-text (binary) files in the WebSkins and PBXApps directories inside the Account and Domains subdirectories - graphic, audio, and video files used in the custom Skin Interfaces and Real-Time Applications.
Account File Storage can also contain binary files. These files are stored in the account.web directories inside the Account directories.
The mailbox files with .mb4 and .emb4 extensions are binary and must not be converted.
When you move a CommuniGate Pro base directory between systems using different EOL conventions, check that those binary files are copied in the BINARY mode (i.e. without EOL re-coding).

If the new server computer is running a Unix system, check that the copied directory and all its files and subdirectories have the same access rights as they had on the old system.

After the CommuniGate Pro base directory is copied, download and install the proper version of the CommuniGate Pro Server on the new server computer. There is no need to copy the content of application directory from the old server computer, even if both new and old computers are running the same operating system.

Check that the newly installed copy of the CommuniGate Pro Server (its startup script, if any) is configured to use the copied base directory, and then start the CommuniGate Pro Server on the new computer. Use the WebAdmin Interface to modify the computer-related settings on the new server. For example, you may need to update the Client IP Addresses table or re-assign IP addresses to CommuniGate Pro Domains.


CommuniGate Pro Guide. Copyright © 2020-2023, AO StalkerSoft