Managing TIMP
Frequently Asked QUestions about how to manage TIMPHow can I administer TIMP from another machine?
Even though I have the server mapped on my workstation, I cannot run the TIMP Management Console executable. It appears that I have to actually run the console on the server otherwise it never comes back from collecting info on the server.
Correct, the TIMP Management Console runs only on the same machine where the TIMP server is installed.
From other machines, you can manage the TIMP server using a Jabber client (CLI interface), if you are the Administrator of the TIMP server; just add this JID: admin@ate.yourserver to the roster of the administrator (should be administrator@yourserver the first user created).
To add other administrators add it to the custom part of the admin plug-in (using TIMP Management Console), like in the following example:
administrator@Console
user1@yourserver
user2@yourserver
Only administrators can "talk" to the admin plug-in!
Preventing users from creating accounts on TIMP
There are 2 ways to do prevent users to create accounts on your TIMP Jabber server:
- if you choose the integrated NT authentication, only existing users on you NT machine will be able to log in to jabber
- if you do not use NT authentication, you can edit the custom configuration of the JSM plug-in either deleting or commenting the tag.
How do I know how many users are logged into TIMP?
Yes, server administrators can:
- know how many users are online
- broadcast messages to online users
- set the message of the day (when you log-in you receive the message)
All the above can be done through either Winjab or TipicIM (clients from anywhere - must be administrator) or using Tipic Management Console on the server.
Creating 50 users in advance
I noticed when a new user is created, he/she needs to login the first time to create the user account. Is there a batch process available to do that if I want to create 50 users account?
For each user created with TIMP there is a corresponding XML file in the following directory:
C:Documents and Settings-TW32JS_USER-Application Data-Tipic-spool-your_Jabber_server
Depending on the type of Authentication (integrated with NT or Standalone) the file will contain either a dummy password or the real password; the file also contains all the other info about the user and the offline messages received by the user.
IF you decide to change the XML file, you should be VERY careful about character encoding, and accepted XML, otherwise your JSM will stop working.
You can create the files for 50 users in advance, either by hand or by a simple batch program (off course changing the names of the files to reflect the use name).
If you pre-create these files, you can take the opportunity to pre-add contacts to users' rosters, if that is something interesting for your application.
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If I create the 50 users in advance, does that mean they are automatically registered as new user and there is no need to relogin the first time to verify the account? (for integrated with NT)
YES
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I presume I also need to create the similar account in Active Directory or Win2K users account if the type of authentication is integrated with NT.
YES. The request of creating a new account the first time you connect, is related to the creation of the XML file. There must be the Win2k user though (if you chose the integrated authentication) otherwise the client will not authenticate.
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Does it mean that the user xml file is constantly updated, either when the user is online or offline (storing offline message)? What is updated in the xml file when user is online?
YES, it is constantly updated. It stores offline messages. It stores the password (which is dummy in the case of integrated authentication).
It also stores subscription information: for example a subscription information is the info related to the users with which the contact exchanges presence information; if that setting changes while the user is online (for example a new subscription) that information is stored in the XML file.
Is there any way to detect if the XMPP server is alive?
Is there a defined keep-alive packet in TIMP, e.g., client just send a pre-defined packet and expects the Server to echo/send some packet back to show that it is still alive?
This is for the client to detect abnormal breaking of connection.
To check if the connection is still alive you can send just a space character every 30 seconds (for example). If the socket goes in an error state it means you have been disconnected. You should also tune socket options like KEEP ALIVE.
You can also send a jabber browse request (for example) from time to time, but this is discouraged since it causes server overload.
Changing port for Open Connection from 5222 to xxxx
TIMP, like any Jabber server, accepts open connection on port 5222 and SSL connection on 5223.
To change the Open Connection port to say 5224 do the following:
- start TIMP Management Console
- go to GUI Console
- double Click on the "tgservice" plugin
- click on the Custom Plug in Tab
- to the jpold configuration add '-p 5224'
- in the stunnel configuration change 5222 in 5224
something like:
jpolld.exe -p 5224 -d 8000 ..........
stunnel.exe -d 5223 -r 5224 .........
Set the configuration and then restart the TIMP Service (from Windows Start menu)
How does TIMP use port 8000 (and other ports)?
TIMP is composed by several applications that interact through COM and TCP/IP.
Port 8000, by default, is used to connect jpolld (which is the application that deals with client connections) to the main router.
Also port 8001 is needed for s2s (which is the application that deals with server-to-server connections) to the main router. Actually the Installation Wizard checks if port 8000 is available, if not it tries with an higher port number. Be aware that ports 8000/8001 must be open only for loopback connections (so, not in the corporate firewall, but in a personal firewall installed on the machine).
Ports 5222/5223 must be open in the corporate firewall to allow open/secure connections.
Port 5269 must be open in the corporate firewall to allow your server to interoperate with other public jabber server (a FQDN is also needed). If not open in the corporate firewall but only in the personal firewall, port 5269 allows various TIMP servers on different machines to interoperate.
Deleting users from the directory after they left the company
A few users have left our company, but they are still showing up in Tipic when we search for their username whether we delete or disable their account from Active Directory. Please can you let me know how to remove them.
In this directory you should find the file:
global.xdb
C:\Documents and Settings\TW32JS_USER\Application Data\Tipic\spool\Prova_JSM/
You should edit this file with an XML editor to delete the users that left your company.