MailCOPA Multi User Email Software - Using TCP/IP for Data Access

For multi-machine installations only.

Note that with multi-machine installations (where the data is not held on the computer running MailCOPA) data access will be much slower than where the data is held on the local machine. the latter will be at least 20 times faster, probably much more. This means that there may be pauses on client machines that may make it appear that MailCOPA has stopped responding.

Previously, the connection to the data was via Windows File Sharing but setting the data path on client computers was always problematic, and became much more complicated and error-prone with Windows XP.

It was therefore decided to connect to the data over a TCP/IP link, using a special server installed on the machine holding the MailCOPA data (the Server machine).

Upgrades to previous versions of MailCOPA will continue to use the 'old' system, though the 'new' system is available if required. New installations of MailCOPA will use the 'new' system by default, although the 'old' system will also be available if required. It is possible to switch between the two systems without problem, MailCOPA will automatically adjust to the type of data path set.

New installations of MailCOPA will automatically be configured to use the TCP/IP system, and the server detected, but here are some technical details in case you need them.

NOTE that with Windows 95/98/98SE/ME , there may be problems accessing the server. The auto-detect system may not find the server, and manually configured access using its name may well fail too. Access using the IP Address will work, but depends on the server being configured with a static IP Address.

The 'server' is the computer on which the data is held, and this will have MailCOPA installed on it too, accessing the data by a normal directory\file path to a disc on this machine. The DB Server will also be installed on this machine. The data path is set in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\InterVations\MailCOPA\Paths\Server

And will typically be of the form:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\InterVations\MailCOPA

It is not possible to use the TCP/IP data connection on the server which must access data directly as above !!!

The 'clients' are the other computers on which MailCOPA is installed. The data path is set in the registry as above, and should be of the form:

ivdb://MyServer/MailCOPA

or

ivdb://192.168.1.1/MailCOPA

Ensure that firewalls do not prevent access - you must make sure that TCP Port 7492 is open on the server. If Using Windows XP's built-in firewall, create an exception for dbservnt.exe

The currently data path is displayed on the Global Preferences area of the Configuration

It is even possible to access the data across the internet, though this is very slow due to the massive quantities of data to be communicated.