How to create a software distribution directory for GroupWise on Linux

The log of the POA show that there is no Software Distribution Directory available.
Running an update of the view files fails.

The difference between NetWare and Linux is, that GroupWise was able to connect to a Software Distribution Directory (SDD) on a different server. You only have to add a user and password to the startup of the POA file and give this user rights to the directory. With Linux this is not working anymore and the administrator has to define this. There are 2 options: create a SDD on every server you have a POA running or follow this procedure and create a central SDD.

The biggest challenge is to define how to access the remote SDD. There are some options:
On OES2 you can use ncpmount to mount the SDD when this is on a different OES2 or NetWare server. Disadvantage of this that it is hard to do this automated. If the POA is loaded on startup, the SDD will not be available. Also when the server containing the SDD is not available, the ncpmount will take a long time.

The other option is based on NFS.
First you need to create a directory on the server and then unzip the support pack or hotpatch to this directory. Install on this server nfsserver and enable the server to start on server reboot. Create a /etc/export file that allows you to export the directory with the SDD.

On my system, I did the following:
1) created a directory /gwsource and unzip the GW802 HP2 in this directory.
2) installed nfsserver and with "chkconfig nfsserver on" configured the nfsserver to start on reboot.
3) created a /etc/export with the following data:
/gwsource       *(fsid=110,ro,sync,root_squash)
You can leave out fsid, ro stands for read-only and root_squash causes the anonymous uid/gid to be used.
4) start nfsserver with "rcnfsserver start". Now the SDD will be available to be mounted on other systems.

If the nfsserver is available on OES2, you could make a NCP-share of the SDD directory. Then their is the possibility to copy the windows client to this SDD that can be user for automatic client update or client install.

There are several ways to mount the nfs share: add this to /etc/fstab, use yast to configure the nfsclient, and use automounter. I would prefer automounter, as this will only mount the share when needed.I used the following in my system (these configuration steps are done on a server that needs access to the SDD).
1) create a directory /gw
2) in /etc/auto.master add the following:
/gw /etc/auto.gw
3) create a file /etc/auto.gw and add the following:
gwsource  -ro,soft,intr  nfsserver:/gwsource
-ro for read-only, soft will cause a timeout when the nfsserver is not available, and nfsserver should be the ip-address or the dnsname of the nfsserver.
4) load automounter with "rcautofs start"
5) enable the automounter to start on boot with "chkconfig autofs on"
6) if you know go to /gw you will see no gwsource directory, but you will still be able to change to this directory. On this moment the mount will be made and the data is available.

Now the POA need to be configured to use this SDD.
1) start ConsoleOne and connect to a (primary) domain.
2) goto Tools, GroupWise System Operations and select Software Directory Management
3) click on create
4) add a name and if needed a description
5) A UNC path is needed. If a NCP-share has been created add this, if not add a other directory. This will not be used by the POA, but this could be used by Windows for updating or installing the client.
6) Enter the linux path. Enter the local directory. E.g. /gw/gwsource/802hp2
7) Click on OK and restart the POA. In the POA-log you will see that the POA has access to the SDD.