Sorry, I think I know where you're at now. First of all, the "External User Database" is for those who want to use Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Oracle, or some other third party database software for their users. This software must be purchased separately from their respective manufacturers and has nothing to do with IPSwitch or IMail.
If you don't want to spend the additional couple of thousand dollars on licenses for an enterprise database like Oracle or MS SQL Server, a Microsoft Access database will work just fine. A copy of MS Access is about $100 and can be found at most computer stores. If you don't have another database product or don't want to deal with the problems associated with relational databases, IMail provides its own storage for user accounts, the "IMail Database" setting. With this setting, instead of storing the user account information in an "external database", the data is stored in your registry. Using the "IMail Database" setting is the easiest and (I've heard) the most efficient way to use IMail. For those that need to perform "joins" or complex database operations on their user accounts, the "External Database" setting is one way to go. You can refer to my previous email, but I'll sum up the steps here. They might make more sense now. For the External Database 1. Install database software/server (ie. MS SQL Server, MS Access, Oracle, ...) 2. Setup a new database within the database software/server. 3. Create a DSN: Windows 2000: Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Data Sources Windows NT: Start -> Control Panel -> ODBC Name it IMAILSECDB if you want to match IMail's default settings. 4. Add a new Host in IMail 5. Select "External Database" and click "Configure". Now you can use the default settings that you mentioned. 6. When you've finished the Add Host procedure, a new table should be in your database under Access or whatever database program you're using. > Here's my wall; how do i add a user to the table? via asp? if so i - You can use the IMail Administrator, the IMail Web Messaging client, or your own ASP pages. The changes you make will be reflected in the database tables in your database program. - You can use ASP, but you've better be pretty good at ADO or something similar. > can't seem to access the DSN IMAILSECDB.. i've searched the hd and > cannot find it anywhere. You're not going to find it anywhere. You have to set it up manually. See Step 3 above. It's not going to be a file you can easily read. I'm not even sure if it is a file per se. The default setting in IMail doesn't create a DSN... it just suggests the name for a DSN... and the default is just an example that should work for MS Access. > should i just make an access DSN and point to it? Yes. > very basic. i've tried to use the 'add new user' function/button within > the imail administrator but i believe that's only for imails user If you have everything set up right, it will make changes to the external database. IMail user account storage (as far as I know) for each host is either one or the other, not both. You either use the IMail Database, the NT SAM, or an external database. You CAN use different storage types for different hosts within the same IMail server. > Any suggestion good/bad will be greatly appreciated. I hope this helps. If you need more assistance, you can email me off list directly and I'll get some screenshots to you. It's hard to explain over plain text email. -Norm -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Rick Leske Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 9:39 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [IMail Forum] External Database Norman, I thank you for a very informative 'how to' and by golly I think my youngs son could handle that. Me? well old dog.. hard headed I guess.. what i'm trying to do is to use the default settings within imail for an external database. I have selected to use the External User Database (does imail make this?) Then I've let imail put in the default DSN of IMAILSECDB and lastly its' default table name of [default] which i understand will make a table called something like mailme_com. Here's my wall; how do i add a user to the table? via asp? if so i can't seem to access the DSN IMAILSECDB.. i've searched the hd and cannot find it anywhere. should i just make an access DSN and point to it? I am truely sorry if this sounds like a mess but to me i'm sure i'm overlooking something very basic. i've tried to use the 'add new user' function/button within the imail administrator but i believe that's only for imails user database. Any suggestion good/bad will be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance, rick Please visit http://www.ipswitch.com/support/mailing-lists.html to be removed from this list. An Archive of this list is available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/ Please visit the Knowledge Base for answers to frequently asked questions: http://www.ipswitch.com/support/IMail/
