ZCS Administrator Guide 8.0

Open Source Edition

Using GAL sync accounts for faster access to GAL

A GAL sync account is created for the domain when an internal or external GAL is created, and if you have more than one mailbox server, you can create a GAL sync account for each mailbox server in the domain. Using the GAL sync account gives users faster access to auto complete names from the GAL.

When a GAL sync account is created on a server, GAL requests are directed to the server’s GAL sync account instead of the domain’s GAL sync account. If a GALsync account is not available for some reason, the traditional LDAP-based search is run.

Note:

The GAL sync accounts are system accounts and do not use a Zimbra license.

When you configure the GAL sync account, you define the GAL datasource and the contact data is syncd from the datasource to the GAL sync accounts’ address books. If the mode Both is selected, an address book is created in the account for each LDAP data source.

The GAL polling interval for the GAL sync determines how often the GALsync account syncs with the LDAP server. The sync intervals can be in x days, hours, minutes, or seconds. The polling interval is set for each data source.

When the GAL sync account syncs to the LDAP directory, all GAL contacts from the LDAP are added to the address book for that GAL. During the sync, the address book is updated with new contact, modified contact and deleted contact information. You should not modify the address book directly. When the LDAP syncs the GAL to the address book, changes you made directly to the address book are deleted.

You create GALsync accounts from the administration console. The CLI associated with this feature is zmgsautil.

Creating Additional GALsync Accounts

When ZCS is configured with more than one server, you can add an additional GAL sync account for each server.

1.	In the administration console, select Configure>Domains.

2.	Select the domain to add another GAL sync account.

3.	In the gear box, select Configure GAL.

4.	Click Add a GAL account.

5.	In the GAL sync account name field, enter the name for this account. Do not use the default name.

6.	Select the mailbox server that this account will apply to.

7.	Enter the GAL datasource name, If the GAL mode is BOTH, enter the data source name for both the internal GAL and the external GAL.

8.	Set the GAL polling interval to how often the GAL sync account should sync with the LDAP server to update.

9.	Click Finish.

Changing GAL sync account name.

The default name for the GAL sync account is galsync. When you configure the GAL mode, you can specify another name. After the GAL sync account is created, you cannot rename the account because syncing the data fails.

To change the account name delete the existing GAL sync account and configure a new GAL for the domain.

1.	In the administration console, select Configure>Domains.

2.	Select the domain where you want to change the GAL sync account name.

3.	In the gear box, select Configure GAL to open the configuration wizard and change the GAL mode to internal. Do not configure any other fields. Click Finish.

4.	In the domain’s account Content pane, delete the domain’s galsync account.

5.	Select the domain again and select Configure GAL to reconfigure the GAL. In the GAL sync account name field, enter the name for the account. Complete the GAL configuration and click Finish. The new account is displayed in the Accounts Content pane.