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What authentication mechanisms does the GMS Collaboration client provide?

Question

The GMS Collaboration client can provide additional layers of security by providing both authentication and encryption if customers require this.

The main difference between authentication and encryption is that the latter uses the Secure Socket Layer to encrypt all traffic between the GMS client and server whereas the GMS secure authentication offering does not rely on SSL technology to encrypt the data stream. Instead it will use a strong, industry encryption mechanism against your username and password and therefore encrypt it before it leaves your computer on route to the server. The authentication process will validate account credentials and if successful, it will allow relay through the GMS server if you are connecting from outside your local network.

To enable SSL you will need to install either a self-generated SSL certificate or purchase a genuine certificate from a Certification Authority.

Please then contact Gordano Sales for a free server side SSL key which you will need to be enter into the GMS administration GUI.
Self-generated certificates can be created using the GMS keycert utility. More information on this and SSL can be found from the links below:

Answer

The GMS Collaboration client can communicate over the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) over HTTP, SMTP and IMAP. By default, these secure ports are 8377 for GMS Collaboration, 465 for SMTP and 993 for IMAP.

The authentication mechanisms that GMS support are LOGIN, DIGEST-MD5, CRAM-MD5 and PLAIN.

To enable authentication or SSL encryption, right click on the "GMS Message Store" in your Outlook client, then "Advanced" to open the GMS configuration dialog, then move to the "Server" tab. Alternatively, from the Outlook "File" menu, find "Data File Management". Select the "GMS Message Store" and then “Settings”. Now move to the "Server" tab

IMAP:
Use secure connection:
Enabling this will force the client to use SSL and communicate over the secure IMAP port, 993 by default.

Use secure authentication: Enabling this will force the client to issue a strong form of authentication such as CRAM-MD5.

SMTP:
Use secure connection:
Enabling this will force the client to use SSL and communicate over the secure SMTP port, 465 by default.

Server requires authentication: Enabling this checkbox will mean the client will use a basic authentication mechanism such as PLAIN.

Use secure authentication: Enabling this will force the client to issue a stronger form of authentication such as CRAM-MD5.

You will need to ensure that these authentication mechanisms are enabled at the server level. To do this, edit or add a system variable for either SMTPAuth and IMAPAuth. Each variable will takes a space separated string of numerical digits as its value.

1 enables AUTH=LOGIN
2 enables AUTH=DIGEST-MD5
3 enables AUTH=CRAM-MD5
4 enables AUTH=PLAIN

Give each variable a value of 1 2 3 4 to enable all four mechanisms.

See Also:

Keywords:imapauth smtpauth auth collab collaboration client ssl secure connection

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