2  Preparation

2.1  Update of clients
2.2  Free disk space
2.3  Network communication

Before upgrading to Kerio MailServer 6.5 and installing the KOFF extension, preparation needs to be done to make KOFF work correctly.

2.1  Update of clients

Before installing KOFF, make sure that the operating system and Microsoft Office (especially Outlook) on the client side are updated to their latest versions.

Supported operating systems and required Service Packs:

  • Windows 2000 SP4

  • Windows 2003 Server SP2

  • Windows XP SP2

  • Windows Vista

Supported Outlook versions and required Service Packs:

  • Outlook XP SP3

  • Outlook 2003 SP3

  • Outlook 2007 SP1

2.2  Free disk space

The local store is implemented on top of the local database file. Its size is the sum of size of stored data and supportive database structures. The free space needed is bigger than the size of the mirror .eml file on the server. It is not possible to figure out the size of a particular database. It depends especially on the particular user's mailbox contents. Simple attachment-free messages can make the proportion of user's and supportive data fifty-fifty, so that the local database would be double-sized in comparison with the data saved on the server. However, attachments need less space in the local database than they do on the server, because they are saved in their native format, while in the case of .eml files on the server the Base64 encoding is used (with the 3:4 ratio).

The local database file is not always larger than its mirror on the server. This could be the case if a user does not synchronize the full message bodies in some folders (i.e. synchronizes only message headers).

Keep in mind that size of the local database file does not get smaller if messages are removed because the freed space gets filled with new messages. This implies that growing of this file is expected.

Another information to be aware of is location of the local database file on the client. By default, the local database file is saved in the user's profile on the system disk.

  • Windows Vista:

    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Kerio\Outlook Connector\<profile_name>

  • Windows 2000/XP:

    C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local settings\Application Data\Kerio\Outlook Connector\<profile_name>

This path cannot be changed. However, it is possible to use the Microsoft's Junction tool which enables creation of virtual links in the NTFS file system. This tool can be downloaded from the Microsoft website: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/FileAndDisk/ Junction.mspx

2.3  Network communication

Unlike its ancestor, KOFF communicates with the server exclusively via HTTP or HTTPS (KOC also used IMAP and SMTP). It is therefore necessary to make sure that such connections between the client and the server would not be blocked.