Mimecast for Outlook - Installing in a Multi User Environment

This article contains information for administrators on installing Mimecast for Outlook in multi-user environments, including prerequisites, SQL server configuration, system processes, and command-line installation for Terminal Server, Citrix, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure setups.

You can install Mimecast for Outlook on multiple user machines simultaneously by installing the application on Citrix, Terminal Server, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. This allows multiple users to access the application. This article is intended for Administrators. 

The tool provided is for use ONLY when configuring Mimecast for Outlook in Multi-User Environments and not for any other purposes.

A Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL server may be required to store add-in data if persistent user profiles are not used.
To check if you require a Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL server, see SQL Databases.

Also see Prerequisites and Configuration Tool articles.

Prerequisites

For multi-user environments, the following prerequisites must be considered:

• Mimecast for Outlook installation file, available from the Application Downloads page.
• Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL Server (if required):
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or later. SQL Express is not supported.
  • MySQL Community Server 5.6.21 or later.
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 or later.
• Mixed Authentication Mode must be enabled (SQL & Windows Authentication).
• LAN connectivity between the Terminal Server and the SQL Server.
• If you have Continuity as part of your Mimecast package, ensure Allow Automatic Failover in the Continuity sub-section of your Application Settings profile in Mimecast is DISABLED during this setup and testing process.

Configuring MySQL Server

To use MySQL Server as your SQL database, see SQL Databases.

Configuring Microsoft SQL Server

Database upgrades are handled automatically. Customers should use the SQL Settings area of the Configuration Tool to connect to their database and create a custom MSI.

To configure Microsoft SQL Server, you must first create a database on the SQL Server. The Mimecast for Outlook .MSI installer must be customized by the Mimecast for Outlook Configuration Tool to include an SQL-specific connection string.

See the Mimecast for Outlook Configuration Tool page for further details.

You can configure Microsoft SQL Server, by using the following steps:

1. Click on the File | Open menu item to load the Mimecast for Outlook installation .MSI.
2. Navigate to the SQL Settings section and configure it as follows:

   Option	Value
   Data Source	Enter the SQL Server's IP address or hostname.
   Initial Catalog	mimecast-mso
   User ID	Enter the SQL user's userid.
   Password	Enter the SQL user's password.
   Pool Size	300 Use the default Pool Size setting, unless instructed otherwise by Mimecast Support.
   Admin user ID	Enter the account with administrator database permissions.
   Admin Password	Enter the database administrator password.

3. Click on the Create Database option to initiate the database creation process.
4. Click on the Test Connection option to test the SQL Server connection.
5. Click on the File | Save As menu item.

A custom MSI installer containing the SQL Connection string to the database that has just been created has been created. This is the installer that should be deployed into the multi-user environment.

System Processes

For standalone installations, Mimecast for Outlook uses a user process called MSDDSK.EXE. This simplifies deployments, as system-based proxy settings are applied to Mimecast for Outlook traffic in the context of the logged-in user. For multi-tenant environments (e.g. Terminal Services / Citrix farms / Azure VD) this process is switched to a per-machine process running as the Local System account (msdsrv.exe). In these environments, users share the resource.

This means the Local System account must be able to connect to the internet using the proxy server. If your environment isn't configured to allow the local system account to use the proxy as a breakout, enter the following command on the server. This assigns a proxy server to the local system account:

bitsadmin /util /setieproxy localsystem MANUAL_PROXY *.*.*.*:XXXX null

Where:

• *.*.*.* is the proxy server IP address.
• XXXX is the port number.

Installation Command Line

msiexec /i "<Mimecast for Outlook Location>" /l test.log ENABLE_MULTIUSER_MODE="1"

Replace Mimecast for Outlook Location with the location path of the installer file.