Microsoft KB Archive/138725

= PC WSPlus: Definition of *.POF Files (Access Control List) =

Article ID: 138725

Article Last Modified on 8/18/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0a

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This article was previously published under Q138725



1.00 1.00a WINDOWS kbusage



SUMMARY
Schedule distribution is an automated process that exchanges free and busy times between postoffices. You can send snapshots of a user's appointment books to another postoffice. These snapshots are stored in access control lists with an extension of POF.

The access control lists (POF files) contain the following information:


 * Free/busy times (stored as bits) for each user on the postoffice.
 * Flags specifying which accounts on the postoffice are resources.
 * A list of the assistants for those users on the postoffice who have assistants.
 * Access rights information.



MORE INFORMATION
Access control lists are stored in the \CAL subdirectory on the postoffice. Each postoffice participating in Schedule+ distribution has its own POF file that is always 00000000.POF. A POF file is created by the Schedule+ distribution program (SCHDIST.EXE) for each external postoffices that SCHDIST.EXE is configure to cover. The POF files for external postoffices are stored with an 8 digit ID, such as 00000001.POF or 00000002.POF.

The Schedule+ distribution program sends updated POF information inside of an electronic mail message using the established Schedule+ administrator accounts (ADMINSCH) on each postoffice. The information is sent only if a change occurs. For example, if there are 150 users on a postoffice but only 10 users have modified their schedule since the last schedule distribution message was sent, only 10 new sets of free/busy bits are sent in the next schedule distribution message.

The schedule distribution information is kept in the CAL directory of the receiving postoffice. On every postoffice, there is one postoffice file ( .POF) for each postoffice that sends it schedule distribution messages. Schedule distribution is configured through the Schedule+ administration program. The actual work of distributing schedule information is done when the schedule distribution program, SCHEDIST.EXE, is run.

For step by step instructions for setting up Schedule+ distribution, see the Schedule+ "Administrator's Guide," or please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

98977 Setting up Dynamic Connections

104249 Setting Up Schedule Distribution

With schedule distribution, you can view free and busy information for users on another postoffice without having network access or access privileges to the other postoffice. Once you have viewed the free and busy time of users on other postoffices, they can send a meeting request, although it is possible to send a meeting request without first viewing free and busy times.

Schedule distribution allows Schedule+ to quickly find out if users on other postoffices have assistants or are resources. Schedule+ needs to know this information to decide where to send meeting requests. Schedule distribution uses the Microsoft Mail system to route information across different local area networks (LANs).

NOTE: Schedule distribution can cause an increase of consistent network traffic.

This process does not allow users on one postoffice to see anything more than free and busy time of users on another postoffices. Schedule distribution alone cannot enable a user on one postoffice to view appointment details, modify appointment books, or act as an assistant for a user on another postoffice. Additionally, schedule distribution alone does not let users on one postoffice automatically book resources on another postoffice. The process of schedule distribution requires the schedule distribution program, SCHDIST.EXE, to be run, either manually or continuously, on a dedicated machine or with other processes using the DISPATCH.EXE program. In addition, SCHDIST.EXE can be run as an idle process to dispatch and can run on the same machine, at the same time as the External Mail program (EXTERNAL.EXE).

For additional information, please see the Microsoft Mail Resource Kit, Chapter 4 "Configuration Planning," pages 129-138. The Microsoft Mail Resource Kit is part number 068-095-475.

Additional query words: 3.50 Mail Resource Kit POF Access Control List

Keywords: KB138725

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