Direct Database Mode

This topic only applies if you want to use Email Signature Manager in direct database mode.

Email Signature Manager can work in an alternative mode, direct database mode, in which the Email Signature Manager Agent connects directly to the Email Signature Manager database. In this mode the service will not write Outlook settings and signatures to each mailbox, and the Agent will fetch the same information directly from the database.

Examples of when direct database mode may be useful are:

•You want the Agent to work directly with the database in the same way as in Email Signature Manager version 4.x, 5.x and 6.x.

•Due to specific environment restrictions the Agent is unable to connect to mailboxes.

There are certain limitations to using direct database mode:

•The Email Signature Manager database must be hosted on SQL Server.

•Off-premises users may not be able to make direct connections to the database or VPN may be required.

These are the steps to take if you want to use direct database mode:

1.If you are currently using the built-in database, migrate it to SQL Server.
 

2.Within the main application, open the Deployment Options dialog and on the Advanced page, select the Direct Database Mode option.
 

3.Click the Save Configuration File button to save a configuration file that configures the Agent to connect to the SQL Server database.

Note When using Group Policy, the configuration file is copied by the MSI package at installation time. Hence, any existing installations will not have the configuration file copied. It is therefore recommended to create a new GPO to install the latest version of the Agent, which will upgrade any existing installations and install the file.