Setting up Spark in the Enterprise

Hey all,

Okay, I have some problems that I needs some answers to. I have successfully downloaded and installed the Spark MSI using Active Directory and Group Policy, it is working and deploying as it should, now I’m at a roadblock.

Basically, I will need some help with the following:

  • Automatically having Spark detect the Openfire server, or having it pre-loaded into the configuration
  • Have Spark Automatically detect User Login Credentials and open and log them in at startup
  • Stop Spark from showing the previous chats to users each time they start a new conversation
    That’s all I can think of at this moment in time, I’m having a bit of a mental block this late in the Afternoon, but still, I will now elaborate:

Automatically Detecting the Openfire Server

Basically, I work for an organisation where our userbase is not that technologicallty oriented, and they often have trouble remembering the names of the server. Thus, I would like it to Automatically insert either teh Server name or IP Address into the server field so that the Users don’t ever have to worry about the Server. (Also, if possible, it would be nice to hide/grey out said field)

Automatically Logon

Once again, this is a result of the less tech-savvy users. Many of them would prefer to not have to deal with the technology (We in fact have one user who insists on writing everything down and never using E-Mail or a Word Processor. We have people who get nice hand-written letters from this fellow all the time) but anyway. Many of our users are the type that if it isn’t ready to go at startup, they simply won’t use it.

Stop Prior Chats being Displayed

While this is a very nice feature, and I for one love it, many of our users don’t like the idea of everything they do being recorded (We are required by law to record everything users do, including IM and E-Mail) but many of them would simply not use such a system if they knew that it was being recorded. We like to act under the guise of “Well, of course it’s been recorded, it is after all a buisness network” when they say “You didn’t tell me it was being recorded”

Also, it helps weed out the people that would otherwise do corporate harm.

Anyways, I’m about to head home. I’ll come in tomorrow with the hope that someone out in the Ether has an answer to my problem.

-Kaster

You can deploy the settings for spark to each user using a login script. The script should create the Spark folder if not present in the root of their user profile. Then you need to copy the file spark.properties to this folder. This file contains all the settings for spark (show history, server, etc). Configure a copy of spark how you want the program to function then use this file. As for single sign on using their windows authentication. This is much more difficult. This is meant as a guide as each active directory setup can be vastly different: http://www.igniterealtime.org/community/docs/DOC-1616

Any way to stop the chats being displayed?

-Kaster

again as I stated that is a local user setting in spark. just turn it off in spark and it will be saved to the properties file. there is no perminent method of disabling this feature though.