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Groove Relay Communications Protocols
Updated: April 1, 2008
Applies To: Groove Server 2007
Updated: 2008-04-01
Groove Relay is implemented as a multi-protocol server platform. Among the supported protocols, Groove’s native Simple Symmetric Transmission Protocol (SSTP) across a TCP (port 2492) connection is the preferred protocol for Groove client-to-relay connections. If port 2492 is blocked by a firewall, Groove clients can also establish SSTP connections to a Groove Relay server over Secure Socket Layer (SSL) port 443. If port 443 is also blocked, Groove clients can encapsulate SSTP within HTTP, and connect to Groove Relay servers over port 80. However, port 80 connections, as the encapsulation and management of such connections results in significant overhead. Groove clients can also communicate with Groove Relay servers across proxies using port 443 or HTTP port 80. To detect client online and offline status, relays also support Groove’s WAN Device Presence Protocol (DPP).
Like the Groove client, Groove Relay depends on SSTP for processing Groove messages, including Groove instant messages, workspace invitations, and workspace updates. SSTP is designed to augment standard transport protocols, such as TCP and UDP, with features such as multiplexed messaging to multiple devices over a single connection, efficient streaming of large messages, and application detection of connection outages. SSTP operates over TCP on the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)-assigned port 2492. It supports bi-directional application-level connections between two machines. All Groove workspace updates, instant messages, and presence notifications involve Groove application-level protocols and are sent as SSTP messages.
The following table describes how Groove Relay utilizes various protocols:
| Relay Protocols | Usage |
|---|---|
|
Simple Symmetric Transport Protocol (SSTP) via TCP over port 2492 WAN Device Presence Protocol (DPP) over SSTP |
Used to transport Groove messages. Inbound port 2492 supports:
Outbound port supports:
|
|
SSTP over port 443 |
Used to transport messages when SSTP transmissions over port 2492 are blocked by firewalls or for transmissions from Groove clients via proxies that support the HTTP Connect method. Inbound port 443 supports:
|
|
SSTP over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) port 80 |
Used to transport messages when direct SSTP transmissions are blocked by firewalls. Inbound port 80 supports:
|
|
HTTP over administrative port 8010 |
Used to access Groove Relay administrative Web pages. Inbound port 8010 supports:
|
|
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) over port 8009 |
Used to transmit Groove Relay administrative settings from the Groove Manager to the Groove Relay. Inbound port 8009 supports:
|
