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What is Zimbra?

“Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) 5.0 is a truly modern, innovative messaging and collaboration application. Zimbra is the leading open source solution for enterprise, service provider, education, and government environments; offering administrators and their end-users unmatched benefits.” www.zimbra.com

What does this block do?

The Zimbra SSO Block allows single sign on integration between Moodle and Zimbra.  When the users click on the ‘My Email’ link it will automatically sign the users in to their Zimbra account in another window.

Where is the block available?

The block is available for FREE here

Prerequisite?

To implement this block you will need the following:-

1. Every Moodle account has to have an email address and a corresponding email account on the Zimbra server.
2. Root access to the Moodle server.
3. Root access to the Zimbra server.

How It Works?

Zimbra Single Sign On works by having a key shared between the Moodle and Zimbra. Knowing this key, Moodle specifies the desired username, a timestamp, an expiration time, and then computes a SHA-1 HMAC over that data using secret key.

Zimbra computes the HMAC using the supplied data, and it’s key, to verify that it matches the HMAC sent in the request. If it does, Zimbra will construct an auth token, save it in a cookie and then redirect the user to their Inbox.

How To Install?

1. Download and unzip the block from the above link.
2. Copy the zimbra folder to your [moodle]/blocks. [moodle] is the name of the folder that moodle is installed in.
3. Login to Moodle as the admin user and click on notifications to or visit http://[your_moodle_url]/admin/index.php to complete the installation.

Configuring Zimbra?

1. Connect to the Zimbra server via ssh as root or open a terminal window.
2. Change directory to where Zimbra is installed
3. Change user to the Zimbra account. su – zimbra
4. Run zmprov command.
5. Type gdpak your_domain_name
6. A preauth key will now be generated
7. Take note of the preauth key this will be require later.
8. Exit zmprov
9. Run zmcontrol stop
10. Run zmcontrol start

Configuring Moodle?

1. Login to Moodle as the admin user.
2. Navigate to the Zimbra block settings page. Site Administration -> Modules -> Blocks -> Zimbra SSO




3. Modify Block Title and Link Text to fit your establishment’s terminology.
4. Enter the Zimbra’s PreAuth Url in Zimbra Url.
5. Enter the key generated by Zimbra in the previous section in the field Zimbra PreAuth Key.
6. Click Save Changes.
7. Navigate to Sticky Block Setting Page Site Administration -> Modules -> Stickey Blocks
8. Select My Moodle page type for configuration.
9. Select from the drop down list in the Blocks block Zimbra SSO
10. Move block to the require location.
11. Select Course page page type for configuration.
12. Select from the drop down list in the Blocks block Zimbra SSO
13. Move block to the require location.
14. Zimbra configuration is now complete.