How to edit Microsoft Office files for SharePoint and MAC OS X Clients when ESP is enabled
Scope
When a Windows Internet Explorer (IE) client downloads an Office file from SharePoint, it automatically has an authentication cookie associated with Edge Security Pack (ESP), assuming that Permanent Cookies is enabled, and the FQDN is added to IE's Trusted Sites.
This will not work with MAC OS X clients, as the option for Trusted Sites is not available.
Solution
To overcome this incompatibility, the LoadMaster can separate MAC OS X Office traffic based on User-Agent string and forward it to a dedicated Sub Virtual Service. Two Sub Virtual Services (SubVSs) are required. The only downside to this solution is that the server requests that the client authenticate.
Configuration
1. Create Content Rule.
Navigate to: Rules & Checking > Content Rules > New Rule
Match String = /^.*Office.*Mac OS.*/
2. Create two Sub Virtual Services.
Create Two SubVSs
In the Web User Interface (WUI), go to Virtual Services > View/Modify Services > Modify > Real Servers > Add SubVS and name them accordingly. For example, Sub VS 1 = ESP, Sub VS 2 = MAC-Office
Remove any Real Server in the Virtual Service before adding the SubVS. Configure each SubVS accordingly, both SubVSs should be identical, except MAC-Office will not have ESP enabled.
3. Enable Content Switching.
To enable content switching, follow the steps below:
- In the WUI, go to Virtual Services > View/Modify Services > Modify.
- Expand the Advanced Properties section.
- Enable Content Switching.
- In the SubVSs section there wis a new column called Rules. Click None and assign the default rule to the ESP SubVS.
- Assign MACOfficeFiles Rule to the MAC-Office SubVS.