Most users want to be able to access e-mail, calendars, contacts, and scheduled tasks no matter what time it is or where they are, and with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, you can make anywhere, anytime access to Exchange data a real possibility. How? Start by using Exchange’s built-in mobile and Web access features to allow users to connect to Exchange using wireless networks and over the Internet using Web browsers. Afterward, configure your network to allow direct dial-up connections or to use remote procedure calls (RPCs) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and then create Microsoft Outlook profiles that use these configurations.
Microsoft Outlook Web Access is a standard Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 technology that allows users to access their mailboxes and public folder data using a Web browser. The technology works with standard Internet protocols, including Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).
WebDAV is an extension to HTTP that allows remote clients to create and manage server-based files, folders, and data. When users access mailboxes and public folders over the Web, an HTTP virtual server hosted by Exchange Server 2003 is working behind the scenes to grant access and transfer files to the browser. Because Outlook Web Access doesn’t need to be configured on the client, it’s ideally suited for users who want to access e-mail while away from the office.
When you install Exchange Server 2003, Outlook Web Access is automatically configured for use. This makes Outlook Web Access fairly easy to manage, but there are some essential concepts that you should know to manage it more effectively. This section explains these concepts.
Outlook Web Access and a default HTTP virtual server are installed automatically when you install Exchange Server 2003. In most cases you only need to open the appropriate ports on your organization’s firewall, as discussed in Chapter 16, to allow users to access mailboxes and public folder data over the Web. After that, you simply tell users the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) path that they need to type into their browser’s Address field. The users can then access Outlook Web Access when they’re off-site.
Outlook Web Access is optimized for screen resolutions of 800 × 600 or higher. Two different versions of Outlook Web Access are available:
Basic Experience. Basic Experience is designed to work with standard Web browsers, provided that the browsers support HTML 3.2 and JavaScript [European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA)] script. This means users could use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and other browsers to access Outlook Web Access. However, Microsoft recommends that you use Internet Explorer 5.0 or later versions or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or later. Both browsers have been tested for compatibility with Outlook Web Access.
Rich Experience. Rich Experience is designed for Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, and it has significant enhancements. Its performance closely approximates Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, including a folder hierarchy that you can expand or collapse, drag-and-drop functionality, and shortcut menus that you can access by right-clicking. In addition, you can also view the Outlook search folders, use Preview pane and Two Line view, mark items as read or unread, resize Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) frames, sort and spell check, and create and manage server-side rules.
Note
The application programming interface (API) for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 has extensions for Outlook Web Access as well. These extensions allow Internet Explorer to compress message data using GZip compression technology, provided that Exchange is running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. GZip compression gives about a 30 percent performance improvement when transferring data.
Figure 3-1 shows the Rich Experience view of Outlook Web Access. Most users with Internet Explorer 5.0 or later get this view of Outlook Web Access automatically. If their browser doesn’t support a necessary technology for the Rich Experience view or this technology has been disabled, they might get the Basic View instead. If they can right-click and see a shortcut menu, they have the Rich Experience view.
In addition to being able to manage their inbox, calendar, contacts, tasks, public folders, and mailbox rules, users can also set the following Outlook Web Access options by clicking Options in the task pane, making whatever changes are desired, and then clicking Save And Close:
Out of Office Assistant. Allows you to specify whether you are in the office or out of the office. If out of the office, you can enter the text of the AutoReply message to be sent to anyone who sends you e-mail.
Messaging Options. Allows you to set key messaging options. By default, 25 items are displayed per page, but this can be set to from 5 to 100 items per page if desired. You can also edit your signature and specify a preferred font to use for messages. The default font is 10-point Arial.
Reading Pane Options. Allows you to specify whether and how messages are marked as read.
Spelling Options. Allows you to set options for the spell checker, including the dictionary language. The default language is set per the browser’s language setting.
E-mail Security. Allows you to download the latest version of the Secure/ Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) control.
Privacy and Junk E-mail Prevention. Allows you to filter junk e-mail, choose how to respond to requests for read receipts, and block external content in HTML e-mail messages.
Tip
One of the reasons for blocking external content in HTML e-mail messages is that images and other types of external content are used as e-mail beacons by those who send unsolicited (spam) e-mail. If you open a message containing external content, your e-mail address might be validated for the spammer, therefore indicating to the spammer that the e-mail address is valid and encouraging more spam.
Appearance. Allows you to select the color scheme used by Outlook Web Access. The default color scheme is blue.
Date and Time Formats. Allows you to set the format for dates and times. You can also set the current time zone. Although this changes the time zone used when sending e-mail messages, it doesn’t change the time zone on the computer.
Calendar Options. Allows you specify when the first day of the week is and when the workday starts and ends for the purposes of calendar scheduling.
Reminder Options. Allows you to enable or disable reminders for calendars and tasks.
Contact Options. Allows you to specify whether the Global Address Lists or your personal contacts are checked first when resolving e-mail addresses in messages you are composing. By default, the Global Address List is checked first.
Recover Deleted Items. Allows you to view and recover items that were recently emptied from the Deleted Items folder. Any items you recover are moved back to the Deleted Items folder.
Exchange Server 2003 enables Outlook Web Access for each user by default. If necessary, you can disable Outlook Web Access for specific users. To do this, complete the following steps:
Start Active Directory Users And Computers.
Select Advanced Features from the View menu. Advanced features should now be enabled for viewing and configuring.
Double-click the user’s name in Active Directory Users And Computers. This opens the Properties dialog box for the user account.
Click the Exchange Features tab. The enabled mobile and Web access features for the user are displayed as shown in Figure 3-2.
Click OK.
You use WebDAV to access mailboxes and public folders over the Web and the corporate intranet. With WebDAV, clients can do the following:
Access mailboxes. To access a user’s mailbox, type the Exchange URL into Internet Explorer’s Address field and then enter the user name and password for the mailbox you want to access. For example, to access the mailbox for the Exchange alias williams, type http://servername/Exchange, where servername is a placeholder for the HTTP virtual server hosted by Exchange Server 2003. When prompted, type the user name williams and the mailbox password.
Access default public folders tree. To access the default public folder, access the user’s mailbox and then click the Public Folders tab. Or type the folder’s URL into Internet Explorer’s Address field. For example, to access the public folder tree in a browser, type http://servername/public/, where servername is a placeholder for the HTTP virtual server hosted by Exchange Server 2003 and public is the default name of the Public Folders Web share.
Access alternate public folder trees. To access alternate public folder trees, type the folder’s URL into Internet Explorer’s Address field. For example, to access a public folder called Marketing, type http://servername/marketing/, where servername is a placeholder for the HTTP virtual server hosted by Exchange Server 2003 and marketing is the name of the alternate public folder tree.
Exchange Server 2003 supports wireless access for users with many types of mobile devices, including pocket PCs, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and smart phones. As an Exchange administrator, there are several things you can do to fine-tune the wireless access configuration for your organization. You’ll want to take a look at synchronization and notification settings, enable or disable unsupported devices, and update Exchange for the mobile service carriers in your area. Once you’ve done that, you can test the services and roll Exchange out for users.
Outlook Mobile Access is a standard feature of Exchange Server 2003. Using Outlook Mobile Access, users with mobile devices can access their e-mail, calendar, contacts, and scheduled tasks. Mobile access services have two key components:
Wireless synchronization access. With wireless synchronization, users can use Pocket PC devices to synchronize Exchange data with the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync application. Synchronizing a device to Exchange allows users to keep their Exchange data current without being constantly connected to a wireless network.
Wireless browse access. With wireless browsing, users can use their wireless devices to connect to Exchange and browse their Exchange data. On the wireless device, browsing is enabled using the built-in Web browser. The user connects to the Internet using the services of their mobile device, and then browses Exchange using the Outlook Mobile Access URL, such as http://exchange.adatum.com/oma.
Both wireless access components are installed by default on Exchange Server 2003, and no installation is required. You will, however, want to configure mobile services carriers and optimize the mobile access configuration for your organization.
Note
Outlook Mobile Access browsing is possible because of the HTTP virtual server that is installed with Exchange. To learn more about possible server configurations for Outlook Mobile Access browsing, read the section of Chapter 16 entitled "Using Front-End and Back-End Server Configurations for Web and Mobile Access ."
Throughout the United States and the world, there are hundreds and hundreds of carriers that provide services for mobile devices. The mobile service carriers that are used in your area should be configured to make it as easy as possible for users to take advantage of Exchange’s wireless access features. You can configure mobile service carriers through the following:
Microsoft Corporate Messaging Services. Using Microsoft Corporate Messaging Services, you can obtain a list of carriers and their settings. You then import these settings.
Exchange System Manager. Using Exchange System Manager, you can configure individual carriers by name and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) domain.
These techniques are discussed in the sections that follow.
You’ll probably want to download and install the carriers list the first time you configure mobile services, and then periodically update the list to keep it current. To download and install the carriers list, follow these steps:
Visit Microsoft Corporate Messaging Services at the Microsoft Web site for Exchange Server 2003. At the site, you’ll need to register your organization.
Once you are registered, you’ll be able to download the carrier information list and a utility that helps you import the information into Active Directory. The carrier information is then made available to Exchange through Active Directory.
Confirm that information was imported properly using Exchange System Manager. Start Exchange System Manager by clicking Start, choosing Programs or All Programs, Microsoft Exchange, and then System Manager. In System Manager, expand the Global Settings node, and then select Mobile Services. You should see a Carriers entry or a list of available carriers.
To configure individual mobile service carriers, follow these steps:
Start Exchange System Manager by clicking Start, choosing Programs or All Programs, Microsoft Exchange, and then System Manager.
In System Manager, expand the Global Settings node, and then select Mobile Services as shown in Figure 3-3. You can now:
Add carriers. To add a new carrier, right-click Mobile Services, point to New, and then choose Mobile Carrier. In the Mobile Carrier dialog box, type a name for the carrier and then enter the address of the carrier’s SMTP domain, such as @msn.com.
View or modify carriers. To view or modify an existing carrier’s configuration, right-click the carrier entry in the details pane and then select Properties. You can then change the SMTP domain address for the carrier if desired.
Delete carriers. To delete a carrier, right-click the carrier entry in the details pane and then select Delete. When prompted, confirm the action by clicking Yes.
Using Exchange Server ActiveSync, users with Pocket PC 2002 devices can initiate synchronization with Exchange to keep their data up to date, and users with Pocket PC 2003 or later devices can receive notices from Exchange that trigger synchronization through the always-up-to-date feature. Always-up-to-date is a key feature that you probably want to know a bit more about. It works like this:
The user configures his or her Pocket PC device to synchronize with Exchange, selecting specific Exchange folders that he or she wants to keep up to date.
When a new message arrives in a designated sync folder, a control message is sent to the mobile device.
The control message initiates a data synchronization session and the device performs background synchronization with Exchange.
Users with third-party synchronization software for their mobile devices can also sync with Exchange, provided the software is compatible with Exchange Server ActiveSync. Once they are synchronized, users can then access their data while they are offline. To view or change wireless synchronization settings, follow these steps:
Start Exchange System Manager by clicking Start, choosing Programs or All Programs, Microsoft Exchange, and then System Manager.
In System Manager, expand the Global Settings node. Right-click Mobile Services and then choose Properties to display the Mobile Services Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3-4.
The synchronization configuration is controlled with the following options in the Exchange ActiveSync panel:
Enable User Initiated Synchronization. Allows users to use Pocket PC 2002 or later devices to initiate synchronization with Exchange to keep their data up to date. If you enable this option, users can synchronize manually with Exchange or schedule synchronization at specific times. If you disable this option, no other synchronization options are allowed.
Enable Up-To-Date Notifications. Allows users to use Pocket PC 2003 or later devices to receive notices from Exchange that trigger synchronization. If you enable this option, when a new message arrives in a user’s mailbox, Exchange sends a notification to the wireless device that allows synchronization to occur automatically.
Enable Notifications To User Specified SMTP Addresses. Allows users to use any wireless carrier with the wireless synchronization feature. If you enable this option, users who have mobile devices can receive synchronization notifications regardless of which carrier they are using. Use this option when you do not want to specify the carrier.
Click OK to save the configuration changes.
Real World
ActiveSync notifications are sent over wireless networks using the Internet. To take advantage of these services, users must subscribe to the Internet services of a wireless carrier. The actual process of receiving synchronization requests and sending synchronization notifications is handled through the HTTP virtual server configured for use with Exchange. Exchange Server ActiveSync is in fact configured as an ASP.NET application on the HTTP virtual server. For Exchange Server ActiveSync to work properly, the HTTP virtual server must be configured properly, as discussed in Chapter 16. If you want to learn more about Internet Information Services (IIS) and ASP.NET, I recommend IIS 6.0 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant (Microsoft Press, 2003).
Wireless browsing allows users to access their Exchange e-mail, calendar, contacts, and scheduled tasks using the built-in Web browser of their mobile devices. To browse Exchange, users must subscribe to the Internet services of a wireless carrier and then access Exchange using the Outlook Mobile Access URL, such as http://exchange.adatum.com/oma.
Because of some technology incompatibilities with carrier gateways that alter the markup contained in message data sent between Exchange and wireless devices, wireless browsing is only supported with the following:
HTML devices, such as Pocket PC 2002 or later and smart phones.
XHTML devices, such as cell phones, that use Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 2.0 or later.
CHTML devices, such as cell phones, that use iMode.
Additionally, the wireless device must be with a wireless carrier whose network uses Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). With these supported devices running on a supported network, you can be sure that a user’s wireless browsing experience is consistent from device to device. Any device with a Web browser can use Outlook Mobile Access, but the browsing experience with an unsupported device might not be the same as with supported devices. For example, the formatting of messages might be inconsistent. Regardless, when users access Outlook Mobile Access, they’ll have these key options:
Inbox. Read, reply to, forward, or flag e-mail messages.
Calendar. View calendar and scheduling information, such as meetings and appointments.
Contacts. Find important contacts with their address, e-mail, and telephone information or create new contacts.
Tasks. Browse current tasks or create new ones.
Find Someone. Find information on someone in Exchange’s Global Address List.
Compose New. Create new e-mail messages
Preferences. Configure Outlook Web Access preferences
Note
With Exchange, Outlook Mobile Access is configured as an ASP.NET application on an HTTP virtual server being used with Exchange. For Outlook Mobile Access to work properly, the HTTP virtual server must be configured properly as discussed in Chapter 16.
To view or change the wireless browsing settings, follow these steps:
Start Exchange System Manager by clicking Start, choosing Programs or All Programs, Microsoft Exchange, and then System Manager.
In System Manager, expand the Global Settings node. Right-click Mobile Services and then choose Properties to display the Mobile Services Properties dialog box shown previously in Figure 3-4.
The wireless browsing configuration is controlled with the following options of the Outlook Mobile Access panel:
Enable Outlook Mobile Access. Allows users to browse Exchange using Outlook Mobile Access. If you enable this option, users can browse Exchange using the Outlook Mobile Access URL. If you disable this option, no wireless browsing is allowed.
Enable Unsupported Devices. Allows users with unsupported devices to browse Exchange using Outlook Mobile Access. Keep in mind, though, that these users might have inconsistent message formatting or other problems.
Click OK to save the configuration changes.
Configuring mobile devices to access Exchange using Outlook Mobile Access is a multipart process. First, users need to subscribe to the Internet service offered by their wireless carrier and configure their mobile devices to use the service. Afterward, they need to start the device’s browser, navigate to the Outlook Mobile Access URL, and then, when prompted, log on to Exchange by providing their user name, password, and domain information.
With a Pocket PC, the process works like this:
After you configure the mobile device to use the Internet service provided by the user’s wireless carrier, on the Today screen, tap Start, and then tap Internet Explorer. This displays the Internet Explorer screen.
Tap View and then tap Address Bar to display the address bar in the browser window.
Tap anywhere within the address bar and then type the Outlook Mobile Access URL, such as http://exchange.microsoft.com/oma. You should automatically connect. If you don’t, you might have to connect manually.
When prompted, log on to Exchange, provide your user name, password, and domain information.
Exchange Server 2003 enables mobile services for each user by default. If necessary, you can disable mobile services for specific users. To do this, complete the following steps:
Start Active Directory Users And Computers.
Select Advanced Features from the View menu. Advanced features should now be enabled for viewing and configuring.
Double-click the user’s name in Active Directory Users And Computers. This opens the Properties dialog box for the user account.
Click the Exchange Features tab. You can now do the following:
Enable or disable Outlook Mobile Access. Click Outlook Mobile Access under Mobile Services and then click Enable or Disable as appropriate. If you disable Outlook Mobile Access, the user will not be able to use sync or browse with Exchange.
Enable or disable user-initiated synchronization. Click User Initiated Synchronization under Mobile Services and then click Enable or Disable as appropriate. If you disable synchronization, the user can browse using wireless access but any mobile devices he or she uses cannot send or receive synchronization requests.
Enable or disable up-to-date notifications. Click Up-To-Date Notifications under Mobile Services and then click Enable or Disable as appropriate. If you disable up-to-date notifications, Exchange does not notify the user when new messages are received and because of this background syncs do not occur.
Click OK.
Remote mail and RPC over HTTP are two of the least understood configuration options for Exchange Server. Using remote mail, you can configure Outlook 2003 to connect to Exchange Server using a dial-up connection to your organization’s modem bank. Remote mail is useful in these scenarios:
Users at a branch office must connect to Exchange Server by means of dial-up connections.
Laptop users want to connect to Exchange Server through dial-up connections when out of the office. (Here, you might want to configure on-site and off-site mail profiles for the user. See the section of Chapter 2, entitled "Using Mail Profiles to Customize the Mail Environment.")
Users working at home need to connect to Exchange Server by means of dial-up connections.
Using RPC over HTTP, you can configure Outlook 2003 to connect to Exchange Server using RPCs over the Internet. RPC over HTTP is useful in these scenarios:
Users at a branch office must connect to Exchange Server over a broadband connection, such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or a cable modem, and you don’t have a virtual private network (VPN), or you want to simplify the connection process by eliminating the need for a VPN.
Laptop users want to connect to Exchange Server through broadband or T1 connections when out of the office without having to use VPNs. (Here, you might want to configure on-site and off-site mail profiles for the user. See the section of Chapter 2 entitled "Using Mail Profiles to Customize the Mail Environment.")
Users working at home need to connect to Exchange Server by means of broadband connections without having to use a VPN.
Both remote mail and RPC over HTTP require fairly complex server implementations on the back end to enable the technology for users, the discussion of which is beyond the scope of this book. The sections that follow discuss how to configure Outlook 2003 clients to use these options.
You configure dial-up connections for Outlook 2003 (also called remote mail) by completing the following steps.
Exit Outlook 2003. Then, in Control Panel, double-click Mail. If you aren’t using Classic Control Panel View, click Switch To Classic View to display the Mail icon and then double-click it.
In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles. Then in the Mail windows, click Add.
Type the name of the profile, such as Remote Exchange, and then click OK. This starts the E-mail Accounts Wizard.
Select Add A New E-mail Account and then click Next.
Select Microsoft Exchange Server as the server type and then click Next.
In the Microsoft Exchange Server field, type the host name of the mail server, such as mailer1. You can also enter the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the mail server, such as mailer1.adatum.com. Using the full domain name can help ensure a successful connection when the mail server is in a different domain or forest.
In the User Name field, enter the user’s domain logon name or domain user name, such as Williams or William Stanek. Click Check Name to confirm that you’ve entered the correct user name for the mailbox. You’ll want to store a local copy of the user’s e-mail on his or her computer, so ensure that the Use Local Copy Of Mailbox check box is selected.
Click More Settings. This displays the Microsoft Exchange Server dialog box.
With remote mail connections, you’ll usually want to work offline and dial up as necessary. Select both Manually Control Connection State and Work Offline And Use Dial-Up Networking, as shown in Figure 3-5.
If you want the user to be prompted for connection type, select the Choose The Connection Type When Starting check box.
If you want to encrypt message traffic, click the Security tab and under Encryption, select Encrypt Information.
On the Connection tab, choose Connect Using My Phone Line and then under Use The Following Dial-Up Networking Connection, choose an existing connection to use for remote mail, as shown in Figure 3-6. If no connection is available, click Add and create a connection.
You now need to configure remote mail. Click the Remote Mail tab.
If you’d like to remotely send and receive all mail with Exchange, select Process Marked Items and skip Steps 15 and 16.
If you’d like to receive only mail that meets specific criteria, select Retrieve Items That Meet The Following Conditions, and then click Filter. This displays the Filter dialog box shown in Figure 3-7. When using filters, keep in mind that only messages that match all the specified conditions are retrieved.
Use the following options in the Filter dialog box to configure filters:
From. Enter names or e-mail addresses that must appear in the From field of messages. You can use semicolons (;) to separate multiple names or e-mail addresses.
Sent Directly To Me. Transfers messages with the user’s name in the To field.
Note
When Send Directly To Me is selected, messages sent to distribution lists of which the user is a member aren’t transferred, so be sure this is the behavior you want. If you want to transfer messages sent to distribution lists of which the user is a member, select Copied (Cc) To Me as well.
Copied (Cc) To Me. Transfers messages with the user’s name in the Cc field or messages sent to distribution lists of which the user is a member.
Subject. Transfers messages with a specific subject. Multiple subjects can be entered as long as a semicolon separates each one.
Advanced. Allows you to specify additional criteria for messages to be transferred, including size, date, and importance.
Once you’re finished configuring remote mail, click OK. In the E-mail Accounts Wizard, click Next and then click Finish.
In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Close and then click OK.
You configure Outlook 2003 to use RPC over HTTP by completing the following steps:
In Control Panel, double-click Mail. If you aren’t using Classic Control Panel View, click Switch To Classic View to display the Mail icon and then double-click it.
In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles. Then in the Mail window, click Add.
Type the name of the profile, such as Remote Exchange, and then click OK. This starts the E-mail Accounts Wizard.
Select Add A New E-mail Account and then click Next.
Select Microsoft Exchange Server as the server type and then click Next.
In the Microsoft Exchange Server field, type the host name of the mail server, such as mailer1. You can also enter the FQDN of the mail server, such as mailer1.adatum.com. Using the full domain name can help ensure a successful connection when the mail server is in a different domain or forest.
In the User Name field, enter the user’s domain logon name or domain user name, such as Williams or William Stanek. Click Check Name to confirm that you’ve entered the correct user name for the mailbox. You’ll want to store a local copy of the user’s e-mail on his or her computer, so ensure that the Use Local Copy Of Mailbox check box is selected.
Click More Settings. This displays the Microsoft Exchange Server dialog box.
With remote mail connections, you’ll usually want to work offline and dial up as necessary. Select both Manually Control Connection State and Work Offline And Use Dial-Up Networking, as shown previously in Figure 3-5.
If you want the user to be prompted for a connection type, select Choose Connection Type When Starting.
If you want to encrypt message traffic, click the Security tab and under Encryption, select Encrypt Information.
Click the Connection tab, and then select Connect Using Internet Explorer’s Or A Third Party Dialer.
Select Connect To My Exchange Mailbox Using HTTP. If this option is unavailable, you might need to apply the most recent service packs for the operating system and Internet Explorer. Then repeat this procedure.
Click Exchange Proxy Settings, then configure the proxy settings for the Exchange proxy server. You need to know the URL of the proxy server and the full domain name. Be sure to connect to Exchange using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and mutually authenticate the session when connecting with SSL. For proxy authentication, you’ll want to use basic authentication in most cases.
Once you’re finished configuring the mail settings, click OK. In the E-mail Accounts Wizard, click Next and then click Finish.
In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Close and then click OK.