PST SYNCHRONIZE WITH EXCHANGE

[Guest]

I have several remote Oultook users which I have set up with personal folders on their machines, running in Corporate mode, with the "deliver new mail to the following location" setting pointing to that personal folder. The main reason I am using .PST's and not .OST's is the speed factor. The remote people are using dialup, and accessing the Exchange server is painfully slow. So, basically, the user connects to the exchange server via VPN, all new mail is sent to the .PST, and the user accesses mail from their local machine (making things very fast). In the process, mail is removed from the Exchange server permanently. I would like to have the personal folder synchronize with Exchange, or at least keep a copy of the messages on the Exchange Server (for backup reasons). Any suggestions to make this happen?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

This is all up to the client - you can't control it from the server. And
someone could very easily accidently change it.

I recommend you change your setup - if the remote users have OST files and
work offline by default with scheduled syncs, and do so regularly, so there
aren't that many changes to sync, they may be able to work using the
mailbox. Or have them use OWA instead of Outlook entirely. You can't really
do any admin on PST files and the users lose a lot of functionality by using
them. See http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq_appxf.htm for a lot of
reasons not to use PSTs.

 

[Guest]

I completely understand this however there are additional issues (ie. users have POP3 accounts that are channeled through Exchange Server) that we would prefer to have files automatically downloaded to PST and have PST sync with Exchange. Outlook 2003 does not have functionality to specify specific e-mail accounts to be delivered to PST files or others to Exchange. It's either one or the other. Rules in Outlook do not allow messages to be moved from Exchange to PST without showing up on Exchange. If this functionality exists please let me know (I haven't seen it in Outlook). Another issue is that when sending POP3 e-mails they all go through Exchange as well. When not connected to VPN users cannot send e-mail through POP3. I don't want to have separate profiles in outlook since having it all in one place is much easier to monitor

1) What I'm trying to achieve is POP3 being stored to PST without going to Exchange
2) Ability to send/receive without being connected to VPN (If defaulting message to be delivered to PST then I belive send/receive function for POP3 will still work). If there are any other suggestions, I'm willing to try them
3) I like all options Exchange offers, however I don't want to depend on being connected to VPN to send/receive any other e-mail accounts other than Exchange. I would also like to keep these separate

So far I have had no luck in getting suggestions that would suit these needs.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Inline..

I completely understand this however there are additional issues (ie.
users have POP3 accounts that are channeled through Exchange Server)

What does this mean?

that we would prefer to have files automatically downloaded to PST
and have PST sync with Exchange. Outlook 2003 does not have
functionality to specify specific e-mail accounts to be delivered to
PST files or others to Exchange. It's either one or the other.

That's correct.

Rules in Outlook do not allow messages to be moved from Exchange to
PST without showing up on Exchange. If this functionality exists
please let me know (I haven't seen it in Outlook).

Not that I know of.

Another issue is

that when sending POP3 e-mails they all go through Exchange as well.

You can choose what server/account/connection they use for POP.

When not connected to VPN users cannot send e-mail through POP3. I
don't want to have separate profiles in outlook since having it all
in one place is much easier to monitor.

They should still be able to send via their POP account settings.

1) What I'm trying to achieve is POP3 being stored to PST without
going to Exchange.

Separate profiles are your only answer unless you want everything delivered
to the PST.

2) Ability to send/receive without being connected

to VPN (If defaulting message to be delivered to PST then I belive
send/receive function for POP3 will still work). If there are any
other suggestions, I'm willing to try them. 3) I like all options
Exchange offers, however I don't want to depend on being connected to
VPN to send/receive any other e-mail accounts other than Exchange. I
would also like to keep these separate.

OWA is your option. Or if you get Exchange 2003, RPC over HTTPS.

So far I have had no luck in getting suggestions that would suit
these needs.

Your setup is complicated, I understand. I would recommend simplifying it as
much as possible. What are you going to do if someone loses mail? You'll
have no backups of it. If they delete something and want it back? No deleted
item recovery. No sharing. No centralized sent items. If the PST file gets
corrupt? You can't fix it from a central location. Honestly, if you can get
rid of POP here, you will be much happier - and getting rid of PST files
would be a blessing. Did you read the link I posted?

Hope this is helpful...