Exchange + IMAP = pain

[Glate]

I have an Exchange Server configured. We are using RPC over HTTPS, so
all of our users are able to send mail from anywhere without messing
with VPNs and SMTP server settings. Things are good.

The issue: We have added a Cisco Unity server. It delivers voicemail
to Outlook using IMAP. If a user wants to forward a voice message to a
third party it is sent using the SMTP server that is associated with
the IMAP account. This poses an obvious problem as we do not have an
SMTP server that is accessible from outside of our network.

Is there a way to tell Outlook to send all messages using the Exchange
server and to never use the SMTP server?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I have an Exchange Server configured. We are using RPC over HTTPS, so
all of our users are able to send mail from anywhere without messing
with VPNs and SMTP server settings. Things are good.

The issue: We have added a Cisco Unity server. It delivers voicemail
to Outlook using IMAP.

IMAP is for receiving - not sending. Can't the Unity server be integrated
directly into your Exchange organization, or send mail to the mailbox
directly using SMTP? I'd be very surprised if this configuration was
standard or mandatory; it could become a real administrative nightmare.

If a user wants to forward a voice message to a
third party it is sent using the SMTP server that is associated with
the IMAP account. This poses an obvious problem as we do not have an
SMTP server that is accessible from outside of our network.

It doesn't need to be accessible from outside your network, does it?. If you
do want to stick with this configuration in Outlook, you could set up the
IMAP
account to use your Exchange server for SMTP, and authenticate to it.
Authenticated relay is enabled by default.

Is there a way to tell Outlook to send all messages using the Exchange
server and to never use the SMTP server?

Exchange *is* an SMTP server - I think you mean, use the Exchange *account*
instead of the Internet mail account. See above....but again, there has to
be a better way.

Check out
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2005/01/UnityExchange/default.aspx
for starters....but you might also post in microsoft.public.exchange.admin
for more help.

 

[Glate]

Once again since you decided to comment on the wording of my post
rather than try to provide a solution:

- We have 1 Account configured right now: Exchange (RPC/HTTPS) and one
we are looking to add: IMAP/SMTP
- All of our users have laptops and travel a lot. The same users are
used to having email simply "work". They do not need to select which
account to send with, they do not need to mess with SMTP settings when
they are on different networks. They simply send email and it gets
delivered. This is how it must work going forward.
- We do not have an SMTP server that is "available on the internet"
for the users to relay mail through. We use Microsoft Exchange Hosted
Services (frontbridge) for our email, meaning that SMTP (port 25) is
not open to the internet. We have an access list that only allows
connections by selected hosts.

I am looking for a solution that would tell Outlook that when an email
is received, regardless of how it was received.. it needs to be sent
using the Exchange Server. It would obviously need to use the Exchange
ACCOUNT to do that.

This is for a Unity Connection server, which uses IMAP, not SMTP, and
cannot integrate into Exchange.