MS Exchange Synchronization

[Guest]

We just installed MS Exchange Server at the office. When I'm not on the office network, I cannot start Outlook at all. I get a message that MS Exchange Server is not accessible. What I would like to do is have a setup where I have an offline folder which I can always pull up even when I'm not on logged on the MS Exchange Server. I have setup Offline Folder however I'm still getting the same problem which in unability to even start Outlook when I'm not connected via VPN or offline. How can I get around this problem and still have access to start Outlook and work off my Personal Folder/Offline Folder

How do I set up the synchronization as well? Any help would greatly be appreciated

 

[BSchmidt]

Kenan,

Your problem is that when you are off the network, you are using the Outlook
profile that you use to connect accross the network to the server.

You need to create a second profile in Outlook that is set to use off line
folders and dialup networking. Then, when you open Outlook with that
profile, you will open your offline folders and then can synchronize to get
updates.

Bob

We just installed MS Exchange Server at the office. When I'm not on the

office network, I cannot start Outlook at all. I get a message that MS
Exchange Server is not accessible. What I would like to do is have a setup
where I have an offline folder which I can always pull up even when I'm not
on logged on the MS Exchange Server. I have setup Offline Folder however
I'm still getting the same problem which in unability to even start Outlook
when I'm not connected via VPN or offline. How can I get around this
problem and still have access to start Outlook and work off my Personal
Folder/Offline Folder.

 

[Guest]

Is there any way I can change the current profile to mimic the use of offline folders.

 

[BSchmidt]

Yes, but then you would have to either use it that way all the time (even on
the network) or change it back and forth.
When you are on the network, you really want to access the mailbox directly
(simplifies use).

In the Exchange Server Settings page, change the "Connet with the Network"
to "Work offline and use dialup networking".

[Hold the phone. just thought of something. When you attempt to connect
off the network, and it tells you it can't access the server, does it give
you the choice to work offline? I think it does. If so, you can say yes
there. That would give you access to the offline messages, and you can read
messages, and write new ones, but you wouldn't be able to synchronize to
send/receive anything till you connect to the network.]

Anyway, if you set up the second profile, you can set up the offline profile
to dialup a modem connection to synchronize. If you are using this at home,
and have a broadband connection at home, you can go to the "Connection" tab
and tell it to "Do not dial, use existing connection" or "Connect using my
local area network" depending on the version of Outlook you have.

You will want to tell Outlook to prompt for the Profile to use when the
program opens. This is done differently in different versions of Outlook.

Is there any way I can change the current profile to mimic the use of

offline folders.

 

[Guest]

It does ask me to work off-line however when I select that I get two error messages and outlook does not come up. I'll try the other settings to see if that will work. I would prefer to work off of the same profile and have the exchange folder that synchronizes with my offline folder. I'd like to work offline on my off line folder and once connected either at home or at the office, I'd like for it to sync and update each folder so I always have my information up to date locally and on the network

Thank you for all your help.

 

[BSchmidt]

I'm curious about the errors you get when you try to work offline. You
didn't put your offline folders on a network server or something did you?


When you tell it to work offline, it should bring up the offline folders.
Assuming that you have done a synchronization while connected to the mailbox
on the network.

From what you say, you can go in and set the profile you have to "work
offline and use dialup networking" and if you always establish a connection
with your VPN before synchronizing, when away from the office, you can set
the Dialup Networking to: "Do not dial, use existing connection" or
"connect using my local area network" (depending on version).
Then, you will be using the offline folders all the time and you can synch
whether you are on the network or at home to refresh. One thing to keep in
mind, is not to keep toooo much stuff in your mailbox, especially if you
ever have to use dialup connections. It makes the synch take longer. I
have execs here who keep hundreds to thousands of items in their inbox and
sent items and when they travel and have to use dialup, it takes hours to
synchronize.

Myself, using a notebook exclusively, and connecting from office, home and
on the road, I just download everything to local .pst file. Saves connect
time and hassle. (We keep archive copies of all emails that go through our
server, so don't have to worry about losing things.) But, I have to work
with folks who won't use a single computer. Our president uses anotebook at
the office, has desktop at home, has an office and apt in Florida at one of
our properties. He wants to be able to see everything he has ever sent or
received on all of these computers. So, he synchronizes very large files.
His two brothers are almost that bad.

What version of Outlook are you using? I can be more specific about where
some of those settings are.

Bob

It does ask me to work off-line however when I select that I get two error

messages and outlook does not come up. I'll try the other settings to see
if that will work. I would prefer to work off of the same profile and have
the exchange folder that synchronizes with my offline folder. I'd like to
work offline on my off line folder and once connected either at home or at
the office, I'd like for it to sync and update each folder so I always have
my information up to date locally and on the network.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for all your help! I'm running Outlook 2002 and am about to upgrade to Office 2003 Pro. I also thought about just sending everything to the pst file and then trying to sync that with Exchange Server, however there must be easier ways to go about this. I have a POP3 Yahoo account which, even when I setup rules goes through the Exchange Server. I'd like to keep that separate without having to create another profile.

Qustion: With the upgrade to Outlook 2003 will I be able to specify POP3 download to a local PST and have it not run through MS Exchange? (I know this setting is availalbe in Outlook 2002 however I can only specify one mail delivery location from mulitple accounts.

Bottom line is that I'd like to keep everything in one place on on one profile. I don't mind sending POP3 Yahoo to a separate local PST folder, but I'd like to have that done automatically and still have the option of having MS Exchange sync with a local folder for easy viewing.

This way if I don't want to establish a VPN connection with exchange I can still use my personal POP3 account and send and receive without depending on the MS Exchange.

 

[BSchmidt]

You don't want to use a PST file for your Exchange Server mail. You want to
use an .ost file. Offline folder. Don't get confused, they work totally
separately.

In your profile, set up the offline folders and set that profile to "Work
Offline and use dialup networking" in the Exchange Server Properties dialog.

In the connection tab, you need to decide how you will connect to the server
and your pop3 email. If you will always be using either network in the
office or broadband at home, or if you will make your internet connection
outside of Outlook, you can set it to "connect using my local area network".

If you will be using dialup, and want Outlook to automatically make the
connection when you "Synchronize" or pull your pop3 mail, you will need two
profiles: One to use on the network / on broadband connections outside the
office, and the other for dialup connections.

When you open Outlook, you will be viewing your Offline folders, not the
Mailbox on the Exchange Server. To synchronize your offline folders with
the server, you will use the "Tools - Send/Receive - Send and Receive All"

That will synchronize your offline folders with the mailbox on the server.

You can do this while connected on the network, or when connected remotely
with your VPN.

After you know that works, you can go in to "Tools - E-mail Accounts" make
sure "view or change existing e-mail accounts"is selected and click "Next".

Here you can add a .pst file to use for your Pop3 account, and then you can
add the POP3 account itself.
Notice that for this one profile, you have to select a single delivery
location. Either the Exchange mailbox, or the PST file. You should select
the Exchange mailbox, then, you will need to set up a Rule that will move
any email arriving from your POP3 account, to be moved to the PST file.
That way, you will keep your office and personal email separate.

I hope that helps you.

One thing to keep in mind... If you are going to synchronize offline
folders remotely, and you have to use a dialup connection, keep your mailbox
cleaned up. Synchronization takes a lot of time and has to do a lot of
comparing and copying of messages between the server and your offline
folders. Especially if you synchronize your sent items and deleted items
folders. Everything you have received or sent will have to be compared and
exchanged when you synch.

Bob

Thank you for all your help! I'm running Outlook 2002 and am about to

upgrade to Office 2003 Pro. I also thought about just sending everything to
the pst file and then trying to sync that with Exchange Server, however
there must be easier ways to go about this. I have a POP3 Yahoo account
which, even when I setup rules goes through the Exchange Server. I'd like
to keep that separate without having to create another profile.

Qustion: With the upgrade to Outlook 2003 will I be able to specify POP3

download to a local PST and have it not run through MS Exchange? (I know
this setting is availalbe in Outlook 2002 however I can only specify one
mail delivery location from mulitple accounts.

Bottom line is that I'd like to keep everything in one place on on one

profile. I don't mind sending POP3 Yahoo to a separate local PST folder,
but I'd like to have that done automatically and still have the option of
having MS Exchange sync with a local folder for easy viewing.

This way if I don't want to establish a VPN connection with exchange I can

still use my personal POP3 account and send and receive without depending on
the MS Exchange.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Thank you for all your help! I'm running Outlook 2002 and am about
to upgrade to Office 2003 Pro. I also thought about just sending
everything to the pst file and then trying to sync that with Exchange
Server, however there must be easier ways to go about this. I have a
POP3 Yahoo account which, even when I setup rules goes through the
Exchange Server. I'd like to keep that separate without having to
create another profile.

Your only choice is to use rules to move the Yahoo! mail to another place.

Qustion: With the upgrade to Outlook 2003 will I be able to specify
POP3 download to a local PST and have it not run through MS Exchange?
(I know this setting is availalbe in Outlook 2002 however I can only
specify one mail delivery location from mulitple accounts.

There is always only one mail delivery location. OL 2003 is no different in
that regard.

Bottom line is that I'd like to keep everything in one place on on
one profile. I don't mind sending POP3 Yahoo to a separate local PST
folder, but I'd like to have that done automatically and still have
the option of having MS Exchange sync with a local folder for easy
viewing.

Use rules.

This way if I don't want to establish a VPN connection with exchange
I can still use my personal POP3 account and send and receive without
depending on the MS Exchange.

You can also change your mail delivery location to be a PST file. Then the
Exchange mail would get moved there, too.
--
Brian Tillman
Smiths Aerospace
3290 Patterson Ave. SE, MS 1B3
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1991
Brian.Tillman is the name, smiths-aerospace.com is the domain.

I don't speak for Smiths, and Smiths doesn't speak for me.