# The Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange

The Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange allows Ximian Evolution clients to access accounts on Microsoft Exchange 2000 servers. It is available through Ximian Red Carpet in its own channel, but cannot be used without a license file. The license file may be purchased from the Ximian online store at store.ximian.com. Unlike the regular Ximian Evolution client, the Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange is proprietary software and source code is not available.

## Requirements

Ximian Connector works only with Exchange 2000, and requires that Outlook Web Access be enabled. Each user will need a valid Microsoft Exchange 2000 server account, including license.

## What's New in Connector &appversion;

Ximian Connector &appversion; has added the Out of Office feature and an automatic configuration tool for large Exchange deployments.

Previous versions of Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange added support for the Flag for Followup feature, public folders, delegation, direct booking, and more. For information on setting up delegation, see exchange-delegate.

## Connector Features

In addition to the features listed above, Ximian Connector supports the following basic Microsoft Exchange features:

- General

  Remote Exchange Information Store

- Allows you to access mail, address book (including Global Address List folder), and calendars, and task folders on an Exchange 2000 server from Evolution.

Palm synchronization

- Supported for Contacts and Calendars on Exchange.

- Mail

  Viewing Mail in Exchange Folder

Sending Email via Exchange Protocols

- You may use the Microsoft Exchange mail transport protocol to send email. Make sure that the address you have entered as your email address is exactly the one that the Exchange server has on file. This may be "yourname@exchange-server.ximian.com" rather than "yourname@ximian.com."

- Calendar

  Meeting Request/Proposal

- Allows Evolution users to schedule meetings and view attendee availability for other users (Evolution or Outlook users) on Exchange.

Adding iCalendar Meeting Requests to Calendar

- If you receive an iCalendar meeting request and add it to your calendar, it will be saved to your Exchange calendar.

- Contacts

  Address Completion

- Supported for your Exchange Contacts folder. Not yet supported for the Global Address List.

Adding VCards to Address Book

- If you receive a VCard attachment and click Save in Address Book, it will be saved to your Exchange address book.

New Address Book entries can be created on Exchange from received email messages with a single click

There are, however, some features which are not available:

- Work Offline (disconnected mode).

- "Recall Message" function.

## Installing the Connector

To install the Ximian Connector, run Ximian Red Carpet by selecting System Get Software. Subscribe to the Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange channel, select the Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange2000, and click the Install button. You can also install the Connector by downloading the individual packages from ftp.ximian.com if you wish.

Once you have installed the software, you will also need to install a license file. The license file is the verification that you have paid for a license to use the Ximian Connector. You can get the license file from the the Ximian online store at store.ximian.com. You will need a browser with strong (128-bit or greater) encryption to access the store. When you purchase a Ximian Connector license, the store will mail you the license file with instructions for installation. Once installed, the license file unlocks the Ximian Connector functionality and you may connect to an Exchange server.

## Adding your Exchange Account in Ximian Evolution

Once you have installed the Connector, you need to set up access for your Exchange account on both the Exchange server and within Evolution.

### Exchange Server Settings

Check with your system administrator to ensure that:

- You have a valid account on the Exchange server.

- You are permitted to access the account with WebDAV. This is the default setting for the Exchange server, so unless your system administrator has specifically turned it off, no changes should be necessary.

The Ximian website knowledge base, at support.ximian.com, has additional information about checking to make sure that your Exchange server will accept connections from Ximian Evolution.

### Standard Configuration Tool for Ximian Connector

Once you know that your server is ready for you to connect, you are ready to add your Exchange account to Ximian Connector.

#### Simple Configuration Tool for Ximian Connector

Ximian Connector 1.4 comes with a simple account creation tool for some installations. Other installations will require the standard account tool described in config-client below.

The simple assistant works in the following cases:

- If you receive your license key in Ximian Evolution, the simple assistant will start when you click the license file attachment and choose Open in Ximian Connector.

- If you have no accounts configured, and your system administrator has preinstalled a license key file, the simple assistant will start when you start Ximian Evolution. It asks only for the name of your Outlook Web Access server, and your username and password. Ximian Connector will determine the remaining information on its own.

If the simple account tool does not run automatically, create an account as described below.

#### Creating a New Exchange Account

If you would like to create a new account for your Exchange server, select Tools Mail Settings from any mail view. Then click the Add button in the accounts list. The account creation assistant will guide you through the process, which is also described in usage-mainwindow-starting. If you're not sure about any of the information you need, just ask your system administrator.

##### Installing the License File

Your purchase email will contain instructions for installing the license file: it may be opened with Ximian Evolution and installed automatically that way, or placed in the `evolution` directory in your home directory.

Be aware that the `evolution` directory in your home directory won't exist if you haven't already run Ximian Evolution. If you have not done so already, start Ximian Evolution and configure an account as described below. Then, quit the application and place the `connector-key.txt` file in your `evolution` directory. When you start Evolution again, the license will be verified and Ximian Connector will work properly.

Identity

- Enter your name and email address. If you wish, you may add your organization and the location of your signature file. Only your name and email address are required.

Receiving Mail

- In this step, you'll enter information about the way you check mail:

  1. First, select Microsoft Exchange as your server type.

  2. Enter the name of your Exchange email server, and the user name you would use to log in to a Windows workstation in your organization.

  3. If you wish, select the box labeled Use secure connection (SSL), to take advantage of a more secure connection method. This may allow you to connect to the server from outside your firewall.

  4. Select the kind of authentication your network uses. You can click the Check for Supported Types button to see which kinds will work.

  5. If you would like Evolution to remember your password, check the box labeled Remember this password.

Receiving Mail, Step Two

- There are a few additional options in this step:

  1. Checking for New Mail: If you would like to check for new mail automatically, click the checkbox and enter an interval in minutes.

  2. Global Address List/Active Directory: Enter the name of your global catalog server (directory server). This will allow you to use the Global Address List (GAL). Normally, Evolution will fetch a maximum of 500 responses to any query, but you may increase or decrease this number if you wish. A lower number decreases load on the server, and many servers will refuse to return more than 1000 results, no matter how many you ask for.

     ##### The Global Catalog Server

     The Global Catalog server provides you with access to the Global Address List, free/busy information, and folder delegation features. These may not work properly if you do not have a Global Catalog server.

  3. Exchange Server: There are two options here:

     - Exchange mailbox name: Enter your exchange mailbox name. The suggested value is probably correct.

     - Outlook Web Access (OWA) Path: In most cases, the URL for Outlook Web Access is "http://server.company.com/exchange." If your system has a URL that does not end in "/exchange," enter the custom path here.

     - Public Folder Server: Enter the name of your public folder server here.

  4. Apply filters to new messages in Inbox on this server: Check this box to filter messages in this account.

Sending Mail

- Select Microsoft Exchange as your email sending method. There is nothing else to do in this step.

Account Management

- Enter a name that you will use to remember this account. "Exchange Account" is a good suggestion. Note that you cannot have two accounts with the same name. If you'd like to make this your default account for sending email, check the Make this my default account box.

You're done. Click Finish and OK, then quit Evolution and start it again. Now you're ready to get to work on the Exchange server.

#### Changing an Existing Account to Work with Exchange

If you have an existing email account, and want to convert it to use for Exchange, select the account you want to convert and click the Edit button. You'll want to change settings in the following tabs of the account dialog:

##### Exchange Account Settings: Identity

Creating an Exchange Account, Step One: Identity

Identity

- If your email address will change because you are moving to a new server, then change it in this tab. Otherwise, move to the next tab.

Receiving Mail

- Select Microsoft Exchange as your server type. Enter your name of your server next to Host, and the user name for your account next to Username. If your server supports SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, it you can check the Use SSL box to take advantage of more secure data transfers.

  ##### Exchange Account Settings: Receiving Mail

  Creating an Exchange Account, Step Two: Receiving Mail

Receiving Options

- Here, you'll find some additional settings:

  Checking for New Mail

- Select whether you would like to check for mail automatically, and if so, how often.

Global Address List/Active Directory

- The Global Address List (GAL) is an address book for everyone represented in your organization's Exchange deployment. To use the GAL, click the tab labeled Receiving Options and enter the name of your Global Catalog Server. The GAL is maintained by your system administrator and you cannot add, change, or remove items from it using Ximian Evolution. However, you can use it to invite people to meetings and to look up addresses and other information.

Exchange Server

- If your Exchange server requires you to use a different mailbox name from the name you use to log in, select the second check-box and enter the mailbox name. Check with your system administrator to be sure.

  In most cases, the URL for web access is "http://server.company.com/exchange." If your system has a path that is not "exchange," check the box and enter the custom path here.

  If your network uses a different server for Public Folders than for personal folders, enter its name here.

##### Exchange Account Settings: Receiving Mail

Creating an Exchange Account, Step Three: Mail Options

Sending Mail

- If you will use your Exchange server to send as well as receive mail, select Microsoft Exchange as your server type, and enter the server name as the Host.

Once you have made those changes, click the OK button.

Then, quit Evolution and start it up again. Changes to the Ximian Connector accounts configuration are not active until you have restarted the application.

## Accessing the Exchange Server

Like IMAP and LDAP data, information for Exchange accounts is stored on the server, not on your desktop computer. This means that you can access it from multiple locations. It also means that your Microsoft Exchange account information is in a separate folder tree from the Local tree in your folder bar. You'll see it below the local tree, with the name you gave the account. If you have multiple accounts, you will have multiple folder trees.

Click on any of the folder tree items to visit them; you may have to enter your server password. You can now create contact cards, send and receive email as you would normally. If there are items in your local calendar or address book that you'd like to add to your Exchange stores, you can copy and paste them over, or just drag items from one folder to another as you would with two local stores.

### Saving Attached Addresses and Appointments

If you are using both an Exchange account and a local mail account, you should be aware that whenever you save an email address or appointment from an email message, it will be saved in your Exchange contacts list or calendar, rather than in your local account. The same is true of synchronization with Palm-OS devices: tasks, appointments, and addresses from your Palm-OS device will be synchronized with those in the Exchange folders rather than local folders.

### The Global Address List Appears Empty At First

To avoid unnecessary strain on the server, the GAL will appear empty until you have searched for something in it. If you want to display all the cards in the list, click in the search box and press Enter. This enters a blank search: since every card contains a blank in it, every card will appear.

## Special Connector Only Settings

There are two items in the Evolution preferences window that are available only with Ximian Connector. The first is delegation and permissions handling, and the second is the creation of "Out of Office" messages.

### Access Delegation

You can allow other people in your organization's Global Address List to access your calendar, address book, and messages, and they can let you manage theirs. Delegation allows people to do anything from check on each other's schedules to completely manage their personal information.

#### Delegating Access to Others

To add someone to your list of delegates, click the Add button and select them from the Global Address List. When delegating you can grant different levels of access to different types of data. You may also decide whether the access you grant applies to items marked Private, or only to public items.

##### Exchange Account Delegation

Exchange Account Delegation Settings

For each of the four types of folder, you may select one of the following levels of access:

None

- Do not allow this person to access any folders of this type.

Reviewer (read-only)

- Allow the person to see items in this type of folder, but not create new items or edit existing items.

Author (read, create)

- The delegate may view items in your folders, and may create new items, but may not change any existing items.

Editor (read, create, edit)

- The delegate may view, create, and change items in your folders.

#### Acting as a Delegate for Others

To see the list of people who have granted you access to their folders, click the Acting as a Delegate tab in the Exchange Delegation settings window. If you plan to send email on behalf of someone, click the checkbox next to their name, and an email identity will be created. You can then select that identity in the From list in your message composer.

To access the folders delegated to you, do the following:

1. Select File Open Other User's Folder

2. Enter the email address of the user who has delegated to you or click the User button to select them from your address book.

3. Select the folder you wish to open.

4. Click OK.

Folders delegated to you appear in your folder list inside a folder labeled with the name of their owner. For example, if Martha Thompson delegates folders to you, you will see a folder called Martha Thompson's Folders in the folder tree at the same level as your Personal Folders and Public Folders.

##### Error Messages

If the folder fails to open properly, check with the folder owner that you have been granted the correct access permissions.

### Setting an Out of Office Message

An Out of Office message is an automatic reply that you can send to emails, explaining why you aren't going to respond to their message. For example, if you go on vacation for a week and will be away from email, you can set an automatic reply so that people who write to you know that you aren't ignoring them.

To create an Out of Office message, select Tools Settings and then click the Out of Office button.

Then, click I am currently out of the office.. Then, enter a short message in the text entry box. Click OK.

Your message will be sent automatically to anyone who sends you mail until you return and click I am currently in the office.

## Scheduling Appointments with Free/Busy

When you schedule a meeting with your calendar on the Exchange server, you can check when other local Exchange users are busy according to their Exchange calendars. To do so:

### Scheduling With Free/Busy Information

Using the Free/Busy Feature

### Reminders In Exchange

Reminders for appointments in your Exchange calendar will not work until you have run Evolution at least once after logging in. This is different from locally stored reminders, which will work from the moment you log in, regardless of whether you have run Evolution in the session.

1. Open a new appointment in the calendar.

2. Choose Actions Schedule Meeting in the meeting editor window.

3. Add attendees, either by entering their email addresses into the list, or by clicking the Invite Others button. If you choose to so, it's best to use the Global Address List (GAL). Choose the GAL from the drop-down list of address sources at the top of the dialog box.

4. Choose Options and then Update Free/Busy to check participant schedules and, if possible, update the meeting in all participants' calendars.

### Using Autopick to Adjust Meeting Times

If meeting attendees are not available during the times you have scheduled a meeting, you can "nudge" the meeting forward or backward to the nearest available time. To do so, just click the arrows to the left or right of the Autopick button. The Autopick tool will move the meeting to the nearest time during which all attendees are available. If you aren't satisfied with those results, you can drag the edges of the meeting time to the hours that you want to select.