The Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange allows Ximian Evolution clients to access accounts on Microsoft Exchange 2000 servers. It is available for a fee from the Ximian online store at store.ximian.com. Unlike the regular Ximian Evolution client, it is proprietary software and source code is not available. The Ximian Connector offers a significant price advantage over other Exchange access methods for Linux and UNIX systems: Dual Computer Installation: The purchase of a second computer for each client imposes a very heavy expense burden and is exceptionally inconvenient. Dual Boot or Virtual Machine: Installation of multiple operating systems in a dual boot or virtual machine configuration (such as VMWare) can place a very heavy burden on the hardware and increases licensing costs. Users often complain that such a system is inconvenient, slow, and not integrated with the rest of their operating system. Outlook Web Access: Outlook Web Access is a web interface for Exchange servers, but works best in Microsoft Internet Explorer, is not integrated with the rest of the host operating system, and offers only limited groupware functionality. The Ximian Connector offers a low cost, fully integrated, option for Exchange 2000 server access in heterogeneous client networks. This chapter will explain how to install, configure, and use it. An Exchange client access license is still required to use the Ximian Connector with Microsoft Exchange. To install the Ximian Connector, first visit the Ximian online store at store.ximian.com. You will need a browser with strong (128-bit or greater) encryption to access the store. After purchase you will be given an activation key which you can enter into Ximian Red Carpet, which will download and install the software for you. Once you have installed the Connector, you need to set up access for your Exchange account. Start Ximian Evolution and select Tools Mail Settings from any mail view. If you have an existing account, and want to convert it to use for Exchange, do the following: Select the account you want to convert and click the Edit button. Under the Receiving Mail tab, 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 uses a Secure Socket Layer connection, click the Use Secure Connection (SSL) checkbox. Under the Sending Mail tab, select Microsoft Exchange as your server type, and enter the server name as the Host. You do not need to use the Exchange server to send mail if you prefer to use another server or server type. Click the OK button. Make sure the account is active. It should have a check mark in the Enabled column of your accounts list. If it doesn't, select the account and click the Enable button. If you would like to create a new account for your Exchange server, click the Add button in the accounts list. The account creation assistant will guide you through the process, which is described in . 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 seperate 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 addressbook 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. In addition, 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: Open a new appointment in the calendar. Choose Actions Schedule Meeting in the meeting editor window. Add attendees, either by entering their email address into the list, or by clicking the Invite Others button. Choose Options and then Update Free/Busy to check participant schedules and, if possible, update the meeting in all participants' calendars.