path: root/help/C/usage-exchange.sgml

  <chapter id="usage-exchange">
    <title>The Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange</title>
    <para>
    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 <ulink
    url="http://store.ximian.com">store.ximian.com</ulink>. Unlike the
    regular Ximian Evolution client, the Ximian Connector for
    Microsoft Exchange is proprietary software and source code is not
    available.
    </para>
    <para>
      The Ximian Connector offers a significant price advantage over
      other Exchange access methods for Linux and UNIX systems:
    <variablelist>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>Dual Computer Installation:</term>
      <listitem>
        <para>
             The purchase of a second computer for each client imposes
             a very heavy expense burden and is exceptionally
             inconvenient.
          </para>
    </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
    <term>Dual Boot or Virtual Machine:</term>
    <listitem>
      <para>
             Installation of multiple operating systems in a dual boot
             or virtual machine configuration (such as VMWare) also
             increases licensing and administration costs.  Users
             often complain that such a system is inconvenient, slow,
             and not integrated with the rest of their operating
             system.
          </para>
    </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
    <term>Outlook Web Access:</term>
    <listitem>
      <para>
            Outlook Web Access is a web interface for Exchange
            servers, but works best in Microsoft Internet Explorer.
            Outlook Web Access also is
            not integrated with the rest of the host operating system
            and offers only limited groupware functionality.
          </para>
    </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </para>
  <para>
   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.
  </para>
  <warning id="licensing">
    <title>Exchange Client Licenses</title>
    <para>
      Each user will need a valid Microsoft <application>Exchange</application>2000 server
      account and license.
  </para>
  </warning>

  <sect1 id="features">
    <title>Connector Features</title>
    <para>
      <application>Ximian Connector</application> supports the most
      often used features of <application>Microsoft
      Exchange</application>:
      <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        General
      </para>
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Remote <application>Exchange</application> Information Store</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          Allows you to access mail, address book (including
          Global Address List folder), and calendars, and task
          folders on an <application>Exchange
          2000</application> server from
          <application>Evolution</application>.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term>Palm synchronization</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          Supported for Contacts and Calendars on Exchange.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        Mail
      </para>
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Viewing Mail in <application>Exchange</application>Folder</term>
          <listitem>
        <para></para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Sending Email via Exchange Protocols</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          You may use the Microsoft Exchange mail transport
          protocol to send email.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        Calendar
      </para>
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Meeting Request/Proposal</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          Allows <application>Evolution</application> users to
          schedule meetings and view attendee availability for
          other users (<application>Evolution</application> or
          <application>Outlook</application> users) on
          <application>Exchange</application>.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Adding iCalendar Meeting Requests to Calendar</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          If you receive an iCalendar meeting request and add it
          to your calendar, it will be saved to your
          <application>Exchange</application> calendar.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
        Contacts
      </para>
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Address Completion</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          Supported for your <application>Exchange</application>
          Contacts folder.  Not yet supported for the Global
          Address List.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>Adding vCards to Address Book</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
          If you receive a vCard attachment and click
          <guibutton>Save in Address Book</guibutton>, it will
          be saved to your <application>Exchange</application>address book.
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term>New Address Book entries can be created on
        <application>Exchange</application> from received email
        messages with a single click</term>
          <listitem>
        <para>
        </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
    </listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>

<para>
There are, however, some features which are not available:
<itemizedlist>

          <listitem>
        <para>
          Access to shared and public folders is not
          available, although the Global Address List is
          available.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
                Journal and Notes components are not available.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
        Work Offline (disconnected mode) support is not functional.
          </para>
        </listitem>
        <listitem>
          <para>
               "Recall Message" function does not work yet.
          </para>
        </listitem>

        <listitem>
          <para>
               Creation of an automatic "out-of-office" reply messages
               is not available.
          </para>
        </listitem>

      </itemizedlist>
    </para>
  </sect1>
  <sect1 id="install">
    <title>Installing the Connector</title>
    <para>
       To install the Ximian Connector, run Ximian Red Carpet by
       selecting <menuchoice><guimenu>System</guimenu><guimenuitem>Get
       Software</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.  Subscribe to the Ximian
       Connector for Microsoft Exchange channel, select the Ximian
       Connector for Microsoft
       <application>Exchange</application>2000, and click the
       <guibutton>Install</guibutton> button.  You can also install
       the Connector by downloading the individual packages from
       ftp.ximian.com if you wish.
   </para>
   <para>
       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 <ulink
       url="http://store.ximian.com">store.ximian.com</ulink>.  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 <application>Exchange</application>server.
    </para>
 </sect1>

  <sect1 id="configure">
    <title>Configuration</title>
    <para>
      Once you have installed the Connector, you need to set up access
      for your <application>Exchange</application>account on both the
      <application>Exchange</application>server and within Evolution.
    </para>

       <sect2 id="config-server">
       <title>Exchange Server Configuration</title>
        <para>
      Check with your system administrator to ensure that:
    <itemizedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para> 
          You have a valid account on the <application>Exchange</application>server.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para> You are permitted to access the account with
          WebDAV. This is the default setting for the
          <application>Exchange</application>server, so unless
          your system administrator has specifically turned it
          off, no changes should be necessary.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
      </para>
      <para>
    The Ximian website knowledge base, at <ulink type="http"
    url="http://support.ximian.com">support.ximian.com</ulink>,
    has additional information about checking to make sure that
    your <application>Exchange</application>server will accept
    connections from Ximian Evolution.
      </para>
    </sect2>
    
    <sect2 id="config-client">
      <title>Evolution Settings for Connecting to an <application>Exchange</application>Server</title>
      <para>
    
    Once you know that your server is ready for you to connect, start
    Ximian Evolution and select
    <menuchoice>
      <guimenu>Tools</guimenu>
      <guimenuitem>Mail Settings</guimenuitem>
    </menuchoice>
    from any mail view.  If you have an existing account, and want
    to convert it to use for Exchange, do the following:
    <orderedlist>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Select the account you want to convert and click the
          <guibutton>Edit</guibutton> button.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Under the <guilabel>Receiving Mail</guilabel> tab,
          select <guilabel>Microsoft Exchange</guilabel> as your
          server type. Enter your name of your server next to
          <guilabel>Host</guilabel>, and the user name for your
          account next to <guilabel>Username</guilabel>. If your
          server supports SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, it
          you can check the <guilabel>Use SSL</guilabel> box to
          take advantage of more secure data transfers.
        </para>
      </listitem>

 
        <listitem>
          <para>
            If you would like to create and use the Global Address
            List maintained on your Exchange server, click the tab
            labelled <guilabel>Receiving Options</guilabel> and
            check the box labelled <guilabel>Create a Global
            Address List folder</guilabel>.  The Global Address
            List (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.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Under the <guilabel>Sending Mail</guilabel> tab, select
          <guilabel>Microsoft Exchange</guilabel> as your server
          type, and enter the server name as the
          <guilabel>Host</guilabel>. You do not need to use the
          <application>Exchange</application>server to send mail
          if you prefer to use another server or server type.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Click the <guibutton>OK</guibutton> button.
        </para>
      </listitem>
      
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Make sure the account is active. It should have a check
          mark in the <guilabel>Enabled</guilabel> column of your
          accounts list. If it doesn't, select the account and
          click the <guibutton>Enable</guibutton> button.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </orderedlist>
      </para>

    <para>
          Once you have made these changes, quit
          <application>Evolution</application>, then start it up
          again. Changes to the Ximian Connector accounts
          configuration are not active until you have restarted the
          application.
       </para>
      
      <para>
    If you would like to create a new account for your Exchange
    server, click the <guibutton>Add</guibutton> button in the
    accounts list. The account creation assistant will guide you
    through the process, which is described in <xref
    linkend="usage-mainwindow-starting">.
      </para>
    </sect2>
  </sect1>
  
  <sect1 id="access">
    <title>Accessing the <application>Exchange</application>Server</title>
    <para>
      Like IMAP and LDAP data, information for
      <application>Exchange</application>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 <application>Exchange</application>account information
      is in a seperate folder tree from the <guilabel>Local</guilabel>
      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.
    </para>
    <para>
      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 <application>Exchange</application>stores, you
      can copy and paste them over, or just drag items from one folder
      to another as you would with two local stores.
    </para>

      <note id="save-to-local-or-exchange">
    <title>Saving Attached Addresses and Appointments</title>
    <para>
          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.
       </para>
      </note>

   <tip id="gal-empty">
    <title>The Global Address List Is Empty At First</title>
    <para>
          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 <keycap>Enter</keycap>.  This
          enters a blank search: since every card contains a blank in
          it, every card will appear.
        </para>
      </tip>
    <para>
      In addition, when you schedule a meeting with your calendar on
      the <application>Exchange</application>server, you can check
      when other local Exchange users are busy according to their
      <application>Exchange</application>calendars. To do so:
      <orderedlist numeration="arabic">
    <listitem>
      <para>
            Open a new appointment in the calendar.
          </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para> Choose <menuchoice> <guimenu>Actions</guimenu>
          <guimenuitem>Schedule Meeting</guimenuitem>
          </menuchoice> in the meeting editor window.
          </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
      <para> Add attendees, either by entering their email address
            into the list, or by clicking the <guibutton>Invite
            Others</guibutton> button. When doing 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.
         </para>
    </listitem>
    <listitem>
      <para>
          Choose <guilabel>Options</guilabel> and then
          <guilabel>Update Free/Busy</guilabel> to check participant
          schedules and, if possible, update the meeting in all
          participants' calendars.
         </para>
    </listitem>
      </orderedlist>
    </para>
  </sect1>
</chapter>