Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta

[Jon-Alfred Smith]

Not sure if this is the right forum ...

An hour ago I upgraded Entourage to version 13.0.0 (081218)
Microsoft Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta.

Now, the Getting Started Guide states: "the Entourage for Exchange Web
Services Beta edition uses Exchange Web Services for all
communications with the Exchange Server."

And full support for the Autodiscover service.
(Auto configuration did not work as smoothly as Office 2007 on our
home network with Small Business Server 2008, but that is another
story.)

Question:
1) Does this mean that there will be an "Entourage Anywhere", access
to Exchange from anywhere without requiring a VPN?

2) Does that mean that you won't need Public Folders for Entourage
2008?

3) Does this implementation of using web services resemble ActiveSync,
with Direct Push?

The beta is public:
http://www.officeformac.com/blog/Entourage-for-Exchange-Web-Services-Beta-is-Live

Best regards from Norway.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

1) Does this mean that there will be an "Entourage Anywhere", access
to Exchange from anywhere without requiring a VPN?

Entourage has been able to do this since Entourage 2004.

"Connecting Entourage to an Exchange Server from Home"

2) Does that mean that you won't need Public Folders for Entourage
2008?

Not sure what you mean by "won't need Public Folders". Public folder
support is not changing in Entourage EWS.

3) Does this implementation of using web services resemble ActiveSync,
with Direct Push?

ActiveSync is another protocol like EWS. However, each has its own
advantages. Direct Push is a technology for sending information to a
device without it having to query the server. That doesn't apply to
Entourage.

Hope this helps!

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Entourage has been able to do this since Entourage 2004.

"Connecting Entourage to an Exchange Server from Home"
<http://entourage.mvps.org/exchange/exchangeathome.html>

Well it depends... In my case for instance, the front-end OWA server
cannot be used with Entourage. I need to connect to a back-end server
setup for that (and this requires VPN from home).

The big difference is that most front-end servers have WebServices
enabled so there are good chances you'll be able to connect without VPN
(again, "good chances"... In my case I still have to use VPN even for
the front-end server - I guess they have a weird setup where WebServices
are only fully exposed to our LAN and blocked for WAN).



Corentin

 

[Jon-Alfred Smith]

Jon-Alfred Smith wrote:

Entourage has been able to do this since Entourage 2004.

"Connecting Entourage to an Exchange Server from Home"
<http://entourage.mvps.org/exchange/exchangeathome.html>

I was not aware of that (started to use a Mac recently). This makes
sense. So in order to take this a step further with split DNS setups
(domain.com/domain.local), you would need a DNS entry for, let's say,
remote.domain.com on the inside, referring to a local IP address. This
setup works fine with an iPhone.

But what about address lists? I looked at your script. Does this still
apply to Entourage 2008? With or without web services? Can't Entourage
download an offline address list (OAB)?

Not sure what you mean by "won't need Public Folders". Public folder
support is not changing in Entourage EWS.

During setup of a mailbox server in Exchange Server 2007, you get the
following page:

--------- Client Settings ----------
Computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or Entourage require a
public database to connect to Exchange 2007. If you select that you
have computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or Entourage in your
organization, a public folder database will be created during setup.
If you select that you don't have computers running Outlook 2003 and
earlier or Entourage in your organization, setup will not create a
public folder database. However, you can enable Outlook 2003 and
earlier or Entourage connectivity by creating a public folder database
at anytime after setup completes.

Do you have any client computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or
Entourage in your

organization? Yes/No (Default radio button is No.)
----------------------------------------

ActiveSync is another protocol like EWS. However, each has its own
advantages. Direct Push is a technology for sending information to a
device without it having to query the server. That doesn't apply to
Entourage.

Well, that what MAPI RPC does as well, push messages out to clients
when Exchange Server receives them. Is EWS more akin to IMAP4/POP3 and
doing polling?

Hope this helps!

Quite a lot and thank you _very much! Outlook 2007 is removed from my
MacBook Pro (VMware Fusion)

jas

 

[Jon-Alfred Smith]

Well it depends... In my case for instance, the front-end OWA server
cannot be used with Entourage. I need to connect to a back-end server
setup for that (and this requires VPN from home).

That's what I heard from several Mac users, so I did not investigate
further until now.

The big difference is that most front-end servers have WebServices
enabled so there are good chances you'll be able to connect without VPN
(again, "good chances"... In my case I still have to use VPN even for
the front-end server - I guess they have a weird setup where WebServices
are only fully exposed to our LAN and blocked for WAN).

Hard to tell. Would need to se the setup. Am actually working with
Exchange 2007 and Small Business Server 2003/2008 (which come with
Exchange).

However, what's clear is that Web Services is the way to go, and for
EEWS this requires Exchange 2007 with at least Update Rollup 4 (Rollup
5 has been out for quite some time).

jas

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

Well it depends... In my case for instance, the front-end OWA server
cannot be used with Entourage. I need to connect to a back-end server
setup for that (and this requires VPN from home).

Haven't you determined that you have some sort of extra authentication
occurring before you actually connect to OWA? Entourage must connect to
the basic login (name and password field drop down) or the forms-based
login (you sign in to a webpage for Outlook Web Access) for OWA. It
can't connect to OWA if something like a SecurID or other authentication
mechanism is sitting in between.

Can you connect to OWA with Safari where you'd like to connect with
Entourage?

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I was not aware of that (started to use a Mac recently). This makes
sense. So in order to take this a step further with split DNS setups
(domain.com/domain.local), you would need a DNS entry for, let's say,
remote.domain.com on the inside, referring to a local IP address. This
setup works fine with an iPhone.

That would be ideal but I know a lot of folks literally connect to their
external OWA address from inside their company network. Some are fine
with this but others experience very sluggish performance.

But what about address lists? I looked at your script. Does this still
apply to Entourage 2008? With or without web services? Can't Entourage
download an offline address list (OAB)?

The GAL lookup script still applies to Entourage 2008 when you need to
search the GAL from outside your company network. Entourage does not
support an offline address book, unfortunately.

During setup of a mailbox server in Exchange Server 2007, you get the
following page:

--------- Client Settings ----------
Computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or Entourage require a
public database to connect to Exchange 2007. If you select that you
have computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or Entourage in your
organization, a public folder database will be created during setup.
If you select that you don't have computers running Outlook 2003 and
earlier or Entourage in your organization, setup will not create a
public folder database. However, you can enable Outlook 2003 and
earlier or Entourage connectivity by creating a public folder database
at anytime after setup completes.

Do you have any client computers running Outlook 2003 and earlier or
Entourage in your

organization? Yes/No (Default radio button is No.)
----------------------------------------

This would be better asked in a newsgroup like
microsoft.public.exchange.admin, but if I had to guess: it's asking
about creating a free/busy database for scheduling, which is stored on
the public folders server. Not sure.

Well, that what MAPI RPC does as well, push messages out to clients
when Exchange Server receives them. Is EWS more akin to IMAP4/POP3 and
doing polling?

The effect is the same. I'm not sure it's called "push" but I may be wrong.

EWS is a protocol that sits alongside MAPI, WebDAV and ActiveSync. It is
the protocol of choice going forward and MAPI and WebDAV are both on
their way out in the future. They are on the Exchange Server 2007
de-emphasized list. That means no more is being done with development
with these protocols. They may appear in the next version of Exchange
Server but EWS will be the highly recommended protocol of choice for
computer-based E-mail clients.

Quite a lot and thank you _very much! Outlook 2007 is removed from my
MacBook Pro (VMware Fusion)

Good to hear.

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

The GAL lookup script still applies to Entourage 2008 when you need to
search the GAL from outside your company network. Entourage does not
support an offline address book, unfortunately.

I need to clarify this a bit.

The script applies to Entourage 2008 (12.1.5) but will not be necessary
with Entourage for EWS.

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

However, what's clear is that Web Services is the way to go, and for
EEWS this requires Exchange 2007 with at least Update Rollup 4 (Rollup
5 has been out for quite some time).

It looks like EWS *is* the way to go. In addition to the fact that far
more features can be supported through EWS (sync notes, tasks,
categories...), it looks like it's a lot less resource-demanding than
WebDAV.

Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Haven't you determined that you have some sort of extra authentication
occurring before you actually connect to OWA? Entourage must connect to
the basic login (name and password field drop down) or the forms-based
login (you sign in to a webpage for Outlook Web Access) for OWA. It
can't connect to OWA if something like a SecurID or other authentication
mechanism is sitting in between.

We have a form-based authentication on the OWA server.
Entoruage desperately refuses to connect to that server through WebDAV
and fails to download anything through EWS unless I am connected through
VPN.

Can you connect to OWA with Safari where you'd like to connect with
Entourage?

Sure, but it doesn't mean Entourage can too (unfortunately - very
unfortunately). The form-based authentication really does a nasty trick
on Entourage.

Corentin

 

[Ironcastle]

Dear Corentin.

I'm just about to install the EWS beta when I saw "Other requirements: Office 2008 with the latest updates" on page 3 of the EWS_Deployment.pdf.

I just have the Entourage 2008 (v 12.1.0) installed, not the entire Office range.
Is it's OK to install the EWS beta anyway?

Michael

 

[Diane Ross]

I just have the Entourage 2008 (v 12.1.0) installed, not the entire Office
range.
Is it's OK to install the EWS beta anyway?

This is not the place to report on the beta. You should have been given a
link to report on the beta.

I do know that users with Office 2008 installed get the free upgrade when
it's over. I'm not sure the standalone versions will be included. I would
ask your provider if they are going to upgrade your standalone version.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://tinyurl.com/bzcrjy> <-- Entourage mailing list
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/entouragehelp>

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I'm just about to install the EWS beta when I saw "Other
requirements: Office 2008 with the latest updates" on page 3 of the
EWS_Deployment.pdf.

I just have the Entourage 2008 (v 12.1.0) installed, not the entire
Office range. Is it's OK to install the EWS beta anyway?

Hi Michael!

If the PDF specifically says "latest updates" then that means 12.1.5 not
12.1.0. The update to 12.1.5 is free. You should install it.

You run the risk that something may go wrong if you don't follow the
guidelines.

--

bill

Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
YouTalk <http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/youtalk>
Twitter: follow <http://twitter.com/meck>