evolution/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 for a fee from the Ximian online store at
    <ulink
    url="http://store.ximian.com">store.ximian.com</ulink>. Unlike the
    regular Ximian Evolution client, it 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) 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.
          </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, 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>
      An Exchange client access license is still required to use the
      Ximian Connector with Microsoft Exchange.
  </para>
  </warning>

  <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 GNOME channel,
       select the Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange 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 Exchange server.
    </para>
 </sect1>

  <sect1 id="configure">
    <title>Configuration</title>
    <para>
      Once you have installed the Connector, you need to set up access
      for your Exchange account on both the Exchange 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 Exchange server.
         </para>
	 </listitem>
	 <listitem>
	 <para> 
           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.
         </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 Exchange server will accept connections from Ximian Evolution.
</para>
</sect2>

<sect2 id="config-client">
<title>Evolution Settings for Connecting to an Exchange 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 uses a Secure Socket Layer connection, click the
            <guilabel>Use Secure Connection (SSL)</guilabel> checkbox.
          </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
            Exchange 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>
       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 Exchange Server</title>
    <para>
       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 <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 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.
    </para>
    <para>
       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: 
       <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. 
         </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>