<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>
