Troubleshooting remote function of Exchange and Schedule+

This article discusses troubleshooting steps for remote issues in the Microsoft Exchange Client and Schedule+.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Types of Users
3. Using Specific Remote Protocols
4. Modes of Operation
5. Dial-Up Networking Solutions for Each Operating System
6. Microsoft Schedule+
7. Deliver Now
8. Remote Support for the Microsoft Exchange Macintosh client
9. Outlook and the Microsoft Exchange client, version 5.0
10. Specific Windows 95 Remote Considerations
11. References

Introduction

This article discusses troubleshooting remote functionality in Microsoft Exchange Clients and Schedule+. A user is considered remote if something other than a physical network interface card (NIC) is being used to access Microsoft Exchange Server (in most cases this means a modem is being used, but ISDN and wireless solutions would also fall into this category).

The Exchange Client provides a number of slow-link optimizations, including the ability to work offline. Users can download all of their mail or selectively download items using the Remote Mail window, which lists only preview header information for each message. In addition, users can choose to have only important messages downloaded over the modem and download the other messages when a LAN connection is available. Also available in the Remote Mail window is the ability to set up scheduled connections that can remotely connect to an Exchange Server computer at a pre-set time, download new mail, and disconnect automatically.

Before you set up or test any Exchange Server remote functionality, set up a persistent connection scenario. This quickly helps determine if the problem is an underlying remote transport issue (RAS/DUN/Shiva/and so forth), or a problem with something in the Exchange Client (configuration, OST, PST problems, and so forth).

If it is determined that there are problems just connecting outside of Exchange Server, contact the support group that handles the underlying transport before you continue with Exchange Client troubleshooting. For Windows 95, the transport is DUN, for Windows NT it is RAS, for Windows 3.x, it is Shiva.

Types of Users

Before you configure Exchange Server to allow remote access to mail, determine the type or types of users in your organization. This information helps determine how you configure Exchange Server.

Users typically fall into one of the following categories:

• Laptop User: Typically works both from the office LAN (docked when at the office) and when away from the office, dials into the corporate network using the same computer.
• Desktop Home User: Works mostly from home but, when in the office, may log into the corporate network using a different computer.
• Roving User: Uses either multiple computers at the office and/or one computer at the office and a laptop when on the road.
• Hybrid User: A combination of two or more of the above.

Using Specific Remote Protocols

NOTE: Because of the way named pipes passes the Windows logon credentials to Exchange Server for troubleshooting purposes, it is recommended that you remove named pipes from the Exchange Server binding order. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

NetBEUI

NetBEUI is not routable. Therefore, the Primary Domain Controller (PDC), RAS server, and the computer running Exchange Server must all be located on the same network segment for the Exchange Client to connect over DUN with NetBEUI (only). If the PDC, RAS server, and the computer running Exchange Server are one and the same, NetBEUI is the best option.

Possible Exchange Server RPC bindings:

TCP/IP

The IP addresses of both the PDC and the computer running Exchange Server must resolve over IP. After you connect by using DUN, attempt to ping the machine name of the PDC and the computer running Exchange Server. If pinging the machine name is unsuccessful, add the entries to the local Hosts file as a test.

Possible Exchange Server RPC bindings: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

IPX/SPX

For the Exchange Client to connect over IPX/SPX, there must be a Novell Server OR File and Print Services for NetWare must be installed on a computer running Windows NT Server to respond to the "find_nearest_server" query.

Possible RPC bindings: For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Modes of Operation

Two basic modes of operation are available for the remote use of Exchange Clients: a batch connection and a persistent (continuous) connection.

Batch Mode

Batch mode is useful for those users who either want to minimize phone connect time charges or work with the Exchange Client when it is disconnected from the network (for example, when the users are away from a LAN connection or flying on a plane).

The Exchange Client and the Outlook client offer two solutions for mobile computing: remote mail (downloading headers only and then selecting messages) and offline folders. The Remote Mail feature is available for use with most services, and offline folders are available ONLY for use with the Exchange Server service.

Persistent Connection

Establishing a persistent connection remotely simply means that you connect FIRST with RAS/DUN or Shiva (for Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.x respectively), and then you start the Exchange Client in Online mode over this connection, exactly as if it were on the LAN.

In the persistent connection scenario, the Exchange Client reacts exactly as if it is connected over an NIC. Deal with error messages that appear during the initial modem connection BEFORE you troubleshoot any Exchange Server remote-specific problems.

To test a persistent connection by accessing Exchange Server remotely:

1. Dial and connect with the underlying transport (RAS, DUN, Shiva, and so forth).
2. Create a new Exchange Server profile:
   1. In Control Panel, double-click Mail, and then click Add.
   2. Add ONLY the Exchange Server Service.
   3. When you are prompted "Do you travel with this computer?" click No.
   4. Finish creating the profile.
   5. Set this newly created profile as the default profile.

Some troubleshooting steps for persistent connection problems are:

• Switch to a different protocol for testing.
• Change the RPC binding order for Exchange Server.
• Use utilities like Ping or "net use" to ensure that there is a valid connection after you dial the connection.
• Dial in to a different RAS Server (device) to ensure that the problem is not on the RAS server.

The following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles may also be helpful if the Microsoft Exchange Client stops responding over a persistent connection: NOTE: Remember that when you troubleshoot any Exchange Client remote issues, you must always test with the persistent connection method FIRST.

If you want both Exchange Client and Schedule+ to behave exactly as they do on a LAN, you need to use a persistent connection. However, because the dial-up connection must be connected the entire time that Exchange Client and Schedule+ are in use, the persistent connection is not a good idea when connection time charges are a concern.

Remote Mail

Remote mail enables you to connect remotely to your mail service. You can use it with Internet Mail, Microsoft Mail, Exchange Server, and some online services. One notable service that does not support remote mail (with Outlook) is the cc:Mail service that ships with the Microsoft Office 97 ValuPack.

The purpose of remote mail is to allow absolutely minimal total connection time. Initially, remote mail connects and downloads only the message headers for display in the mail preview window. Then specific messages can be marked for full retrieval (either by leaving a copy on the server (mark to retrieve a copy) or by downloading the message locally (mark to retrieve).

Calendar appointments, contacts, and other private folder information (except for the Inbox) are not available by means of remote mail. This means that if there are server-based rules that move messages to other private folders, these messages are not retrievable using the remote mail option.

If you want to access information in folders other than the Inbox (public folders, other private folders, calendar information in the case of Outlook, and so on), use offline folders OR a persistent connection.

NOTE: For remote mail to work properly, a local personal store file (PST file) must be present and delivery in the properties for Exchange Server must be set to the PST file. If delivery is not set to a PST file, the Mark to Retrieve option, which removes the mail from the server, leaves a copy on the server instead.

To set up a profile for use with remote mail:

1. Test the persistent connection scenario as outlined above.
2. Add a personal folder to the existing profile; in Control Panel, double-click Mail, click Properties for the profile, click Add, and then click Personal Folders.
3. Enter the PST file name, click Open, and then click OK.
4. Click the Delivery tab, and then type the name of the PST that you added in step 3 in the Deliver New Mail to the Following Location box.
5. Click the Service tab, click the Microsoft Exchange Server computer, and then click Properties.
6. In the Microsoft Exchange Server properties, click Choose Connection Type when Starting.
7. Start the client offline. On the Tools menu, click Remote Mail. In the Remote Mail window, click Connect.
8. Headers are downloaded into the remote window. Click to select either the Mark to Retrieve or Mark to Retrieve a Copy check box (this option leaves a copy on the server).
9. After the appropriate messages have been selected, click Connect again.
10. Close the Remote Preview window, and the marked messages now appear in the Inbox of the Exchange Client.
    
    NOTE: This process can be automated somewhat by using the Remote Mail tab in the properties of the profile.

Considerations for using remote mail:

• Use in conjunction with a PST file.
• If connection time charges are high you may want to use remote mail.
• Remote mail is also used for remote access with services other than those in Exchange Server, for example, Microsoft Mail, Internet Mail, and so on.
• If you only need access to the Inbox folder, use remote mail.

Offline Folders

Offline Folders (OST files) are the recommended setup option for users who use the Exchange Server service. Offline folders are not an option for people who use the Internet service, Microsoft Mail, or other online information services. The OST keeps a replica of all of the folders (public or private) on the server that have been marked to be available when both online and offline (by default these are the Inbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items, and Outbox).

Offline folders allow a laptop user, for instance, to synchronize all folders prior to leaving the office (while still connected with a fast LAN connection), then reply, delete, and compose new mail while flying to the new destination, then synchronize the folders by means of a modem when the laptop user reaches the destination (or wait until the user returns to the office to synchronize folders).

For more information aboutoffline folders, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Offline folders are the best option if:

• The Exchange Server service is being used.
• You need public folder information when you work offline.
• Ease of use is a priority.

NOTE: Create an OST either by answering YES to 'do you travel with this computer' in the profile wizard, OR by clicking Offline Folder file settings in the Advanced tab of the properties for Exchange Server. Note that you MUST synchronize a new OST one time before you can use that OST (in other words, start the Exchange Client OFFLINE). If you only have access to Exchange Server by means of a modem, you must follow the steps for a persistent connection first, and then synchronize the folders to make the OST useable.

NOTE: If you start the Exchange Client online, the client automatically synchronizes only the folder hierarchy (just the folder names themselves) and then sends any mail that was left in the Outbox when you were offline. Outlook has an option to "synchronize folders on exit" - the Exchange Client does not. The preview pane does have some OST features that some users may find useful. For instance, you can set a schedule to dial every hour to synchronize folders.

Dial-Up Networking Solutions for Each Operating System

MS-DOS

Use Shiva Remote version 3.59 from Exchange Client.

Windows 3.x, Windows for Workgroups 3.1x

Use Shiva Remote version 3.59 from Exchange Client.

NOTE: For laptop users who want to be docked and undocked (require multiple NICs), use Windows 95 or Windows NT so that you can use multiple hardware profiles.

NOTE: The version of Remote Access Service (RAS) that ships with Windows for Workgroups can be used to access a computer running Exchange Server; however, the remote mail features of Exchange Server (offline folders and remote mail) cannot be used with Windows for Workgroups RAS (Windows for Workgroups RAS does not support the APIs necessary for remote mail). Also, if you use Windows for Workgroups RAS, you must first make a connection with Windows for Workgroups RAS before you start the Exchange Client.

Windows 95

Use Microsoft Dial-up Networking (DUN) (included with the operating system).

Windows NT Server

Use Microsoft remote access service (RAS) (included with the operating system).

Microsoft Schedule+

Schedule+ has two modes of operation: offline and group-enabled mode.

Group-enabled mode requires a persistent (continuous) connection to the computer running Exchange Server, (either on the LAN or with a persistent connection over a modem). If a local .scd file is present, synchronization is performed automatically by default every 15 minutes, or it can be performed manually (In Schedule+, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click Synchronize). Only changes are sent over the wire during the synchronization process.

In Offline mode you work directly from the local .scd file. Free and busy time is not available to users offline, and it is stored in a hidden public folder on the computer running Exchange Server. If you start Schedule + offline, synchronization cannot take place. You must quit and log off Schedule +, establish a dial-in connection, and then start Schedule+ ONLINE to synchronize the local .scd file with the server.

One of the major remote improvements in Microsoft Outlook is the Calendar. The Outlook Calendar is now simply another folder. Because of this, you can set it up to be synchronized with an offline folder, like any other private or public folder. This makes synchronizing all of the data extremely easy.

NOTE: Whenever you start Schedule+ offline OR if problems prevent Schedule+ from contacting the computer running Exchange Server, the work primarily from local file check box is automatically selected and will remain selected until it is manually cleared. Even if you start Schedule+ ONLINE, the local .scd file is still displayed (which may not yet be synchronized).

Deliver Now

On the Tools menu, if you click Deliver Now, you download all of the new mail to the Inbox and send any mail currently queued in the Outbox. The Deliver Now command does NOT synchronize folders and is not nearly as efficient for use with an OST as the Sync All/This Folder command. In fact, if delivery of mail is set to an OST (instead of a PST), Deliver Now re-counts all of the messages in the Inbox, even though they have already been downloaded; this can be time consuming.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The Deliver Now command is appropriate if an Exchange Server profile has multiple services and you want to force delivery through a specific service, for example, fax or MSN.

If offline folders (OST) are being used, educated users about how to use the sync all/this folder(s) option and not use the deliver now feature.

Remote Support for the Microsoft Exchange Macintosh Client

The general conditions for dial-up access on an Exchange Macintosh client are:

TCP/IP

1. The user must have valid TCP/IP set up on Macintosh. To facilitate name resolution, the network must have either Hosts files for each Macintosh or DNS servers.
   
   NOTE: DHCP is supported by Open Transport for dynamic IP addressing only; it does not support WINS name resolution, hence the need for DNS servers. It is strongly recommended that you use the latest versions of Open Transport on the Macintosh, MacOS 7.5.3 or later.
2. Connection must be established independently of Exchange Macintosh client. This is different than the Exchange Windows client that can automatically dial for you (on the Tools menu, click Sync Folders, or on the Remote Mail menu, click Connect). In other words, Macintosh "remote" support only works with the "persistent connection" scenario outlined above).
3. You must be able to ping servers by name (this is critical), including any public folder servers. (Remember, these are often separately named servers that you do not see.)

If any of the above conditions do not exist, the Exchange Client is unable to connect.

Appletalk

1. Connection must be established independently of Exchange Client (a persistent connection must be established, as outlined above).
2. You must be able to see Exchange Server (and public folder servers) in the Chooser.

Outlook and the Microsoft Exchange Client, version 5.0

There are no major changes to Exchange Client version 5.0 in the way remote users configure and use Exchange Client and Schedule+ remotely.

Outlook does have some major enhancements that can make remote operation easier for users who need remote access to mail, calendar, and contact information. Because the new Outlook Calendar and contact list are simply folders, they too can be marked as available when online and offline and synchronized to the OST (offline folder). The Outlook client does not have a separate "preview" window for retrieving remote mail as Exchange Client does; instead it is integrated into the Inbox itself.

Specific Windows 95 Remote Considerations

Under Windows 95, if an NIC driver is loaded in addition to the dial- up adapter in Control Panel Network, either remove the NIC driver or set up an additional hardware profile for remote use.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Update to Windows 95 Service Pack 1 and download the Windows 95 Password List Update to repair the existing PWL file. The update Mspwlupd.exe can be downloaded from the following location: Ensure Log On to Windows NT Domain is selected in the properties for Client for Microsoft Networks in Control Panel Networks.

References

The following additional Microsoft Knowledge Base articles may be helpful with Microsoft Exchange client and Schedule+ remote issues: