Regardless
of the method used to get Outlook to the desktop, when an administrator
combines Exchange Server 2010 and Outlook 2007, the configuration of
the Outlook client is easier than ever before. Outlook 2007 and Exchange
Server 2010 include a feature called autoconfiguration that enables the
Outlook 2007 client to automatically detect and configure the Outlook
profile.
Outlook 2007 Autoconfiguration
The first time a
user opens Outlook 2007 on a workstation, the client utilizes a new
technology called the Autodiscover service to help with the client
configuration. The Outlook client checks the credentials of the
logged-on user and automatically fills in the username and email
address, as shown in Figure 1.
After the username
and mailbox have been selected, the user clicks Next, and the
Autodiscover feature continues with the client setup—establishing a
network connection to the Exchange server, searching for the username,
and logging on to the messaging server. All remaining client
configuration is completed automatically, as shown in Figure 2.
Users
no longer have to remember complicated server names because the
location of the user mailbox is automatically managed by Outlook and
Exchange Server. Even if a user mailbox is moved to a new location, all
user configuration information is updated automatically thanks to the
autodiscover technology.
Troubleshooting Auto Account Setup
Outlook 2007 includes a
built-in set of tools to test the autoconfiguration setup and to show
the connection status. These tools enable testing to be done from the
client perspective to ensure that the service works end to end.
To test the autoconfiguration setup from the Outlook 2007 client, execute the following steps:
1. | Launch Outlook 2007.
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2. | Hold the Ctrl key and right-click the Outlook icon in the system tray.
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3. | Select Test E-mail AutoConfiguration from the menu.
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4. | Enter the email address of the account to use for the test.
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5. | Enter the password for the account.
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6. | Click the Test button to start the test.
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The results are shown in Figure 3.
The test shows the protocol as Exchange RPC, the user’s server name,
login name, and the various URLs for the services. More important, it
shows that the autodiscover service works.
A variety of errors can be presented by the tool. The errors and their possible causes are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Autoconfiguration Error Codes in Outlook 2007
| Error Code | Error Name | Description |
|---|
| 0x80072EE7 | ERROR_INTERNET_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED | Caused by a missing or misconfigured DNS entry for the Autodiscover service |
| 0X80072F17 | ERROR_INTERNET_SEC_CERT_ERRORS | Due to an incorrect certificate configuration on the Exchange Server 2010 CAS |
| 0X80072EFD | ERROR_INTERNET_CANNOT_CONNECT | Due to DNS issues |
| 0X800C820A | E_AC_NO_SUPPORTED_SCHEMES | Due to misconfigured security settings in Outlook 2007 |
You can view the connection status of the Outlook 2007 client:
1. | Launch Outlook 2007.
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2. | Hold the Ctrl key and right-click the Outlook icon in the system tray.
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3. | Select Connection Status from the menu.
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The connection status
for the Outlook 2007 client displays. This shows the server names for
the directory, mail and public folders (if appropriate), interface on
which it is communicating, connection (TCP/IP or HTTPS), and some
communications statistics. A sample view is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 shows that the Outlook 2007 client is connected to the DC1.COMPANYABC.COM server for directory services and to the EX1.COMPANYABC.COM server for mail services.
The autoconfiguration test and connection status are useful for troubleshooting problems with client connectivity.
