In
most enterprise network environments today, the need to support
non-Microsoft Windows client operating systems is almost guaranteed;
administrators must plan and support alternative means of access to
Exchange Server mail information.
To accomplish
this goal, administrators can use several options available to provide
Exchange Server data and calendaring information to a variety of
alternative non-Windows–based clients systems. Leveraging the built-in
compatibility and functionality of Exchange Server 2010, access can be
accomplished using any one or combination of multiple familiar client
options, depending on the operating system being used and the
functionality needed by the individual client.
One of the huge
improvements an administrator will find when working with Exchange
Server 2010 is the enhanced support for non-Windows-based mail systems.
With a movement away from a proprietary WebDAV standard to a broader
industry supported Web Services standard for Outlook Web App, users
running Apple Mac Safari or FireFox for Windows will experience “Premium
Client” support that was previously provided only to users of the
Microsoft Internet Explorer browser. This, along with a number of other
improvements, provides a better experience for non-Windows mail client
users.
Using Exchange Server
client options such as Mac OS X Mail, Entourage 2008, Outlook Web App,
Windows-based Remote Desktop,
administrators can identify the best solution available to provide
Exchange Server 2010 server connectivity based on the operating system
being used and functionality of each solution.
In addition, because
these types of clients are usually the minority in most Microsoft
Exchange Server environments, administrators can evaluate the
functionality available with each of these client solutions and
implement any specific one based on the requirements of the client
accessing Exchange Server information.
Supporting Mac Clients with Microsoft Solutions
When
determining which Exchange Server client is best for supporting Mac
users and desktops, the most important consideration is the required
functionality of the client user and the limitations involved with each
available option.
To support Mac desktops
with Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft provided a few options, including
Entourage 2008 and Outlook Express clients designed specifically for the
Macintosh desktop operating system. A very popular option for Macintosh
support to Exchange Server is to use the built-in Mac Mail, iCal, and
Address Book client that comes with OS X and fully supports access to
Exchange Server.
Using any of these
options, administrators can support internal network access and remote
connectivity to Exchange Server 2010 using applications installed
directly on the client desktop using protocols already enabled to
support their Windows-based Outlook client cousins.
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For additional
information on Entourage 2008 and support for Mac clients in an Exchange
Server 2010 environment, Microsoft provides comprehensive information
and instructions through the Mactopia support website at www.microsoft.com/mac/default.mspx.
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Though most Windows users
are familiar with the name Outlook and Outlook Express, Microsoft also
provides another very powerful client option for connecting Macintosh
clients to Exchange Server 2010. Using the Entourage 2008 client, Mac
users can get a robust set of client options, such as mail and
calendaring synchronization, junk email filtering, and contact
management with the look and feel more familiar to Macintosh users. Not
the Outlook client, this alternative to Outlook is available
individually or as part of the Office 2008 Mac client suite or can be
downloaded independently.
Providing Full Functionality with PC Virtualization and Remote Desktop for Mac
What is probably the
simplest and most popular option when supporting Mac clients in a
predominantly Windows-based environment is using the PC virtualization
tool (such as Microsoft Virtual PC for the Mac, Parallels, or VMware
Fusion) and Remote Desktop Client for Mac. Using these Mac client
options provides any Mac user with the full functionality of the
Windows-based Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003 clients on the Mac desktop.
These are two options that can be easily implemented and allow Mac users
full access to Windows client tools and functionality. Using this
option, administrators can not only provide access to Microsoft Outlook,
but they can also provide full functionality to Windows desktop
applications and tools directly to the Mac client.
Using
PC virtualization for the Mac, users can launch and work in a fully
functional virtual Windows-based PC loaded on the Mac desktop. Effective
for Mac users with Windows experience, PC virtualization provides
cross-platform functionality for users by allowing features such as
access to Mac desktop peripherals, cut-and-paste features between the
Virtual PC and the Mac OS, no-configuration printing, and access to
Windows network-based shares.
Note
Unlike the RDP
client, PC virtualization runs the applications on the local Mac client.
This means that any data, including saved files and offline folders, is
also stored on the local Mac desktop.
Using the Remote Desktop
Client, Mac users can access a Windows desktop functionality through
sessions based on Terminal Services functionality, allowing full
functionality in Windows through a remote connection. This function also
gives Mac clients the ability to cut and paste information from the
Remote Desktop Connection to the Mac operating system, full printing
functionality to local connected Mac printers, and the ability to
provide network access to shared Windows resources. The difference in
these two options is the default storage of Exchange Server data and
saved work; with the RDP client, when the RDP session is disconnected,
all saved information remains on the network and not on the attached
client.
Using the Internet for Exchange Server Connectivity
When access to
Exchange Server information is all that is required, the most effective
option available is leveraging the Outlook Web App (OWA) functionality
built in to the Exchange Server 2010 operating system. Because using
this option is normally enabled for standard Windows-based remote access
from the Internet, Mac users and UNIX/Linux users can also access OWA
as they access a web page from both the internal network and the
Internet.
By using
web-based access to provide Exchange Server 2010 client functionality,
administrators can consider this solution for a variety of different
non-Windows–based client systems with Internet browsing enabled. With
the release of Exchange Server 2010 and its support for Web Services,
Outlook Web App 2010 provides full “Premium client” support for Apple
Mac Safari users. This provides Mac users with full Web access just like
Windows Internet Explorer users. This includes more than 90% of the
capabilities of a full Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003 client with Outlook
Web App features, such as spell checking, calendar appointments, the
Rules Wizard, and more. Even more important, this option requires no
additional client software to be installed on any non-Windows–based
client.
Note
Microsoft
initially released support for Apple Mac Safari and FireFox for
Windows; however, additional browser support will continue to expand the
platform support for the Premium Client experience for Outlook Web App
users.
Comparing Client Functionality and Compatibility
With each option and
method of access to Exchange Server 2010, different options and
functionality are available. As mentioned in the review of each method
of access, some methods enable full functionality and others are
limited.
Review the operating system requirements in Table 1 to determine whether the Mac operating systems meet the required revision for the method of access being considered.
Table 1. Client Functionality
| Requirement | Outlook Express | Remote Desktop | Entourage 2008 | OWA |
|---|
| Email | x | x | x | x |
| Calendaring | No | x | x | x |
| Contacts | x | x | x | x |
| Directory search | x | x | x | x |
| Offline access | x | x | x | No |
| PST archive | No | x | x | No |
| PST import/export | No | x | x | No |
| Junk mail filtering | No | x | x | x |
| SSL security | No | x | x | x |
Determine the
required functionality by using this table to compare the features of
each client access method. Review the functionality of each method and
compare the result with the Mac OS you are working with.
