Microsoft Exchange Connectivity Analyzer Tool – Client
The Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer Tool is a downloadable client program that is used to identify connectivity issues that occur between email clients and a server that is running Microsoft Exchange Server. The tool can also be used to identify connectivity issues between email clients and Office 365. The tool can be used both by email users, to identify common problems, and by IT Administrators, to troubleshoot issues that are affecting their Exchange Server deployments.
The Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer Tool simulates several client logon and mail flow scenarios. When a test fails, many of the errors message provide troubleshooting tips to help the user or IT Administrator to resolve the problem.
This tool is a companion tool to the Remote Connectivity Analyzer website. Whereas the Remote Connectivity Analyzer website enables IT Administrators to pinpoint connectivity issues by simulating connectivity from a location outside the customer environment, the Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer Tool lets both email users and IT administrators run the same tests within the user’s environment.
You must be running one of the following operating systems:
- Windows 8
- Windows 7
- Windows Server 2008
- 64-bit edition of Windows Vista
Download the client tool (Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer (Beta) here.
Connectivity check as follows
Select one of the option below to continue to next screen
Enter the credential you want to check for connectivity issues
Enjoy!!
What’s new with Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer? A lot!
They have done it again.. now with a lot of option
Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer (beta), a portable version of the Remote Connectivity Analyzer website, and a short 49 second video that introduces the Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer.
Read more…click here
Microsoft Connectivity Analyzer Pre-Requisites
- The tool supports the following operating systems: 64bit Windows 7, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008+
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is required.
- Browsers requirements:
The installation will work on all modern browsers. However…
- If you are using Google Chrome, you will need to install ClickOnce for Google Chrome
- If you are using FireFox, you will need to install Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant for FireFox.
Good work folks!!!
Import contacts into Outlook from Excel
Exporting from Excel
- If row 1 of your spreadsheet contains column descriptions, such as “Name,” “E-mail Address,” and so on, skip to step 3. If it does not, add one that does by right-clicking the 1 to the left of the first row, and then clicking Insert.
- In the new blank cells at the top of each column, type a description for that column, such as “Name,” “E-mail Address,” “Company,” “Phone Number,” and so on.
- On the File menu, click Save As.
- Choose a folder to save to from the Save in drop-down list, type a name for the file, such as “Contacts,” in the File name box, and in the Save as type drop-down list, click CSV (Comma delimited).
- Make a note of the folder location, and then click SAVE.
Importing into Outlook (older versions)
- If you are importing into an existing Contacts folder, skip to step 3. To create a new folder in Outlook, click Folder List on the View menu, unless the Folder List is open already.
- Right-click the Contacts folder, and then click New Folder, type a name for the new folder, and then click OK.
- On the File menu, click Import and Export, click Next, click Comma Separated Values (Windows), and then click Next.
- If the file that is displayed is not the correct file, click Browse, browse to the folder noted in step 3, and then double-click the file to select it.
- If you are importing into a new folder, the Options settings is irrelevant because there are no duplicates. If not, choose the most logical selection. Click Allow duplicates if you are not sure, and then click Next.
- Click the Contacts folder, or other contacts-type folder that you have created, to import into, and then click Next.
- If you are not sure that the column names in the first row of the spreadsheet will map correctly to the Outlook fields, click Map custom fields to verify them.
NOTE: If Map custom fields is unavailable, you have chosen a non-contact-type folder to import into. Click Back, and then choose the correct folder. If you are satisfied with the mapping, click OK to close the Map Custom Fields dialog box, and then click Finish.
Importing into Outlook 2010
- If you are importing into an existing Contacts folder, skip to step 4.
- Create a new folder in Outlook 2010
- Right-click the Contacts folder, click New Folder, type a name for the new folder, and then click OK.
- Click the File tab in the Ribbon, and then click Open on the menu.
- Click on Import tab. The Import and Export Wizard opens.
- If the file that is displayed is not the correct file, click Browse , browse to the folder that is mentioned in step 3, and then double-click the file to select it.
- If you are importing into a new folder, the Options settings are irrelevant because there are no duplicates. If you are not importing to a new folder, choose the most logical selection. Click Allow duplicates if you are not sure, and then click Next .
- Click the Contacts folder or another contacts-type folder that you have created, and then click Next.
- If you are not sure that the column names in the first row of the spreadsheet will map correctly to the Outlook fields, click Map custom fields to verify them.
Office 365 System Requirements – Client side
If you ever look at all the migration that we do, we have to completed the biggest challenge; clients has been getting the system requirements ready for Office 365.
Click here to know more from my dedicated blog for O365 users.
Enjoy!!!
Office 365 – Migration approach
This page has been move to a dedicated page..click here.
OAB…long time to download?
An offline address book (OAB) is a copy of a collection of address lists that has been downloaded so that a Microsoft Outlook user can access the information it contains while disconnected from the server. Microsoft Exchange generates the new OAB files, compresses the files, and then places the files on a local share. Exchange administrators can choose which address lists are made available to users who work offline, and they can also configure the method by which the address books are distributed.
Pretty straight forward explanation of OAB replication on Exchange 2010 SP2 Rollup Update…Thanks to Greg Taylor, Principal Program Manager @ Exchange Customer Experience, who explained on EHLO…click here to read more of this article
One important thing to share :
Important: |
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OAB data is produced by the Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service running as Local System. If an administrator uses the security descriptor to prevent users from viewing certain recipients in Active Directory, users who download the OAB will be able to view those hidden recipients. Therefore, to hide a recipient from an address list, you set the HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled parameter on the Set-PublicFolder, Set-MailContact, Set-MailUser, Set-DynamicDistributionGroup, Set-Mailbox, and Set-DistributionGroups cmdlets. Alternatively, you can create a new default OAB that doesn’t contain the hidden recipients.
Click here to understand more on offline Address Book
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PST Capture Tool – We ask, Microsoft Exchange team delivers it!!!
EHLO, our Exchange Halo team!!! always listening for feedback on what we’re doing well and delivers the tool best for us. As more and more of us evaluate and deploy the email archiving, retention and discovery capabilities of Exchange Server 2010 and Exchange Online, we understand that Personal Folders (.pst files) remain a challenge for us. The ability to search our network to discover and then import .pst files across your environment is critical, and that you need an admin-driven and straightforward tool for doing these things….here comes the EHLO.. In July 2011, Exchange team announce that later this year they will be adding a new tool to our already rich portfolio of planning and deployment tools. This new tool, PST Capture, will be downloadable and free, and will enable you to discover .pst files on your network and then import them into both Exchange Online (in Office 365) and Exchange Server 2010 on-premises.
And now the EHLO action…..!!!!
PST Capture tool helps us search your network to discover and then import .pst files across your environment – all from a straightforward admin-driven tool. PST Capture will help reduce risk while increasing productivity for your users by importing .pst files into Exchange Online or Exchange Server 2010 – directly into users’ primary mailboxes or archives.
PST Capture documentation, Click here
To download PST Capture (Microsoft Exchange PST Capture is used to discover and import .pst files into Exchange Server or Exchange Online), click here
System requirements – Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
- Review the Technical Documentation prior to installation of Microsoft Exchange PST Capture
- Exchange Server 2010, if used to import to Exchange Server 2010 mailboxes or archives
- Exchange Online (Office 365) subscription if used to import to Exchange Online (Office 365) mailboxes or archives
- Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
- Microsoft Outlook 2010 x64 (only required on the host computer where you install the Central Service and Console)
Thank you Microsoft Exchange Team!!!!
Configure Automatic Replies for an user in Exchange 2010 – Using Exchange Control Panel (ECP)
In previous versions of Exchange, you would need to access the user’s mailbox to be able to do this. Without access to the mailbox, you can’t modify data in it.
Two ways for an exchange/domain administrator to access an user mailbox:
- Grant yourself full Access mailbox permission to the user’s mailbox.
- Change the user’s password and log in as the user.
The first option grants the administrator access to all of the data in the user’s mailbox.
The second option grants the administrator access to all of the data that the user account can access within your company and locks the user out of his own user account.
Configure auto-reply options using the ECP
In Exchange 2010 SP1, you can configure auto-reply options for your users without using either of the above options.
Login to ECP through owa as Administrator or member of that group. Click options (right side top) and select “See all options”, From this screen, where “Manage Myself”, click “Another User” -> select the user you want and double click on the user. This will open his mail option ECP, and click “Tell people you’re on vacation” -> and select Automatic Replies and fillout the information and click Save.
Thats it!!!!
Configure auto-reply options using the Shell Command
This command schedules internal and external auto-replies
Example, if a user is going on leave from 11/11/2011 to 12/10/2011: (MM/DD/YYYY format)
Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration leaveusername@domain.com –AutoReplyState Scheduled –StartTime “11/11/2011” –EndTime “12/110/2011” –ExternalMessage “External OOF message here” –InternalMessage “Internal OOF message here”
For detailed syntax and parameter descriptions, see Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration (Applies to Exchange Server 2010 SP1).
This command retrieves auto-reply settings for a mailbox.
Get-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration leaveusername@domain.com
This command disables auto-reply configured for a mailbox:
Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration leaveusername@domain.com –AutoReplyState Disabled –ExternalMessage $null –InternalMessage $null
Great leap…Enjoy!!!!