Connector for Microsoft Outlook Considerations

This section describes some deployment issues you will encounter deploying Connector for Microsoft Outlook. For complete information, see the Connector for Microsoft Outlook documentation:

http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/1312.1

Sun Java System Connector for Microsoft Outlook enables Outlook to be used as a desktop client with Sun Java Enterprise System. Connector for Microsoft Outlook is an Outlook plug-in that must be installed on the end-user's desktop. Connector for Microsoft Outlook queries Messaging Server for folder hierarchies and email messages. It converts the information into Messaging API (MAPI) properties that Outlook can display. Similarly, it uses the WCAP protocol to query Calendar Server for events and tasks which are then converted into MAPI properties. With this model, Connector for Microsoft Outlook builds an end-user Outlook view from two separate information sources: mail from Messaging Server and calendar information from Calendar Server.

When users create and modify items through Outlook, Connector for Microsoft Outlook passes the new message along to the appropriate server depending on its message type. It sends new outgoing email to an SMTP mail server for delivery, and sends modified email messages back to the user's IMAP folder for storage. New calendar events and tasks are converted into a standard format to be stored in the Calendar Server database.

Connector for Microsoft Outlook Component Product Dependencies

To use Connector for Microsoft Outlook, both Messaging Server and Calendar Server are required in the same deployment. See those products' release notes for information on supported versions.

For Connector for Microsoft Outlook to function correctly, the following LDAP attributes in the Sun Java System Directory Server should be indexed for at least presence and equality to improve the overall performance:

• icsCalendar

• mail

• mailalternateaddress

See Chapter 6, Sun Java System Connector for Microsoft Outlook 7 2005Q4 Release Notes, in Sun Java System Communications Services 2005Q4 Release Notes for a complete list of product dependencies.

Migrating Sun ONE Calendar Server Data

If you are using a version of Calendar Server prior to Sun ONE Calendar Server 6.0, you need to engage Sun Client Services to convert and migrate the data to the new format. This Calendar Server data migration is required for the use of Outlook, and is necessary because of the underlying changes in the storage and management of recurring events. No migration service is required for new customers of Sun Java System Calendar Server.

Migrating Exchange Server Data

Connector for Microsoft Outlook does not convert Microsoft Exchange Server messages on the Exchange Server. You need to engage with Sun Client Services to convert the data.