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Active Sync 1

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nsanto17

nsanto17

IS-IT--Management
Mar 14, 2005
616
US
I have aquired a new client and i have set them up to allow the pdas to sync with exchange.

I have loaded Exchange SP2.

For some reason the PDAs will only sync when their outlook is open. If they close outlook the phone says it synced but there are no new emails on the phone. Once outlook is opened all the emails get synced to the phone. I have check thier devices and they are set to update as items arrive and the server is set to push.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
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Nsanto, the problem will probably be with the anti-virus/anti-spam solution. This was driving a guy nuts in February and I worked through it with him.

He was using Avast Antivirus and it was set to scan items "on-access". Since PDA access didn't apply as "access", mail could only be downloaded after Outlook had touched it. Sounds like you have a similar issue.


ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting
 
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They are using Trend Micro. I am not sure if that same problem exists...

 
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I assume all this is happening over wireless sync, right? There shouldn't be any PDA-to-PC-over-USB syncing done once you set up the ExchangeActiveSync on the PDA. At least not without a special hack.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting
 
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Yes this is all happening over wireless sync. Since this is a new client i should have known better to check to see how the clients were configured. The previous Admin sent all their incomming mail to network solutions first and then setup pop accounts on each workstation to download the mail. I just need to find out if for any reason this was set up this way.

They are probably using network solutions to do their spam filtering so would it be possiable to have network solutions recieve the mail and then forward it to the exchange box?

 
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Actually, that was going to be my follow-up here... if the PDA's would only sync when Outlook was open, then that would mean that emails are being stored in a .pst file instead of the Exchange mailbox. Not a very good way to be set up especially if there are mobile users. But even for OWA.

There's no reason at all to have POP3 accounts configured on the workstations. Also, why would you think Network Solutions would do a better job filtering SPAM than Exchange's own Intelligent Message Filter combined with TrendMicro (if they are using TrendMicros's CSM for SMB or NeatSuite).

Configure Exchange the way it was meant to be used -- as an SMTP email server receiving email directly. This will be the best solution for ensuring instant mobile synchronization as well.

You'll just need to set the domain's MX record to point to a host name (such as mail.yourdomain.com) and add a HOST (A) record that points to the SBS's External Static IP Address. Remove all other MX records listed in your DNS configuration at NetSol. Also, you may need to remove the "*" wildcard CNAME record which can be problematic and is generally not needed.

Then run the SBS's Configure Email and Internet Connection Wizard (CEICW -- which is linked as Connect to the Internet in the Server Management Console > To-Do List) to get everything configured properly in SBS/Exchange -- including setting each user's proper default SMTP email address.

A visual how-to is here: An overview of the things you need to check when moving to SMTP email are listed here:
ShackDaddy said:
There shouldn't be any PDA-to-PC-over-USB syncing done once you set up the ExchangeActiveSync on the PDA. At least not without a special hack.
Click to expand...

SD... Why would that be true? I sync my MotoQ both wirelessly as well as via USB. There are things that don't sync wirelessly still, such as Notes, Windows Media Files, and Business Contact Manager info.

No special hack is needed.





Jeffrey B. Kane
TechSoEasy
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Nsanto, sounds like the clients are doing the mail downloading via POP3 and are then storing it on the server. Each client probably has both the server and a POP3 account in their accounts list. So you can only get new email if the clients have downloaded it and stored it in the information store. I doubt they are storing it in .pst files, as Jeffrey said. It wouldn't make sense, since there's be no server involvement at that point, and it's required for Exchange ActiveSync.

Jeffrey, sometimes the PDA caches the internal name of the server when it does a USB sync, and then until the cache clears, it's unable to properly do a remote Exchange ActiveSync until the cached record expires. I've run into this a couple of times and there's a registry hack on the WM5 phones that you can do to keep it from caching that name.

I've actually already addressed this with Nsanto. We went through this solution together a couple of months ago in this thread: thread1584-1347071 , but it didn't end up being the resolution. Nsanto, did that other issue get resolved?

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting
 
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Shack,

You are correct that they have both accounts setup on each client. All the mail gets stored in the exchange store which would explain why Active Sync would only push after OL downloaded the mail via POP3. They want their spam filtering done off site which is going to require me to contact Network Solutuions.

As far as the DNS Cache problems goes.... I did the registry hack and it has fixed that problem for now. They are one of the clients who think they know everything and end up causing more harm then good. But anyway... Once i get everything working right i am going to revisit the DNS cache issue b/c i have a feeling their active sync set to sync with their OL and not the exchange store.

 
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Another option if you dont have an external static IP would be to configure the sbs pop3 connector to download the mail into exchange. It works well if there is individual pop3 accounts for each user although management is a bit of a pain with having to aet the user up on the isp pop3 provider and in AD and in pop3 connector but it does work quite well. I find that sbs networks setup with pop3 in outlook were configured by people who didn't know what they were doing initially and you should check for other oddities in sbs config.

The worst one i ever saw was outlook installed on the server downloading a single pop3 mailbox and using rules to distribute it to the users mailboxes, now that was somebody who didn't know what they were up to!

There are also pop to exchange programs available that can be more sucessful than the exchange offering, GFI's is particularly good for global mailboxes plus adds spam filtering etc.
 
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They want their spam filtering done off site
Click to expand...

Why?

I mean if "they" are experts in SPAM filtering technology then perhaps they have a very good reason for making this demand. However, it's not always the best way to go. Furthermore, I'd hardly consider Network Solutions to be the best choice for off-site SPAM filtering.

So if they are acting as if they know everything, it may be a good idea to ask them about their reasons for this. This is generally a good way to approach this type of client... instead of just following the edict, asking to better understand their reasoning shows that you are trying to ensure that their needs are met.




Jeffrey B. Kane
TechSoEasy
Blog:
 
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I happen to agree with you. I am going in there tonight or tomorrow to speak with them. I do know they paid for Network Solutions for i think 2 years and he does not want to lose the service.

I will find out more when i speak with them.
 
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What service? Because Network Solutions only offers McAfee SPAM Killer which is no better than what you already have on your SBS with TrendMicro and Exchange's IMF.

That service is only about $30/year. Not worth saving for the hassle, in my opinion.


Jeffrey B. Kane
TechSoEasy
Blog:
 
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Yea i know... I need to talk to them... There going say "Why did the other consultant set it up this way"...

 
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That's easy though. You can say "Because he may not have trusted himself to set up the combination of Trend and IMF effectively, or he was used to deploying subscription services, whereas my philosophy is a bit different, and I like to get your money's worth out of software you've already finished paying for."

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting
 
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