Out Of Office options 1

[lwinstead]

I'm trying to migrate away from Lotus Domino/Notes to Outlook, and a question came up. Right now, we've got 50 R5 users connected to a R5 Domino server. We don't host our own mail, so the in-house mail server is only being used for extremely light database work, as well as routing in-house mail.

The question that came up is about the Out-of-office reply. Right now, since we don't host our own internet mail, how does the Out-of-office reply work? I've got a few users who are freaking out because there's no out-of-office option on a couple of my test stations.

Can anyone offer me some insight to this strange situation?

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

Out of Office is an agent that runs per database and uses the parameters set by the user to know how to respond. Said parameters are set in the user's mail file, using the Tools/Out of Office button in the Inbox.

Pascal.

 

[lwinstead]

Pmonett,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't word my question correctly, apparently, as your reply didn't make immediate sense to me. I know where the OOO agent is, and how to activate it. What I don't know is how it would work in my situation. If we don't host our own e-mail, how can the OOO agent run for the pop mail on everyone's Notes client?

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

Even if you don't host your mail, if you have a Domino server you should be able to log in and set your preferences via browser.
You might have to upgrade the server to R6 and iNotes for that though.
I don't know that Outlook can do that interactively, I'd rather think it can't.

Pascal.

 

[lwinstead]

Pmonett,

I think you're missing the point. I don't care how the agent is activated. All I want to know is how the agent will work given my situation. POP3 mail comes in directly to each Notes client. If the client isn't running, will the agent still automatically respond? Will the agent even see any mail to respond to?

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

Yes, I think there is something I am missing : either the mail goes to the Domino server, or it does not.
If it does, it does not matter what client you use to access it : the agent will trigger.
If mail no longer routes via a Domino server, then you no longer have Domino functionality.

So what is it ? Is the Domino server still in use, or is mail being now routed by Outlook/whatever ?

Pascal.

 

[lwinstead]

Pmonett,

Well, both. The Domino server handles in-house mail, as I said in the original post. Each user's Notes client also handles their own POP3 mail, too. (I'm not sure why that's so hard to pick up on... everyone I've mentioned this to has a hard time understanding that split)

So according to what you're saying, the OOO agent isn't running? Even if the user leaves their computer on with Notes running?

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[ustcurious]

Iwinstead, perhaps it is the way you are explaining it to people that is confusing them. I didn't understand exactly what you were asking until your last response here.

The Out-of-office agent runs on the mail server, not in the user's Notes client. When your users are using Notes as a POP3 client, the email comes directly to their Notes client from your ISP's mail server just as it would if they were using Outlook, IE or Netscape as their POP3 client. Your Domino mail server never sees the emails.

Can you have your ISP forward the emails from their server to your mail server? Each user might have to do this on an individual basis. We do that at one of the offices I work at. The only problem with that is that all outgoing mail would have your local domain in the return address. Not the domain that you are using with the ISP's mail server.

Failing that, maybe everyone needs to have a customized agent that runs when new mail arrives in the local replica copy of their mail files. I haven't put a lot of thought into that so I'm not sure exactly how it would work.

Do some Googling. Maybe someone has already come up with a solution.

 

[lwinstead]

ustcurious,

First off, I've already done a hog-lot of Googling. That's why I'm posting here. Secondly, this is all so confusing because I just don't know the correct terms to use when it specifically comes to Lotus Notes and e-mail issues.

Thirdly, let's sum up:

* Lotus Notes without Domino doesn't have an OOO agent.
* Lotus Notes with Domino has OOO agent
* If Lotus Domino doesn't host your internet mail, OOO agent is useless

The third point is the kicker; if your internet mail is external, and Notes just collects it for each user individually, the agent just doesn't do anything.

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

lwinstead :

The Domino agent obviously cannot act on something that does not come near it. There is no "kicker" here; you don't expect your neighbor's German shepherd to guard your house, do you ?

Next, allow me to slightly modify your summary :

* Lotus Notes does not have an OOO agent, the Domino server does
* Whatever client (Notes or browser) used to access a mail account on Domino will benefit from Domino functionality (ie OOO agent)
* Whatever mail client is used to access non-Domino mail services will not have access to Domino services

I hope this clears up the issue.

Pascal.

 

[lwinstead]

pmonett,

Thanks for clarifying my summary. You're adding more confusion, however, by making it a point to say that the OOO agent resides on the server, not the client. If that's the case, why can't I use Outlook as the client, and still have the OOO agent functionality from Domino? That is, given a senario where the Domino server hosts all my mail. It has to be matches up. Its just like Outlook + Exchange. Exchange has an OOO agent, but without Outlook, you can't utilize it. Domino has the OOO agent, but without Notes, you can't utilize it. ... RIGHT?

In either case, thanks go to both you guys for helping me figure this out. I'm sorry if I'm a dummy - at least I'm learning!

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

Wrong : Domino runs the agent and that agent will run on whatever mail gets to it. The client is irrelevant here. The important point is that Domino cannot act on mail it does not get.
Therefor, Domino is going to run the OOO agent on whatever mail it gets, and the rest of the mail that is hosted elsewhere will not be concerned by this agent.
The user can consult his mail with any client he wishes to use. As long as he can authenticate himself with the Domino server, he will be able to manage the OOO agent and (de)activate it at will.
Contrary to Exchange, Domino does not really care which client is used to access the mailbox. And the client has no impact whatsoever on whether or not the agent will run. The server takes care of agents, not the client.

Pascal.
Pascal.

 

[lwinstead]

Pascal,

"As long as he can authenticate himself with the Domino server, he will be able to manage the OOO agent and (de)activate it at will."

Awesome. Now, can you help me figure out how to accomplish this using Domino R5 and Outlook 2003? I can't find any information on it, and I've already spent hours searching. Thanks!

<<<<[flux]>>>>

 

[pmonett]

When you enter your name and password at the prompt, you are authenticated. I don't know how Outlook works, I suppose people should connect via browser for that kind of stuff.

Do you have iNotes installed ? You'll get better browser functionality with iNotes.

Pascal.