A User's Guide to Ximian Evolution 1.4
<<< Previous The Ximian Connector for Microsoft Exchange Next >>>

Adding your Exchange Account in Ximian Evolution

Once you have installed the Connector, you need to set up access for your Exchange account on both the Exchange server and within Evolution.

Exchange Server Settings

Check with your system administrator to ensure that:



The Ximian website knowledge base, at support.ximian.com, has additional information about checking to make sure that your Exchange server will accept connections from Ximian Evolution.

Standard Configuration Tool for Ximian Connector

Once you know that your server is ready for you to connect, you are ready to add your Exchange account to Ximian Connector.

Simple Configuration Tool for Ximian Connector

Ximian Connector 1.4 comes with a simple account creation tool for some installations. Other installations will require the standard account tool described in the Section called Standard Configuration Tool for Ximian Connector below.

The simple assistant works in the following cases:

  • If you receive your license key in Ximian Evolution, the simple assistant will start when you click the license file attachment and choose Open in Ximian Connector.

  • If you have no accounts configured, and your system administrator has preinstalled a license key file, the simple assistant will start when you start Ximian Evolution. It asks only for the name of your Outlook Web Access server, and your username and password. Ximian Connector will determine the remaining information on its own.



If the simple account tool does not run automatically, create an account as described below.

Creating a New Exchange Account

If you would like to create a new account for your Exchange server, select Tools->Mail Settings from any mail view. Then click the Add button in the accounts list. The account creation assistant will guide you through the process, which is also described in the Section called The First Time you Start Ximian Evolution in the chapter called Getting Started with Ximian Evolution. If you're not sure about any of the information you need, just ask your system administrator.

Note Installing the License File
 

Your purchase email will contain instructions for installing the license file: it may be opened with Ximian Evolution and installed automatically that way, or placed in the evolution directory in your home directory.

Be aware that the evolution directory in your home directory won't exist if you haven't already run Ximian Evolution. If you have not done so already, start Ximian Evolution and configure an account as described below. Then, quit the application and place the connector-key.txt file in your evolution directory. When you start Evolution again, the license will be verified and Ximian Connector will work properly.
Identity

Enter your name and email address. If you wish, you may add your organization and the location of your signature file. Only your name and email address are required.

Receiving Mail

In this step, you'll enter information about the way you check mail:

  1. First, select Microsoft Exchange as your server type.

  2. Enter the name of your Exchange email server, and the user name you would use to log in to a Windows workstation in your organization.

  3. If you wish, select the box labeled Use secure connection (SSL), to take advantage of a more secure connection method. This may allow you to connect to the server from outside your firewall.

  4. Select the kind of authentication your network uses. You can click the Check for Supported Types button to see which kinds will work.

  5. If you would like Evolution to remember your password, check the box labeled Remember this password.



Receiving Mail, Step Two

There are a few additional options in this step:

  1. Checking for New Mail: If you would like to check for new mail automatically, click the checkbox and enter an interval in minutes.

  2. Global Address List/Active Directory: Enter the name of your global catalog server (directory server). This will allow you to use the Global Address List (GAL). Normally, Evolution will fetch a maximum of 500 responses to any query, but you may increase or decrease this number if you wish. A lower number decreases load on the server, and many servers will refuse to return more than 1000 results, no matter how many you ask for.

    Note The Global Catalog Server
     

    The Global Catalog server provides you with access access to the Global Address List, free/busy information, and folder delegation features. These may not work properly if you do not have a Global Catalog server.


  3. Exchange Server: There are two options here:

    • Exchange mailbox name: Enter your exchange mailbox name. The suggested value is probably correct.

    • Outlook Web Access (OWA) Path: In most cases, the URL for Outlook Web Access is "http://server.company.com/exchange." If your system has a URL that does not end in "/exchange," enter the custom path here.

    • Public Folder Server: Enter the name of your public folder server here.



  4. Apply filters to new messages in Inbox on this server: Check this box to filter messages in this account.



Sending Mail

Select Microsoft Exchange as your email sending method. There is nothing else to do in this step.

Account Management

Enter a name that you will use to remember this account. "Exchange Account" is a good suggestion. Note that you cannot have two accounts with the same name. If you'd like to make this your default account for sending email, check the Make this my default account box.

You're done. Click Finish and OK, then quit Evolution and start it again. Now you're ready to get to work on the Exchange server.

Changing an Existing Account to Work with Exchange

If you have an existing email account, and want to convert it to use for Exchange, select the account you want to convert and click the Edit button. You'll want to change settings in the following tabs of the account dialog:

][

Figure 1. Exchange Account Settings: Identity

Identity

If your email address will change because you are moving to a new server, then change it in this tab. Otherwise, move to the next tab.

Receiving Mail

Select Microsoft Exchange as your server type. Enter your name of your server next to Host, and the user name for your account next to Username. If your server supports SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, it you can check the Use SSL box to take advantage of more secure data transfers.

][

Figure 2. Exchange Account Settings: Receiving Mail



Receiving Options

Here, you'll find some additional settings:

Checking for New Mail

Select whether you would like to check for mail automatically, and if so, how often.

Global Address List/Active Directory

The Global Address List (GAL) is an addressbook for everyone represented in your organization's Exchange deployment. To use the GAL, click the tab labeled Receiving Options and enter the name of your Global Catalog Server. The GAL is maintained by your system administrator and you cannot add, change, or remove items from it using Ximian Evolution. However, you can use it to invite people to meetings and to look up addresses and other information.

Exchange Server

If your Exchange server requires you to use a different mailbox name from the name you use to log in, select the second check-box and enter the mailbox name. Check with your system administrator to be sure.

In most cases, the URL for web access is "http://server.company.com/exchange." If your system has a path that is not "exchange," check the box and enter the custom path here.

If your network uses a different server for Public Folders than for personal folders, enter its name here.

][

Figure 3. Exchange Account Settings: Receiving Mail



Sending Mail

If you will use your Exchange server to send as well as receive mail, select Microsoft Exchange as your server type, and enter the server name as the Host.

Once you have made those changes, click the OK button.

Then, quit Evolution and start it up again. Changes to the Ximian Connector accounts configuration are not active until you have restarted the application.

<<< Previous Home Next >>>
Installing the Connector Up Accessing the Exchange Server