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!!

Exporting from Excel

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. On the File menu, click Save As.
4. 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).
5. Make a note of the folder location, and then click SAVE.

Importing into Outlook (older versions)

1. 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.
2. Right-click the Contacts folder, and then click New Folder, type a name for the new folder, and then click OK.
3. On the File menu, click Import and Export, click Next, click Comma Separated Values (Windows), and then click Next.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Click the Contacts folder, or other contacts-type folder that you have created, to import into, and then click Next.
7. 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

1. If you are importing into an existing Contacts folder, skip to step 4.
2. Create a new folder in Outlook 2010
3. Right-click the Contacts folder, click New Folder, type a name for the new folder, and then click OK.
4. Click the File tab in the Ribbon, and then click Open on the menu.
5. Click on Import tab. The Import and Export Wizard opens.
6. 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.
7. 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 .
8. Click the Contacts folder or another contacts-type folder that you have created, and then click Next.
9. 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.

Read the press release from Microsoft News Center.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Skype CEO Tony Bates announce Microsoft's acquisition of Skype. San Francisco, May 10, 2011

Article from The Telegraph about this deal.

Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms. The acquisition will increase the accessibility of real-time video and voice communications, bringing benefits to both consumers and enterprise users and generating significant new business and revenue opportunities. The combination will extend Skype’s world-class brand and the reach of its networked platform, while enhancing Microsoft’s existing portfolio of real-time communications products and services.

In Exchange 2007, 5 server roles that performed distinct functions within the Exchange organization. One role in particular – the Client Access server role – introduced a variety of new Web services, including the Availability service, the Auto discover service and Calendar Concierge services.

In Exchange 2010, same 5 server roles exists. However, there are some significant architectural changes and some shift in responsibilities. The most significant change in Exchange 2010, two new services on CAS called the RPC Client Access and Address Book services establish the RPC (Repote Procedure Call) endpoint for MAPI(Messaging Application Programming Interface), NSPI(Name Service Provider Interface) and RFR (Request for Response) client access. This new functionality replaces the RPC endpoints in the Information Store. The RPC endpoint in the Information Store has not been removed in Exchange 2010, but it has been modified to only accept requests from CAS servers. The RPC endpoint for public folder database access remains on the Mailbox server, however, Outlook clients now communicate directly with the RPC Client Access service on the Mailbox Server for public folder database access, and not with the Information Store.

When CAS starts communicating with the Mailbox server, it makes sense to view it as the Client Access server communicating with the Mailbox database via the Mailbox server that hosts the database. This is especially evident in a load-balanced array of Client Access servers and/or where your environment is configured to use Database Availability Groups that are associated with a Client Access server or Client Access server array.

• In a non-load balanced environment, the mailbox database is associated with only a single Client Access server.
• In a load-balanced environment, the Mailbox database is associated with the load balanced array of multiple Client Access servers.

By default, before a Client Access array is configured,

• all databases are associated with a Client Access server in the environment
• the Outlook clients communicate directly with the Client Access server until the association with the database is updated to be the Client Access array.

In order for the clients to utilize a CAS array

1. Create a Client Access array with an FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name).
2. Load balance your CAS servers in a CAS array by whatever method you choose – Both Hardware LB or Windows Network LB are supported load balancers
3. Add the Client Access servers within the AD site to a load balanced array and in DNS associate the unique FQDN to the Virtual IP of the load-balanced array.
4. Configure your load balancing array to load balance the MAPI RPC ports – TCP 135, UDP/TCP 6005-65535; or set static ports
5. Configure the databases to utilize the CAS array… Use the new-clientaccessarray cmdlet to create the CAS array object. Eg: New-ClientAccessArray –Name “Tromso CAS Array” –Fqdn tromso.site.com” –Site “SITEA”

How to Setup!!!..

Goto one of the CAS server where the NLB is ( to read more about New-ClientAccessArray cmdlet, click here )

[1] Check is there are any pre-created CAS Arrays. PS Command : Get-ClientAccessArray

[2] Create new Client Access Array. Run the Cmdlet in EMS New-ClientAccessArray -Fqdn server.contoso.com -Site “Redmond” -Name “server.contoso.com”

[3] Associate databases with this CAS Array -

Use this CMDLet to add mailbox database to CAS array. Add all mailbox databases at once – Get-MailboxDatabase | Set-MailboxDatabase -RPCClientAccessServer “CASNLB.contoso.com”

Now the best part -

Configuring Outlook 2010 using Auto Discover

If you already configured Outlook client, Close the outlook, then goto Control Panel->Mail and change the Server name to the new CAS NLB name

If you are going to use a new outlook configuration, Auto discover will return the new CAS NLB name.

Thats all folks!!! Enjoy!!!

Microsoft Exchange Team Blog will explain you how to do it in Exchange 2010…beautiful blog post..click here

I really love the new look and features…Outlook webapps is playing an important role here…Now, its  faster Hotmail experience with great new features like one-click filters, Sweep, Active Views and more..also it does’nt now sign you automatically to messenger, when you log on to mail…cool one

New look and feel

 Junk mail options are getting better..need room to improve..i’m waiting for the active sync for hotmail…or direct push service…

Hotmail on iPhone..superb…i tried..really cool..read this post

Best of luck to Hotmail Team!!!!

For your feedbacks…click here to post

Windows Live Team Blog…click here

Why you want to link this?

Most of the users have more than one email id..one/two personnel email id, one business email id etc..and if you link all in one social connector account, its very easy to track others, whether it is business contacts, collegues or friends.. How to do it.

Go to your profile home page, and click on top right cornnet Account

Click Account settings…and click “change” on the Email tab

Enter the other email ID here and click “add new” (If you have more than one email id other than the primary one..keep on add here)

REMEMBER : When you add an email id here, there will be a confirmation email send from this account..please confirm it back so that the email id you added get registered

Once you finish adding and click on the confirmation email(s), you will see the account like above, where your primary email id is now been selected in the radio button.

Thats it for FACEBOOK

Logon to your linkedin profile and go to the top right corner and click “Settings”

Under Personnel information, Select Email Address

Add your other email id’s here…

REMEMBER : A Confirmation email will be send to each of the email id you add..

Once you done..your email profile will look like above…

That’s all

Resolution :

1. Logon to outlook with administrator(Domain) credemtial
2. Goto the Public folder
3. Select the folder where you are facing the issue
4. Right click
5. Select Properties
6. Goto Permission TAB
7. Add users
8. Check mark the appropriate rights on the “Write” permission area..normally “Edit all” will do the work
9. Click apply and click ok.

PROBLEM : When you receive attachment in your outlook, and when you try to open it, it says ” No permission to open the attachment”

Troubleshoot : This has nothing to do with the permission..this is because the temp folder is full…either you clear the temp folder or do the following..

Solution : Go to REGEDIT->HKEY_CURRENT_USER ->Software ->Microsoft ->Office then click

• 12 ->If you are using Microsoft Outlook 2007
• 14 ->if you are using Microsoft Outlook 2010

then click Outlook -> expand it, select Security and edit the path “OutlookSecureTempFolder“

Check the image below

 (Normally here you will see the default path..creat a temp folder under the available drive and then give the path here)

You can see status updates and recently posted items from your Facebook contacts.

You can also use Outlook Social Connector to display a quick view of related Outlook content when you click on an email from a contact, such as recent e-mail conversations, meetings, and shared attachments to help you easily track your communications

Once you finish installing the Social connector, Please re-start the Outlook and then goto your reading panel below down you can see the user icon  and underneath, there is a button called +ADD…click that (Check the above image) and then select each connector and type the credential…

You are ready to go!!! …read my previous blog for more Microsoft Outlook 2010 – Social connector
NOTE: The Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider requires Microsoft Outlook Social Connector and the related update (KB983403) to be installed. If these components are not already installed on your machine, the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Provider for Facebook will download and install the necessary updates from the Microsoft Download Center before completing the provider installation.

To download click here

PATCH Released from Apple : iPhone users who use the iPhone4 or upgraded to iOS4 must install a related Apple configuration patch on their iPhone. The patch, along with installation directions, can be found here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3398.

Select the “Use AutoDiscover” and click Test..

Above one is a success one..If failed, do the below. The Exchange Web Service (EWS) is the web service that allows access to the Out of Office service. If either the internal or external URL for the EWS is missing or incorrect, OOF will fail and other services may not work as expected. Using Exchange Management Shell, check the URLs assigned to the web service virtual directory using the Get-WebServicesVirtualDirectory command

First goto CAS server

Type the following Power Shell command for EWS (Exchange Web Service)

Copy code Get-WebServicesVirtualDirectory |fl identity,internalurl,externalurl

You will get the result like below

Identity    : ECAS1\EWS (Default Web Site)
InternalUrl : https://mailv.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx
ExternalUrl : https://mailv.domain.com/ews/exchange.asmx

Identity    : ECAS2\EWS (Default Web Site)
InternalUrl : https://mailv.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx
ExternalUrl : https://mailv.domain.com/ews/exchange.asmx

If this is not correct, you need to fix it.. This has to be done on Powershell command on the CAS server.

To do that…Copy code

[PS]C:\Windows\system32>Set-WebServicesVirtualDirectory -Identity “ECAS1\EWS (Default Web Site)” -InternalUrl https://mail.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx -BasicAuthentication:$true

[PS]C:\Windows\system32>Set-WebServicesVirtualDirectory -Identity “ECAS2\EWS (Default Web Site)” -InternalUrl https://mail.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx -BasicAuthentication:$true

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-WebServicesVirtualDirectory |fl identity,internalurl,externalurl

Identity    : ECAS1\EWS (Default Web Site)
InternalUrl : https://mail.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx
ExternalUrl : https://mail.domain.com/ews/exchange.asmx

Identity    : ECAS2\EWS (Default Web Site)
InternalUrl : https://mail.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx
ExternalUrl : https://mail.domain.com/ews/exchange.asmx

Now you can see that the URL has been fixed. This is for Web Services.

Now for Autodiscovery….

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory

To see the settings

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-ClientAccessServer |fl identity,autodiscoverserviceinternaluri

RESULT

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Get-ClientAccessServer |fl identity,autodiscoverserviceinternaluri
Identity                       : ECAS1
AutoDiscoverServiceInternalUri : https://mailv.domain.com/Autodiscover/Autodiscover.xml

Identity                       : ECAS2
AutoDiscoverServiceInternalUri : https://mailv.domain.com/Autodiscover/Autodiscover.xml

To FIX it..

[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Set-ClientAccessServer -Identity ECAS1 -AutoDiscoverServiceInternalUri https://mail.domain.com/Autodiscover/Autodiscover.xml
[PS] C:\Windows\system32>Set-ClientAccessServer -Identity ECAS2 -AutoDiscoverServiceInternalUri https://mail.domain.com/Autodiscover/Autodiscover.xml 

 Now for the Outlook Web Apps, Exchange Control Panel, Exchange ActiveSync, Offline Address book…you have to go to Exchange Management Console (EMC)

1. Goto one of the CAS server
2. Open EMC
3. Goto Server Configuration
4. Select Client Access
5. On the Middle top pannel, you can see the CAS server listed.
6. Select one, on the bottom pannel, you will see like below.

Select each tab and then right click on the object and change the path as required. Once you done with the first CAS servr, do the same for the second as well.

Thats it…you are good to go for production.

• A new search preview helps with early case assessment by providing you an estimate on the number of items in the result set-with keyword statistics-before e-mail located in the search are copied to the designated discovery mailbox.
• And, a new search result de-duplication option, when checked, only copies one instance of a message to the discovery mailbox.

Look at the below  menu for the DAG…what a cool feature it will be

With the release of Exchange Server 2010 last November, Microsoft introduced integrated archiving capabilities aimed at helping you preserve and discover e-mail data. In SP1, this has enhanced its archiving functionality based on the great feedback you’they got since the launch. This includes adding the flexibility to provision a user’s Personal Archive to a different mailbox database from their primary mailbox. This means your organization can now more easily implement separate storage strategies (or tiered storage) for less frequently accessed e-mail. And, we didn’t just stop there! We’ve also added new server side capabilities so you can import historical e-mail data from .PST files, directly into Exchange, as well as IT pro controls to enable delegate access to a user’s Personal Archive.

To help streamline the implementation of retention policies, SP1 updates the Exchange Management Console with new tools to create Retention Policy Tags, so you can automate the deletion and archiving of e-mail and other Exchange items. New optional Retention Policy Tags give you even more flexibility in defining your organizations retention management strategy….coooool

Can’t wait to get hold of this…Announcement blog from Microsoft Exhange Team …click here Yes Virginia, there is an Exchange Server 2010 SP1

Learn more about our approach to archiving by reading the Archiving with Exchange 2010 whitepaper.

Scott Schnoll’s weblog…click here

Logon to Outlook Web apps in your organization, and select options on the right side of the screen on top

You get this screen, from there Select “Select what to manage:” and from the drop down menu, select My Organization..and then go to Reporting on the Left pane

Here you can view the queues, delevery status of each users, Public folder status, Mail enabled public folder status etc…!

BUT IF YOU LOGIN AS A NORMAL USER, ALL YOU CAN SEE IS AS BELOW..LIKE

Your organization contact details, Tools for organize mails, Groups belogs to, Settings,  Syncronized phone device to this account, etc…

and a cool feature of Outlook web apps is thaton the right side of the window, where help button is, click on the down arrow of the help icon and you will see “About”..click there and you will see the connectivity of your account with exchange server (good for administrators) like below one

Enjoy!!! i am enjoying it

From this option, you can see your device sync status and also when you lost the phone, you can wipe the data from here to protect your data of the lost phone.

Cool features..when you do Exchange server 2010 with Office 2010 and Office web apps.

The new service is currently available in English for Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Canadians can access a French version too; a Spanish version is also available for the United States. Office Web Apps are simplified versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote that run in supported Web browsers. These applications use the “Ribbon” user interface menu system that was first introduced in Office 2007. Users need to sign up for a Windows Live password to access the service, but it’s all free. The service can be accessed anywhere using a supported browser and an Internet connection at http://www.office.live.com. Smartphone users can view Word and PowerPoint files without additional software on most devices, according to Microsoft’s announcement. Printing files in Word and PowerPoint Web Apps can be done right from the browser. Office Web Apps are tied to SkyDrive, Microsoft’s storage space in the Internet cloud. SkyDrive provides Office Web App users with 25 GB of storage space, which can be used to save files and share them with others. A coauthoring feature is available, but just for Excel and OneNote. Microsoft claims that users can collaborate on a document at the same time and not be locked out, even as various people try to access it. In addition, Office Web Apps preserves a version history, which is saved on SkyDrive.

             TO                                          

 MIGRATION…Started on June 8, 2010 ….Today 20th of June..all the objects has been replicated to Exchange 2010..Now the decommissioning starts..Finish too

Some of the useful link to know about this product

http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/13/the-complete-guide-to-microsofts-office-2010/

http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/download-office-professional-plus/default.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/office2010/

This feature is available on Mobile Me for iPhone, but you have to subscribe this account…if you have exchange server in your organization/company….below article is for you guys…!!!

Mobile phones can store sensitive corporate data and provide access to many corporate resources. If a device is lost or stolen, that data can be compromised. Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 / 2007 provides a remote device wipe feature. You can issue a remote device wipe command from the Exchange Management Shell. Users can issue their own remote device wipe commands from the Microsoft Office Outlook Web App user interface. (For users to do their remote wipe from Outlook Web Access->log into their Outlook Web access->on the right top, there will be a menu called “Options”->click Options–>on the left pane…you will find “Mobile Devices”–>click and select “Wipe all Data from Device…”)

The remote device wipe feature also includes a confirmation function that writes a time stamp in the sync state data of the user’s mailbox. This time stamp is displayed in Outlook Web App and in the user’s mobile phone properties dialog box in the Exchange Management Console.

So to test this feature, i’ve done the remote wipe from my Exchange server  to my iPhone 3Gs…(This server should be mailbox store where the mailbox properties of each user displayed) as displayed below.

Select the user whom you want to do the remote wipe, Click on Manage mobile device…

From the “Managed mobile device for….” area, select the iPhone, which is listed for this particular user, and at the bottom area where “Action” pane….select “Perform a remote wipe…” and then click “Clear” button.

IF YOU ARE DOING THIS AS A TEST, MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR IPHONE FROM ITUNES FOR LATER RESTORE MODE…VERY IMPORTANT.

Once this action is done, the next sync from the mobile to the server, Wipe command executes on the iPhone device..and screen goes blank….cool..No tention about the contacts or data.

Now the hardest part is …this sounds great on, when you lost your iPhone and your IT team secure your data safe…!!!! but if you are doing a test on your own iPhone…errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

After the remote wipe…iPhone just hung and display only Apple logo….for a very long time…(i never had a patient to wait…so i hard boot it…still the same logo smiling at me…and my colegues are telling me…”I told you…i told you…)

Next step is to take the iphone to the next level….First Switch off the phone.. take it to DFU mode!!!! What is this? DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode is not the same as restore mode. DFU mode bypasses the current OS installed and allows you to upgrade or downgrade your OS.

ENJOY…!!!!

Stay up-to-the-minute with the people in your networks by accessing everything from e-mail threads to status updates in one single, centralized view.

Top 10 benefits of Outlook 2010 – using Microsoft Office professional plus…this version has the social connector…all you need is to  install it

Top 10 benefits of Outlook 2010 using Business Contact Manager - using Microsoft Office professional plus

Outlook 2010 Social Connector

Connecting Outlook to each social network requires a provider. To get started, download and install social network provider for Outlook.

Linkedin Outlook 2010 connector, download here once you finish installing it, re-start Outlook 2010

Enjoy…!!!!