According to MOT they dont support OWA

[Backnblack]

DROID - Exchange Email Troubleshooting

Speak to a tech today and he gave me this link and said look at the last line of the link which is below in quotes that i have attached

"Note: You cannot connect to an OWA server using the steps above. OWA is a different protocol than Exchange and is designed for use in a browser, not a mobile device."


Is this true. Does anyone out there get their mail from OWA and is able to download attachments? Thats what I want to do and cannot

I can with Touchdown...Works very well.

 

[Ketchup]

I can with Touchdown...Works very well.

Currently this is the best solution for "corporate mail" on the Droid. It supports all of the features except for "Notes" and can be used if you have a mobile policy configured on the Exchange server.

$10 for this app is money well spent. We beat on the built-in mail app and it was quite lacking. Until the Droid gets native "full" Exchange support ... get Touchdown.

 

[SpencerC]

Each mobile device has a unique ID. With the BES server it knows this ID from when you set up the BB to communicate to the BES server. So when BES checks with exchange and see's a new email, it knows which mobile device to push the data to.

There is no way to tell active sync which mobile device to push the data to. So the mobile device needs to check in with active sync to pull the data.

Here is a link to read for edification:

Microsoft's push e-mail isn't really push? - MobileRead Forums

The reason your mobile often will receive email before outlook is the mobile is constantly checking for new email. Outlook, especially in corporate environments, is set to run in cached mode. In cached mode, outlook is not in live communication with the exchange server, and actually syncs at intervals.

 

[sterdroids]

I can with Touchdown...Works very well.

Currently this is the best solution for "corporate mail" on the Droid. It supports all of the features except for "Notes" and can be used if you have a mobile policy configured on the Exchange server.

$10 for this app is money well spent. We beat on the built-in mail app and it was quite lacking. Until the Droid gets native "full" Exchange support ... get Touchdown.

Yes got it and it works great

Now the only thing is if I could edit quoted text I would be all set

And still want full OWA access

 

[ronjr123]

I too am using touchdown and as test, saved a file from it to the SD card. I then sent it to my gmail account, where I opened and saved it again. Works well for my needs. I do not use notes anyway, but do use my calendar, which it updates as well. BTW my Office is using exchange 2003.

 

[sterdroids]

yes it is great and just chatted with them and they are working on updates to it as I type.

 

[Droids]

Each mobile device has a unique ID. With the BES server it knows this ID from when you set up the BB to communicate to the BES server. So when BES checks with exchange and see's a new email, it knows which mobile device to push the data to.

There is no way to tell active sync which mobile device to push the data to. So the mobile device needs to check in with active sync to pull the data.

Here is a link to read for edification:

Microsoft's push e-mail isn't really push? - MobileRead Forums

The reason your mobile often will receive email before outlook is the mobile is constantly checking for new email. Outlook, especially in corporate environments, is set to run in cached mode. In cached mode, outlook is not in live communication with the exchange server, and actually syncs at intervals.

The BES has to poll the Exchange server for new mail, calendar events and when it finds some it pushes it to the BB client. It's just one of many forms of push email. ActiveSync is another push technology, as is GoogleSync. An ActiveSync client only polls the Exchange server now and then to update itself with the server and remind it to push any new email as soon as it arrives at the server. The mobile device is never pulling email from an ActiveSync enabled Exchange server. WinMo devices did, at least they used to.

We could debate the fine details until hell freezes over, but the Droid is making use of push email for both Gmail and Exchange mail. Even Apple, when it licensed ActiveSync for the iPhone, made a big deal over how it's now utilizing push email.

Some additional (and more current) reading:
Push e-mail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ActiveSync - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Live from Apple's iPhone SDK press conference -- Engadget

 

[SpencerC]

Each mobile device has a unique ID. With the BES server it knows this ID from when you set up the BB to communicate to the BES server. So when BES checks with exchange and see's a new email, it knows which mobile device to push the data to.

There is no way to tell active sync which mobile device to push the data to. So the mobile device needs to check in with active sync to pull the data.

Here is a link to read for edification:

Microsoft's push e-mail isn't really push? - MobileRead Forums

The reason your mobile often will receive email before outlook is the mobile is constantly checking for new email. Outlook, especially in corporate environments, is set to run in cached mode. In cached mode, outlook is not in live communication with the exchange server, and actually syncs at intervals.

The BES has to poll the Exchange server for new mail, calendar events and when it finds some it pushes it to the BB client. It's just one of many forms of push email. ActiveSync is another push technology, as is GoogleSync. An ActiveSync client only polls the Exchange server now and then to update itself with the server and remind it to push any new email as soon as it arrives at the server. The mobile device is never pulling email from an ActiveSync enabled Exchange server. WinMo devices did, at least they used to.

We could debate the fine details until hell freezes over, but the Droid is making use of push email for both Gmail and Exchange mail. Even Apple, when it licensed ActiveSync for the iPhone, made a big deal over how it's now utilizing push email.

Some additional (and more current) reading:
Push e-mail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ActiveSync - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Live from Apple's iPhone SDK press conference -- Engadget

OK I dont want to debate too much either as it just might be a matter of symantecs.

To me, if a mobile device initiates an HTTP request on a regular interval to the active sync enabled exchange server to see if there is any new mail and then active sync delivers it to the mobile device, the mobile device is pulling it since it initiated the request. And this interval can be changed to always initiate HTTP requests to active sync, or do it once every 5 minutes, or every 10 minutes, etc.

To me, if a BES server is doing all the requests to the exchange server and sees a new email and then delivers it to the mobile device without the mobile device initiating anything, then the BES is pushing new data to the mobile device. There is no need to set an inteveral on the mobile here because there is no interval to set. The BES auto pushes data when new data is present, the device doesnt need to make a request to BES to see if new data is present.

Like I said, it may just be a manner of symantecs or perspective. But to me active sync is pull technology at its core and BES is push at its core.

OK, dont want this to drag out. That is just my, and many people I know, perspective.


EDIT******

Its like the difference between having a PO Box or an home address. With a PO Box you have to go down to the post office and check if you have mail. If you dont. You go back again, do I have mail? Nope, ok come back again, oh look i have mail. Thanks for giving it to me.

If you have a home address, the post office delivers it to you without you going to look for it.

Either way you get your mail, but with a PO box you do all the work, while with a home address the post office does all the work.

 

[Droids]

Its like the difference between having a PO Box or an home address. With a PO Box you have to go down to the post office and check if you have mail. If you dont. You go back again, do I have mail? Nope, ok come back again, oh look i have mail. Thanks for giving it to me.

If you have a home address, the post office delivers it to you without you going to look for it.

Either way you get your mail, but with a PO box you do all the work, while with a home address the post office does all the work.

That's your analogy of BES vs. ActiveSync?

Bye.

 

[SpencerC]

Ok dood, here is Microsoft definition of the Push technology for Active Sync.

Q.What is Direct Push?A.Direct Push is a notification feature in Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 that improves the user experience for users who have a Pocket PC or smartphone. This feature is available on Pocket PCs and smartphones that are running Windows Mobile 5.0 and the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP). By default, Direct Push is installed on Exchange Server 2003 SP2.

Mobile devices that support Direct Push issue an HTTPS request to the Exchange server that asks Exchange Server to report any new or changed e-mail messages, calendar, contact, and task items. If changes occur within the lifespan of the HTTPS request, the Exchange server issues a response to the device that includes which folders have new or changed items. The device then issues a synchronization request to the server. After synchronization is complete, a new HTTPS request is generated to re-start the process. This ensures that the mobile device is always synchronized with the Exchange server.

You can read it here: Exchange ActiveSync: Frequently Asked Questions

So yes, the mobile device is constantly issuing requests to check to see if there is new mail.

With a BB, the mobile device does not check in with the BES server to see if there is new mail. The BES server pushes it to the mobile device after the BES server notices new mail.

So my anaolgy is pretty right on. Sorry if you don't see it that way.

Bye.

 

[M Moogle]

Ok dood, here is Microsoft definition of the Push technology for Active Sync.

Q.What is Direct Push?A.Direct Push is a notification feature in Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 that improves the user experience for users who have a Pocket PC or smartphone. This feature is available on Pocket PCs and smartphones that are running Windows Mobile 5.0 and the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP). By default, Direct Push is installed on Exchange Server 2003 SP2.

Mobile devices that support Direct Push issue an HTTPS request to the Exchange server that asks Exchange Server to report any new or changed e-mail messages, calendar, contact, and task items. If changes occur within the lifespan of the HTTPS request, the Exchange server issues a response to the device that includes which folders have new or changed items. The device then issues a synchronization request to the server. After synchronization is complete, a new HTTPS request is generated to re-start the process. This ensures that the mobile device is always synchronized with the Exchange server.

You can read it here: Exchange ActiveSync: Frequently Asked Questions

So yes, the mobile device is constantly issuing requests to check to see if there is new mail.

With a BB, the mobile device does not check in with the BES server to see if there is new mail. The BES server pushes it to the mobile device after the BES server notices new mail.

So my anaolgy is pretty right on. Sorry if you don't see it that way.

Bye.

You're not interpreting that correctly. Droids is correct. ActiveSync works by establishing an initial HTTP(S) connection with the server, and then leaving that connection in an open state. While the connection is open, no data is sent in either direction. When something happens that needs to be synced to the client (new email, contacts, etc), the server then "pushes" the data on that already open connection to the phone. The phone doesn't constantly ask if there is new mail - the server just sends data to the phone over that open connection and it receives it. If that connection is closed or times out, the phone immediately re-establishes another connection (that's what the 'lifespan of the HTTPS request) means). The phone does re-establish a new connection with the server periodically, to do some misc work and to make sure the server knows about the phone and to keep that HTTP(S) connection available.

 

[SpencerC]

M Moogle,

I am willing to admit I am wrong if I am mis-interpreting the information. You are saying is that after the intial http(s) connection is established, it remains open. If this is the case, then I am wrong. But my problem is that I cannot find documentation that states the http(s) connection remains open.

What I quoted above from Microsoft states this:

Step 1: Mobile devices that support Direct Push issue an HTTPS request to the Exchange server that asks Exchange Server to report any new or changed e-mail messages, calendar, contact, and task items.

Step 2: If changes occur within the lifespan of the HTTPS request, the Exchange server issues a response to the device that includes which folders have new or changed items.

Step 3: The device then issues a synchronization request to the server. (this is when the mobile device receives the new data)

Step 4: After synchronization is complete, a new HTTPS request is generated to re-start the process. (here is when the mobile device issues a new HTTPS request checking again if there is new mail waiting since the last request)

No where in here can I find that after the inital request is open that it stays open. I see a request gets opened, data gets syncronized, then a new request is made to start the process all over again. If the intial http(s) connection stayed open, then why does the device need to initiate a new request? The only conclusion I can come to is that after syncronization, the http(s) session is closed, and the device needs to "check in" to see if more mail is waiting.

Please show me a microsoft aritcle saying the session stays open so I can admit my interpretation is inaccurate.

Thanks.

 

[M Moogle]

M Moogle,

I am willing to admit I am wrong if I am mis-interpreting the information. You are saying is that after the intial http(s) connection is established, it remains open. If this is the case, then I am wrong. But my problem is that I cannot find documentation that states the http(s) connection remains open.

What I quoted above from Microsoft states this:

Step 1: Mobile devices that support Direct Push issue an HTTPS request to the Exchange server that asks Exchange Server to report any new or changed e-mail messages, calendar, contact, and task items.

Step 2: If changes occur within the lifespan of the HTTPS request, the Exchange server issues a response to the device that includes which folders have new or changed items.

Step 3: The device then issues a synchronization request to the server. (this is when the mobile device receives the new data)

Step 4: After synchronization is complete, a new HTTPS request is generated to re-start the process. (here is when the mobile device issues a new HTTPS request checking again if there is new mail waiting since the last request)

No where in here can I find that after the inital request is open that it stays open. I see a request gets opened, data gets syncronized, then a new request is made to start the process all over again. If the intial http(s) connection stayed open, then why does the device need to initiate a new request? The only conclusion I can come to is that after syncronization, the http(s) session is closed, and the device needs to "check in" to see if more mail is waiting.

Please show me a microsoft aritcle saying the session stays open so I can admit my interpretation is inaccurate.

Thanks.

Enterprise firewall configuration for Exchange ActiveSync Direct Push Technology
Understanding Direct Push: Exchange 2007 Help
You Had Me At EHLO... : Direct Push is just a heartbeat away
How the Direct Push Technology Works
...etc, etc

 

[SpencerC]

Excellent, thanks I have some homework to read tonight.