Connecting to MS Exchange without ActiveSync

You can access an Exchange account as an IMAP account with the iPhone's mail client, but IMAP account access must be enabled at the Exchange server for your account.

This won't provide for over the air syncing for contact info and calendar events, but all server stored mailbox for your Exchange account will be available with the iPhone's mail client.

Can I ask why this wont provide over the air syncing for contact and calendar events? Will this ever be released????

Because an industry standard IMAP or POP account does not provide for over the air syncing with an Exchange server for contacts and calendar events with an Exchange account.

In order to have over the air syncing for contacts and calendar events with an Exchange account, you need a Blackberry along with the company paying RIMM an annual fee for Blackerry Enterprise Service (BES) at the Exchange server in order for a Blackberry to have over the air syncing for contacts and calendar events, a Windows Mobile device (which includes accessing an Exchange account via ActiveSync), or with an iPhone accessing the account via ActiveSync. With the last two, ActiveSync must be enabled at the Exchange server. ActiveSync is a Microsoft product and included with Exchange server software. Apple is paying Microsoft an annual licensing fee for ActiveSync access with the iPhone, which provides over the air syncing for contacts and calendar events with an Exchange server. All a company needs to do is enable ActiveSync at the Exchange server for Exchange accounts at no additional cost to the company as is required for the same with a Blackberry.

IMAP account access with an Exchange server alone does not provide for this, but ActiveSync does, which is already available for an Exchange account with the iPhone along with ActiveSync access being enabled at the Exchange server - so this has already been released.

Surely I already have Activesync enabled on my Exchange 2003 box as this sends me emails etc.

I think I might be getting confused on the IMAP and ActiveSync as clearly these are two different things. Would this be why my contacts are not updating from the iphone back to Exchange?

Cheers
Paul

Depending on what is enabled at the Exchange server for an Exchange account, the account can be accessed as an Exchange account (which is similar to IMAP account access), as an IMAP account, or as a POP account. This is determined and controlled by the settings at the Exchange server for the account.

When using the Exchange account preset on the iPhone when creating an Exchange account with the iPhone's mail client, this utilizes ActiveSync for the account access. Apple licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft for Exchange account access with the iPhone's mail client, which provides Push access for the account's Inbox mailbox, and also provides over the air syncing with the Exchange server for contacts and calendar events. ActiveSync must be enabled at the Exchange server for the account.

If you used the Exchange account preset when creating your Exchange account with the iPhone's mail client, this means ActiveSync is enabled for your account at the Exchange server. If so, there is an account setting on the iPhone to enable or disable over the air syncing for Contacts and Calendars.

Hi there,

Well I must have ActiveSync enabled as I have checked the Exchange system manager and this appears to have the mobile features enabled. Yet on the iphone I have to admit that the calendar entry is not as intuitive as I thought. For example, on Mobile-Me accounts - you can set calendar entries for personal, work etc and have colours on the calendar. Yet for exchange its just configured as one standard colour. Is this correct?

Cheers
Paul

When syncing calendar events over the air with an Exchange account, the calendar or calendars available at the Exchange server is what will be available with the iPhone's Calendar - which is being synchronized over the air with the Exchange server. Any complaints about not having different calendars to choose from with your Exchange account should be addressed to your employer or employer's IT Dept.

well I guess that would be me as I administer the exchange server anyhow 🙂 What I mean is that when I was in an Apple Store over the weekend - a trainer showed me his Mobile Me account and on calendar this was shown in different colours with scheduled appointments etc. On my iphone however I only see the one colour appointments and looks very bland.

Indeed, Exchange doesn't look like this interfaces at all with iCal on the Mac and I have to use Entourage to syncronise the content into iCal.

...Very confusing this is....just wanted things to be simple thats all.