Outlook 2007 , Exchange 2003 & Autodiscover
Outlook 2007 feature matrix based on Exchange Server version
The Autodiscover service is automatically installed and configured when the Client Access Server role is added to any Exchange 2007 server. During the configuration, an Autodiscover virtual directory is created under the default Web site and a Service Connection Point (SCP) object is created in Active Directory. The virtual directory and SCP object are essential elements of your Exchange environment as they allow Outlook 2007 clients to quickly find and communicate with the Client Access Server.
Depending on your client location, Outlook uses one of the following methods for communicating with the Client Access Server.
- SCP object - If you are logged into the domain, Outlook 2007 searches Active Directory for the SCP information. The SCP contains the URL to the Autodiscover service, which is then used by Outlook to contact the Client Access Server.
- DNS - If you are not logged into the domain, or Outlook cannot locate an SCP object in Active Directory, Outlook tries to locate the Autodiscover service via DNS. Based on the suffix of your SMTP address, Outlook performs several connection attempts to the following hard-coded URLs:
http(s)://domain.com/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml
http(s)://autodiscover.domain.com/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml
Assuming Outlook is able to connect using either of the above methods, the Client Access Server configures Outlook clients by automatically pushing down settings for the following items.
- Mailbox server
- UM server URL
- OAB download location
- Availability service URL
- OOF URL
- Outlook Anywhere configuration details
- Authentication method
All of this information can easily be seen via the Test E-mail AutoConfiguration tool in Outlook 2007 (press CTRL and right-click the Outlook icon in the System tray).
To learn how the Outlook discovery mechanisms work and how to modify an XML file to configure Autodiscover, please click the following link to the Outlook Automatic Account Configuration whitepaper:
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=AM102105061033
NOTE: Autodiscover is not used by Outlook Web Access or versions of Outlook earlier than 2007. If you are connecting with an Exchange 2007 mailbox with an Outlook 2003 client (for example), the process is identical to connecting with an Exchange 2003 mailbox.
Automatic configuration with older Exchange servers
In an Exchange environment that does not include Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 or later, Outlook still attempts to locate Exchange mailboxes. Active Directory includes a mailbox server property that can be set for each user. If standard Autodiscover attempts fail, Outlook tries to configure simple Exchange connections to an earlier version of Exchange server by using the Exchange mailbox server property. For a simple server topology with one domain and all Outlook computers joined to the domain, Outlook queries Active Directory for the Exchange server defined for the user logged in to the computer.
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