Microsoft Exchange allows you to integrate management of your networking and messaging infrastructure by providing real-time access to email and Internet information. Its comprehensive messaging and collaborative computing capabilities allow everyone in your enterprise to keep in contact.
The Exchange messaging system supports mobile- and remote-technology innovations, including the following:
Remote access. Geographically dispersed corporate sites are commonplace nowadays. Although Exchange fully supports remote user access, accessing Exchange from another network quite often affects the response time of ordinary Exchange operations—particularly if remote offices are connected by low-bandwidth network connections.
Mobile access. Some users, such as Sales professionals who travel a fair amount, may want to access their email via their mobile devices. Again, such access is supported by the latest versions of Exchange, but it may result in very slow response times.
With Exchange Server 2003, Outlook user accounts can be configured to make secure connections to their Exchange Server over the Internet without the need for a VPN connection. These user accounts can make Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) over HTTP so that users can access their email securely from outside a firewall. This feature is specifically designed for the mobile employee, who may not always be able to establish a connection over a VPN.
NOTE:RPC over HTTP is not applicable for Outlook 2016 or later.
For either of these Exchange deployment situations, AppManager ResponseTime for Exchange and Exchange Online can help. The Knowledge Scripts in the Exchange-RT category can, for example, test the response time needed to read an email message via an RPC over HTTP connection, and even add the SSL security protocol to the test.
To test response time for any environment, you’ll need to carefully consider where to install the ResponseTime for Exchange managed objects—the client computers you’ll use to test Exchange server response time. Refer to Section 2.3, Where to Install ResponseTime for Exchange and Exchange Online for some advice.
In addition to the support discussed above, Exchange includes many features and services that AppManager can help you monitor. In the case of AppManager ResponseTime for Exchange and Exchange Online, you can monitor users’ experience of response times when accessing the following:
The Address Book, which stores enterprise-wide and external contact information.
Folders, such as “Inbox,” which store appropriate information in logical groups for easy retrieval and can restrict or grant access via “public” and “private” designations.
Email, which allows online mail communication. Email tracking allows notification to a sender when sent email is delivered and read by the recipient.
The Address Book stores contact information, such as a person’s name, phone, office location, job title, and more. It allows contacts to be grouped into meaningful groups; for example, it can group all the contacts associated with the Human Resources Department under the name “Human Resources.” Contact lists can be divided into useful groups for both corporate and personal use.
Exchange email allows users to communicate with one another within an enterprise structure, or world‑wide. A user can configure Exchange to receive email from different accounts, for example, from the office and from a personal email account. It is also possible to track sent email for notification when that mail is delivered and when the recipient opens that particular email message.
Exchange folders group files, email, and other information so that it is available for others’ viewing. Folder access can be restricted to certain users or user groups. “Public” folders are designed to help users share information among those with permission to access a particular Exchange server. Usually, they allow everyone on the server to read and write to materials in the folder, but not to delete the folder itself. “Private” folders are user-specific and can’t be accessed by other users.