Zimbra desktop with Exchange: Public folders?

[Archdevil]

Hi all!

I have installed Zimbra desktop so I can use it with our Exchange server.
Unfortunately I cannot find the Public Folders. I have seen old posts (3 years old) saying that Public folders will be available in a new release.
Can you tell me if I can use public folders when using Zimbra Desktop as an "exhange client"? I simply need them and, if they are not available, it would mean that Zimbra Desktop is not the solution for me/us.

Thanks!

Regards,


Marcel

[Archdevil]

Hi all.

I find it rather strange that I have not had a reaction from someone from Zimbra. It must be rather easy to answer the question.

Is someone figuring out how it works and can I expect a reaction soon?
Or am I being ignored because I am a critical customer?

Stil waiting for a reply here..........

[williamconley]

I have a few employees that like to use Zimbra at the office (we have several mail servers including exchange). No, they cannot yet use the exchange server's public folders. I'm not sure that means it's impossible, but these are technicians who build software (and in some cases they build email software) and we use public folders quite a bit. So if they could, they'd likely be doing it (I've heard a couple lament the lack of folders when having to change to Outlook or Exchange Web to get information).

However, unless you Paid for Zimbra ... I'm not sure you'll get a technical support response in a couple hours (or a couple days, for that matter) for a product they do not yet support.

I'll be watching, though, just in case I'm wrong and it is supported (it would make some people happy). Sorry. I hope my experience is helpful.

[ewilen]

I seem to recall seeing somewhere that improved Exchange compatibility is on the "to do" list for ZD. Closest I could find though was Bug 24467 – Desktop connector for Exchange and it doesn't address public folders per se.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe ZD uses IMAP to talk to Exchange. I suppose it's possible (but unlikely) that ZD might also take advantage of some elements of Outlook Web Access. The problem is, neither of these access methods are supported by Public Folders. See http://m***changeteam.com/archive/20...20/419994.aspx

E12's client access server has some limitations in public folder support: no IMAP, NNTP, nor OWA access to E12 public folders

EDIT: Looks like the forum software is trying to keep me from saying something naughty, so bear in mind that the above URL contains the following sequence of letters: ess eee eks.

[williamconley]

I wonder which of the giggling genius's at Microsoft thought of a way to use the acronym that way. LOL

Anyhow, that's the entire concept: As far as I know, others can "simulate" exchange mode operations but not actually duplicate it. The users in my office that use Zimbra (and love it, especially considering the price and how it did not affect the BUDGET and therefore THEIR SALARY) all claims it's truly in "Exchange Mode", but exchange mode doesn't actually use IMAP or POP3. Not my field, i've never had to focus on it.

However: Exchange Web DOES allow access to public folders if set up correctly. I'm not "guessing" here; I'm looking at MY (behind this window) Exchange Web with "tasks" ... then "Public Folders" and of course, under that come the actual folders themselves, fully populated.

There are concerns over public folders being sent outside the local subnet, but I am presently ON the local subnet. Those other concerns can be overriden in policy and allowed out to the entire net, but there is a security concern, of course.

This is a (yes, I'm behind on this server, but just a Few Years, right?) Microsoft Exchange 2000 box.

[ewilen]

Well, M$EX 2000 may not be subject to the same limitations as M$EX 2007. MS wanted to remove public folders altogether, I think, but had to back down in the face of protests.

All that said, there probably is a way to access public folders in Exchange 2007 via a non-MAPI channel. The reason: Entourage 2007 can see them, and Entourage doesn't use MAPI. Same goes double for the current Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta (Entourage EWS Beta).

Based on what's written here, Entourage 2007 uses WebDAV to access Public Folders; I expect that Entourage EWS now uses EWS for that. The former may not be well documented, but I think EWS may be publicly-documented well enough that the Zimbra programmers will be able to use it. I believe I've seen some "proof of concept" EWS clients available on the web.

[williamconley]

I hope so, we would basically be able to deploy zimbra across the entire system uniformly at that point (and a lot of these employees like it for their personal and business so it's helpful that it can handle both in the same interface without having to swap back and forth). And they don't have to worry about walking away from the office with licesnsed software on their laptops.