Throughout everyone’s business day we are constantly handling a flow of incoming requests. Whether those requests are coming from family for things to do at home or requests for business actions and to-do’s to take care of they all require us to manage a busy schedule and to ensure that our daily tasks are completed.

End users and administrators learn to manage the personal data that is created while running Outlook. Such data includes: Email, Calendar, Tools, Contacts and Tasks.

But for administrators, knowing how Outlook is managing that data can help when data cannot be accessed for some unknown reason or when their end users want to disable certain management features of Outlook. For instance, suppose an end user would like the meeting requests to not be shown as tentative when they are displayed in the Calendar.

Continue reading Outlook Sniffer Problems

Backups are one of those things in IT that most people know are very important, but not everyone treats them that way.

More times than I care to remember I have entered a disaster recovery situation for an email system in which the recovery options are limited because either:

• The backups hadn’t been running and no one realised
• The backups hadn’t been running and people knew but didn’t do anything about it
• The backups had been running but had never been tested

I can tell you that the worst possible time to put your backups to the test is during a real disaster situation.

Take a look at your current email backups and ask yourself these questions.

Are the Backups Running?

Even if you know that the backups have been set up and scheduled you still need to know whether they are actually running.  It is not a nice feeling when you open up the backup history of a server and see that every backup job has actually failed.

Good backup software includes alerting options for the outcome of a job.  Set these options to send email reports to the people responsible for checking the backups.  It is also advisable to have a weekly or monthly summary report sent to other people such as managers so that they can verify that the backups are being done.

Are the Backups Successful?

Not only do you need to know whether the jobs are running, you also need to know what the outcome of the backup job was.  Obviously the goal is a successful backup job, but in the real world backups will fail from time to time.

Have a response and escalation process in place for any failed backup jobs so that they are investigated immediately that day.  If the problem can’t be resolved, or a consecutive day’s backup also fails, escalate the problem to a senior administrator or seek vendor support.  Some environments can tolerate a single failed backup but the risks grow exponentially with every subsequent failure.

Are the Backups Protecting the Data You Think They Are?

It might not occur to everyone to check not only the successful outcome of the backup job, but also verify that the job is backing up everything you intend it to.  No backup software will report that it failed to backup something it isn’t configured to backup in the first place. Continue reading Are You Sure Your Backups Are Working?

Email administrators work on a variety of problems and issues surrounding email configuration changes and settings. But in conjunction with email client configurations and settings are also the settings on the email server, Exchange Server, which must also be tweaked from time to time.

Sometimes the size of the folders on the server and on the client can be different which can lead to confusion and unnecessary diagnostics. Users have reported mailbox sizes and folder sizes that are seemingly larger on the server than they are shown to be on Outlook.

For instance, the local data tab may show a size of six or seven megabytes for one of their Outlook folders but on their server data will show a much larger size such as one-hundred or more megabytes. Unfortunately adding the sizes of individual items will show that the client and the server data still do not match up as expected.

Making changes on the client such as deletions and even emptying out the mailbox will not reconcile the difference. But there is an explanation.

The fact that a client shows a folder size in the local data tab is an indication that the client is running in Cached Mode and that means there is a local copy of the mailbox being updated. It can happen that the local copy is significantly smaller than the actual size of the date on the server. If data has not been recently accessed then this can also affect the size reported for the local data since the client is in cached mode. Also the cached mode settings will affect the size reported. Having “download headers” enabled will also affect the size reported since not all of the data will need to be downloaded.

Continue reading Mailbox Server Sizes and their Adverse Effects

Some Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010 roles require Internet Information Services (IIS) to function.   On these servers Exchange will install a series of IIS virtual directories.  In this post I will describe the Exchange Server virtual directories and their purpose.

/owa – This is the directory for OWA (Outlook Web Access on Exchange 2007, and now called Outlook Web App on Exchange 2010), which is the web browser version of Outlook that is usually accessed by remote workers.  The /owa directory is for access to Exchange 2007 or 2010 mailboxes.

/Public – This is the directory used by OWA users when accessing any Public Folders in the organization.

/Exchweb – This directory is used for OWA access for Exchange 2003 or 2000 users but is not usually accessed directly by the end user.  The OWA session will automatically refer the connect to this virtual directory when necessary.

/Exchange – This directory is again used for OWA access.  When an Exchange 2003 or 2000 mailbox user access the /Exchange virtual directory they are proxied to their mailbox.  For Exchange 2007 or 2010 mailbox users they are redirected to the /owa directory for their mailbox access.

This is useful during the transition from legacy Exchange versions to 2007 or 2010, because users can continue to connect to the /Exchange directory and the result will always be that they connect to their mailbox, as long as the server does not run the Mailbox Server role.  In other words, the /Exchange directory only works for legacy mailbox users if the server is a dedicated Client Access Server (though it can also contain the Hub Transport Server role without a problem). Continue reading Overview of Exchange Server Virtual Directories

Zimuse leverages an IQ test to infect its victims.

An oddball hybrid malware program grabbed some electronic headlines this week. The bad app combines the activity of a worm with the infectious  properties of a virus. There appears to be two variants of it: Win32.Worm.Zimuse.A and Win32.Worm.Zimuse.B.

What makes the pernicious program queer is its destructive properties. These days, Black Hats tend to concentrate their efforts on programming schemes that have a cash payoff. When that’s your line of business, stealth, not havoc, is your modus operandi. Zimuse’s creators, through, don’t seem to care about monetary gain. Proliferation and mayhem appear to be their game.

Given the putative origin of the malware, it’s easy to understand why it departs from the malware mainstream. According to security experts, the black app was originally written to infect fans of a motorcycle club in the Liptov region of Slovakia. As can be the case with computer pranks, however, the malware started spreading wildly and soon began infecting corporate networks. Now badware watchers say the majority of the machines infected by the Zimuse variants are in the United States, followed by Slovakia, Thailand and Spain.

The malware is a two trick pony. First, it infects a machine and looks for ways to propagate itself. Then, after a defined number of days, it trashes its host’s Windows operating system and cripples it.

One way Zimuse distributes itself is by compromising legitimate Web sites. It’s planted as a self-unpacking zip file that contains an IQ test. When the IQ test installs itself on a machine, it also installs the malware. The IQ test is a legitimate application and serves to obfuscate what Zimuse is doing under the compromised computer’s hood.

Continue reading Hybrid malware spreading via USB devices

For many employees of a large company having access to email twenty-four by seven (24×7) is what sets them apart from other companies. And for those employees who are away from the office or while traveling on business a connection can be the difference between success and missed deadlines. 

A service that most remote users can benefit from is called Outlook Web Access (OWA) which is a webmail service of Microsoft Exchange Server. OWA provides email functionality and mailbox features such as: Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Notes and Public Folders. Mobile devices with Outlook Web Access functionality can support many corporate users and provide that valuable connection to corporate email.

Using a web browser on their handheld device users can access their much needed email. But as will often happen with technology Outlook Web Access is not bullet-proof. So administrators can expect to be called upon to solve problems that can come up from time to time when supporting remote users, their handhelds and their web accessible email connections.

One of those problems can involve the 0×80072f0d error code.

Continue reading Troubleshooting the 0×80072f0d Error Code

As often happens with electronics trends, the proliferation of a consumer device soon results in that gadget knocking on the door to the enterprise.  That’s the case with smartphones. The trend started with the Blackberry, was supercharged by the iPhone and will continue to grow with phones running Google’s Android operating system.

What’s worrisome about these devices is that they run applications… far too many applications that any IT department could vet for security purposes. Jupiter Research, purchased by Forrester research in 2008, estimates that by 2014, 20 billion apps will be downloaded annually to smartphones.

That is a nightmare in the making for network administrators, who see legions of unknown programs touching their enterprises. Such apps already exist for the iPhone to directly access enterprise programs like SAP and Oracle. And with more apps on the way, the potential for them to spread malware or facilitate unauthorized access to precious data is a sobering thought for gatekeepers.

One way to get a handle on mobile devices invading an enterprise is to impose tough policies on employee use of their mobiles when performing office tasks. Monitoring policy compliance manually, though, can be an overwelming task for overtaxed IT departments. There are automated systems for ensuring compliance, but they can be expensive to implement.

There are also some drawbacks to keeping a tight rein on smartphone use. By limiting an employee’s choices on how he or she must work, a policy could adversely impact the worker’s productivity. Then there’s the problem with exceptions to the rule. If someone higher up on the corporate food chain than an IT gatekeeper wants to use a particular application, whether it’s risky or not, an exception to its use will likely be made.

Continue reading Protecting the enterprise from mobile devices

Microsoft Exchange Server has used Connectors in various ways for many different product versions to date.  Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010 both use the same types of Connectors in their organizations.

Even in simple organizations some people become confused by the variety of Connectors and their purposes.  Here is an explanation of each type of Connector for Exchange Server 2007 and 2010.

Send Connectors

Send Connectors are responsible for sending email to servers outside of the organization.  This might also include Edge Transport Servers, which are non-domain member servers usually located in a secure DMZ for sending and receiving internet email.

Send Connectors can be configured in a number of different ways.  The typical Send Connector for an organization sends all outbound email to a smart host or uses DNS to route the mail directly to the receiving party.

More specific Send Connectors can be used to send email destined for particular domains to different servers.  One example would be a Send Connector that routes email across a secure VPN to a partner domain rather than go via the internet.  Another example would be a Send Connector that has a larger message size limit than the default one, permitting very large files to be sent to partners or customers.

Send Connectors can be configured with authentication requirements when sending to a smart host, but when sending via DNS lookup have no authentication options to configure.  However, Exchange Server will honour the receiving server’s security or authentication requirements (such as TLS encryption) where possible.

Continue reading Understanding Exchange Server Connectors

Having multiple mailboxes can be a benefit for users who want to direct email to specific mailboxes based on subject material, audiences or other personal reasons. But it can also increase the workload of not only the corporate servers but of the administrators as well.

Exchange server allows users to access those multiple accounts while using only one profile and not having to re-log in under a different username. To support this functionality it is necessary for an administrator to configure Outlook such that it will enable a user to access those multiple email boxes from one profile.

An administrator should start Outlook using the profile that is configured for the Exchange server mailbox of the account (#1) that is going to be used to add a “delegate” account. Validation may be required. If so then log in to the network as the user of the account (#1). Then, follow the steps outlined below for Outlook 2002 and 2003:

1. From the Tools menu, click Options to add a delegate.
2. Select the Delegates tab and click Add.
3. Type or select a username for the delegate account (#2).
4. Click Add, and then click OK or hit enter
5. Locate the Delegate Permissions dialog boxes. Then select Editor (read, create, and modify items) in each of them.
6. Click OK or hit enter two times.
7. Click on Folder List on the View menu to make it visible.
8. Right-click the Mailbox – user name (to begin adding a new user).
9. Then click Properties for Mailbox – user name on the shortcut menu.
10. On the Permissions tab, click Add.
11. Type or select the username of account (#2) you wish to add and then click Add.
12. Click OK or hit enter.
13. From the Name box, click the newly added user for the account (#2).
14. From the Roles box, click Owner, and then click OK or hit enter.
15. Repeat steps 8 through 14 for the rest of the other folders in the mailbox.
16. On the File menu, click Exit and Log Off.

You are now ready to restart Windows and log in as the newly created username for account (#2). Once Windows has restarted you should then start Outlook with the corresponding profile for the newly created username.

Continue reading Working With Multiple Mailboxes

Gmail has always had an encryption option, but until this week, it has been turned off by default. Now IT people, who tend to be a bit paranoid (but in a good way), would have gone through the trouble to switch on the SSL encryption option, but most ordinary users would simply not be aware that it exists. And for that matter, all those paranoid IT people probably wouldn’t have even used Gmail to begin with.

Google announced last week that it would start encrypting all Gmail traffic. In a blog post, Google noted that they initially rolled out the option to always use https back in 2008. This allows email to be encrypted on the path between the user’s web browser and Google servers. However, when Google first enabled the option, it was off by default. Now, SSL will be used by default, with users gaining the option of selecting “Don’t always use https” from the Settings menu. Some may choose to not enable the extra security option for performance reasons, but in reality, the performance hit will be minor, especially for broadband users—and well worth the extra couple of milliseconds. The login page will still remain encrypted. Using encrypted email can stop several types of attacks, such as man-in-the-middle attacks where an attacker may be snooping email in a public WiFi spot. Using encryption also prevents attacks such as DNS poisoning attacks where a domain name record is hijacked and redirected.

Google decided to make the upgrade just hours after they revealed information about having been victimized by specialized attacks, including certain attacks on Chinese human rights activists’ accounts. Users are cautioned however, not to get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that turning on Gmail’s encryption option is going to prevent all potential attacks—because it certainly won’t. The same anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-malware software installations should continue in full force, regardless of any added encryption.

With Google making the switch, the next big question is whether the other main free email services like Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail will follow suit; my guess is that they will.