Mail System Upgrade FAQ

General Questions

Technical Questions

Security Questions

General Questions
1. Why is the the University switching to a different email system and what is an "Enterprise Messaging System"?
  The VPCIO Division is implementing a major upgrade to the University email system, establishing the foundation for a true "Enterprise Messaging System". All faculty and staff will be able to use the Microsoft Exchange messaging platform. This system will provide fully integrated and unified capabilities for the management of messaging, collaboration, and calendaring resources. Student email accounts will also be converted to use a new email service based on the IMAP protocol. This service will allow for every student to have access to a greatly expanded amount of server space for storing email messages.
  
  The new messaging systems will be hosted on a highly redundant and fault-tolerant hardware architecture in order to achieve maximum system availability.
  
  For more information about the benefits of the project, please see this VPCIO Bookmarks newsletter article.
2. When is the change going to happen?
  The conversion for faculty and staff is currently scheduled to begin March 26, 2002 which is the Tuesday of Spring Break Week. This will begin a phased implementation, organized by department. We plan to be done by the end of Spring semester, but faculty will be converted before most administrative staff in case the rollout takes longer than anticipated.
  
  The phased implementation is a change in plans from the original "all at once" conversion. The new plan is based on feedback from several faculty groups, and will allow for more individualized assistance during the conversion process.
  
  The schedule for conversion of students to the new IMAP server is currently being reevaluated.
3. Should I do anything to prepare for the change?
  There are some things you can do to prepare for the transition:
  - Clean up your mail folders and delete unneeded messages
  - Take advantage of computer-based tutorials and instructor-led training.
  - Pay attention to the upcoming announcements and instructions
  - Most importantly, ask questions and let us know your concerns
  Additional instructions will be made available in the coming weeks.
4. Will my email address be the same?
  Yes. All email addresses will remain the same, in the form "xyz@uakron.edu".
5. Can I keep my current email aliases and/or mail forwarding?
  All current aliases will be preserved. For students, forwarding addresses will be preserved. For faculty and staff, forwarding addresses will be preserved with some limitations. The Exchange platform works nicely with forwarding as long as mail is forwarded to another Exchange account. This feature will be available. Forwarding mail from Exchange to an external address is quite a bit trickier, though. It can be done, but for the time being it will require some manual intervention by tech support staff. Please send a request with your requirements to mailadmin@uakron.edu.
6. Will my listserv subscriptions still work?
  Yes, because your subscriptions are normally based on your email address and that is not going to change.
7. I like my current mail software. Can I continue to use it instead?
  For faculty and staff, the Exchange platform offers a web interface, a POP interface, and an IMAP interface as well as the proprietary MAPI interface used by Outlook. What do all these acronyms and interfaces mean for you? Well, this means that you can actually use just about any email client software that you wish. HOWEVER, the only officially supported options are Outlook in Corporate/Workgroup mode and the web interface. (The Exchange web interface is intended for remote use, such as from home or on the road. It is not meant to be a general, long-term solution for on-campus use. It does not provide for the use of Personal Folders, and therefore your current mail folders could not be converted and integrated with the new system.).
  
  The use of other mail packages is also allowed, so long as they can be configured to use the POP or IMAP interfaces. Your mail software must be configured to use smtp.uakron.edu for the smtp (outgoing) mail service, and exchange.uanet.edu for the POP or IMAP (incoming) mail service. Detailed instructions on setting up the most popular mail clients can be found at the VPCIO Software Training site. NOTE: the timing of these changes is very important. This must be coordinated with the creation of your new mailbox as part of the Exchange conversion. To inquire about the status of the conversion schedule for your department, please send an email message to Nathan Sterret at sterret@uakron.edu.
  
  For students, Campus Pipeline will continue to be the recommended email interface. Other mail client software, such as Netscape Messenger and Eudora, will also work with the new system with minor configuration changes.
8. What will happen to all the messages I have saved?
  All new messages that exist on the current mail server at the time of conversion will be moved to the new system.
  
  For Exchange and Outlook, messages which have been previously downloaded using different mail software (i.e. not Outlook) and stored locally must be converted to the new mailbox format. A utility program will be provided to convert these messages and also personal address books. If you are using Outlook already in Internet Mail mode this conversion will not be necessary. However, at the time of the switch your Outlook program will need to be reconfigured for Corporate/Workgroup mode.
  
  IMAP users will not have to do anything about converting their local messages.
9. How do I get my new email account?
  The new email account will be associated with your UAnet ID. The creation of the new account will be automatic for all those with active UAnet IDs.
10. How do I get my new calendar account?
  The calendar service is an integral part of the Exchange system. All faculty and staff will automatically get a calendar account.
11. Can my department get a separate departmental account?
  If your department has specific needs that can only be addressed by setting up special departmental accounts which are separate from accounts assigned to individuals, you can request these through the Technology Learning Support Center (972-6888 or tlsc@uakron.edu). These accounts might also be needed if you have student assistants or graduate assistants who require access to Exchange as part of their job duties. No students will be provided with personal Exchange accounts.
12. What is going to happen to the meetings I had scheduled on the Netscape Calendar Server?
  A new calendar management facility is an integrated part of the Exchange system. However, the phased implementation means this feature will not be available to the entire UA community all at once. It is recommended that you do not make use of the Exchange Calendar to schedule important meetings or shared resources until you are certain that all affected individuals have been converted. In many cases this means you should wait until the rollout is completed campus-wide. The current Netscape Calendar facility will continue to be maintained until that time, and then all events and meetings will be migrated to the new Exchange system.
  
  If you have delegated any access rights to your calendar, you will have to reconstruct those manually on the new system.
13. What is the difference between Outlook and Exchange?
  Microsoft Exchange is the software which handles the back-end mail and calendar processing and storage. Exchange is installed on the server (in our case, 6 servers). Microsoft Outlook is the client software which communicates with Exchange for accessing your mail messages and calendar events. Outlook is the software that is installed on your local machine.
14. Is training available for the new system?
  Training materials for the new system are already available, and instructor-led seminars are being scheduled now. Please see the VPCIO Training website to view the training manuals, schedule a seminar, or download the computer-based tutorials.
15. What are the minimum hardware and software requirements for using the new system?
  Requirements vary according to how the system would be accessed.
  - Access to either the Outlook web mail interface or the Campus Pipeline web mail interface obviously requires a machine capable of running a web browser. Any hardware that can run a minimum of Internet Explorer 5.5 or Netscape Navigator 4.47 should be fine.
  - The minimum recommended hardware requirements for Outlook 2000 are a Pentium II with 64 MB RAM and 150 MB free disk space. Outlook 2000 will run on MS Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 3 or later), 2000 or XP.
    
    PLEASE NOTE: The requirements listed above are those for Outlook by itself, and NOT the whole MS Office suite. The complete MS Office 2000 suite requires a 300-MHz Pentium processor, 64 MB of RAM and 1 GB of free disk space
  - The minimum recommended hardware requirements for Outlook 2001 are a Power PC-based Macintosh with 32 MB RAM (with at least 1 MB of Virtual Memory enabled), and 80 MB free disk space. The Mac platform requires Mac OS 8.6 or later. PLEASE NOTE: These are the requirements for Outlook by itself, and NOT the whole MS Office suite.
  - If you will continue to use your current email client, such as Netscape Messenger or Eudora, there are no additional system requirements beyond what you are currently using.
16. What versions of Outlook are supported?
  The supported versions are Outlook 2000 (with Service Pack 2) for the Windows platform, and Outlook 2001 for the Mac platform.
17. What is "Corporate/Workgroup mode" for Outlook?
  That is Outlook using a Corporate/Workgroup profile instead of a generic Internet Mail profile or the Outlook Web Interface. Outlook in Corporate/Workgroup mode allows the software to communicate directly with the Exchange server using a proprietary Microsoft interface. If you are using Outlook before the conversion, then you are using Internet Mail mode. Outlook in Corporate/Workgroup mode will be the recommended configuration for all faculty and staff. You cannot switch to Corporate/Workgroup mode on your own prior to a visit from a technician, because your Exchange account will not have been created yet.
18. Can I use my Macintosh with the new system?
  Yes. Please see the question about hardware and software requirements for details.
19. What about my email on Campus Pipeline?
  Email on Campus Pipeline will not be affected. In fact, you probably do not have any mail on Campus Pipeline: Pipeline is basically a mail client and thus is just accessing mail that is stored on the campus mail servers, not storing mail itself. The exception is if you have added additional (POP) mail accounts into Pipeline. Pipeline internally stores only mail that it downloads from such accounts. If your only mail account in Pipeline is your UAnet account (this is the case for the vast majority of people), you are using Pipeline to access your mail, but it is not actually IN pipeline.
20. I have a temporary staff email account. What will happen to my email?
  Temporary staff workers use what are called "guest" UAnet IDs. These will not automatically be converted to the Exchange system. By default, guest accounts will be converted to use the new IMAP system, the same as students. Temp staff can be provided Exchange accounts as necessary, however. Please make these situations known to the technicians of the project team as your department is being converted.
21. My department uses student assistants or graduate assistants who will need access to the new Exchange system as part of their job duties. How is that to be handled?
  Please see the question about setting up separate departmental accounts.
Technical Questions
1. How do I set up my mail software?
  As part of the phased implementation, a technician from the project team will visit your office to make these changes for you. You will need to be available at that time. The visit will be scheduled through your department.
  
  Faculty and staff home computers are normally expected to use the web interface, located at https://exchange.uanet.edu/exchange, but can be set up to use POP or IMAP as described below. Be sure you understand the ramifications of accessing your mail using different interfaces before you set up these options, however.
  
  If you intend to use the POP or IMAP interface instead of the full Exchange service, you can probably change the settings for your own mail software, but please read the note about timing below. Your mail software must be configured to use smtp.uakron.edu for the smtp (outgoing) mail service, and exchange.uanet.edu for the POP or IMAP (incoming) mail service. Detailed instructions on setting up the most popular mail clients can be found at the VPCIO Software Training site. NOTE: the timing of these changes is very important. This must be coordinated with the creation of your new mailbox as part of the Exchange conversion. To inquire about the status of the conversion schedule for your department, please send an email message to Nathan Sterret at sterret@uakron.edu.
  
  Students will need to make some minor changes to the configuration of theie email client software to specify the IMAP protocol and point to the new email servers. Details will be provided later.
2. Is there a limit on the amount of mail I can store on the server?
  Yes, there is a limit. Once you exceed the limit, you can no longer receive any new mail. Messages sent to you will be bounced back to the sender with an error message.
  
  For the Exchange system, there is a 100 MB quota per account for server storage. Included in this amount are email messages (including those in the Deleted Folder), attachments, and calendar entries. For the IMAP system, there is a 20 MB limit per account for storing messages on the server.
3. How can I tell how much of my quota I am using? Will I get a warning when I get close to the limit?
  For the Exchange system, you can tell how much space you are using by checking the Outlook properties. Right-click on the "Outlook Today" shortcut and select "Properties". At the bottom of the Properties box, click the button called "Folder Size". You can also right-click on any single folder to see its properties. Exchange users will start to receive warnings when they are using 95% of the allocated quota.
  
  If you are on the IMAP system, there will be warnings when you are getting close to your quota, and there will be a web page for checking how close you are. These functions are not yet completed. When they are completed, details will appear in this space.
4. What should I do if I am over the quota?
  You need to delete unneeded messages from the server, or else move them to personal folders on your local hard drive. Remember that messages in your Deleted folder still count against your quota. To free up space these must be permanently removed by deleting them from the Deleted folder or emptying that folder entirely.
5. How do I create, modify, or delete an email alias?
  The procedure for creating, deleting, or modifying email alaises has not changed. Alias maintenance is avaliable at: https://GoZips.uakron.edu/zid/user/email-manage/main.cgi, which is reachable from the main UAnet Services page at https://GoZips.uakron.edu/zid/user.html (under Email Management).
6. How do I forward my mail to a different address?
  For students or others not using MS Exchange, the procedure for setting up mail forwarding has not changed. Forwarding address maintenance is avaliable at: https://GoZips.uakron.edu/zid/user/email-manage/main.cgi, which is reachable from the main UAnet Services page at https://GoZips.uakron.edu/zid/user.html (under Email Management).
  
  For those using Exchange, there is no automated system created yet for managing forwarding addresses. It is possible to forward all mail from an Exchange account to another account, but for the moment we must set this up manually. Please send a request with your requirements to mailadmin@uakron.edu.
7. Is there a limit on the size of email messages I can send?
  Yes, mail messages are limited to 10 MB in size, including attachments. Because of the way attachments are encoded in an email message, you may not be able to include a file that is 10 MB in actual size. The practical limit is probably closer to 8 MB.
8. Who is the System Administrator that sends me messages?
  Messages which are sent from the "System Administrator" are usually automated messages from the mail server software programs. These messages might contain error notifications such as those for undeliverable mail, quota problems, virus detections, etc. Similar messages might come from the "Mailer-Daemon" account. It does no good to reply to these messages, or to send mail to these accounts. If you have questions about messages you receive from these accounts, please contact the Technology Learning Support Center at 972-6888 or tlsc@uakron.edu
9. How do I give permission for others to view or update my calendar?
  You can make someone a Delegate for your Calendar. Both people involved must be using Outlook Calendar. The individual who wishes to grant access to their calendar must follow the steps below to add someone as a delegate:
  1. From the Appointment section of Calendar, select from the menu bar Tools, Options. The Options box returns. Go to the Delegates tab.
  2. Click the Add button and the Add Users box returns. Use the Type Name or Select from List field by typing the Delegates last name. Locate the person and double click on their name or click the Add button to move them to the Add Users frame. Select OK.
  3. The Delegate Permissions box returns. In the Calendar field, use the down arrow to select what rights the Delegate will have. For example:
    - Reviewer (can read items)
    - Author (can read and create items)
    - Editor (can read, create, and modify items)
    If the Delegate that you are adding is going to be maintaining your Calendar and will need to be able to Accept or Decline Meeting Notices, you should select the Permission level of Editor.
    
    Under the Calendar field, select the checkbox if want the Delegate to receive e-mail messages notifying them of Meeting Requests, Updates, and Cancellations.
  4. If you want a confirmation e-mail sent to the Delegate after you complete the process outlining their rights, select the checkbox; Automatically send a message to delegate summarizing these permissions at the bottom of the box. This is recommended.
  5. If you would like the Delegate to be able to see and edit your Private entries, select the checkbox for, Delegate can see my private items. The default is to keep Private entries confidential.
  6. Select OK after you have set your Delegate Options and the Options box returns.
  7. The name of the Delegate should appear. You have another option available to you on this tab. Select the checkbox, Send meeting requests and responses to my delegates, not to me, if you do not want any Meeting Requests to come to your Inbox. Select OK.
10. Can I access the Personal Folders on my office workstation from my computer at home?
  Assuming that you are using two different computers (instead of toting your laptop back and forth), the answer is no. Personal Folders are stored on your local hard drive and not on the server and are therefore only available on the local machine. The mobility provided by a laptop with a wireless network card would provide access to those personal folders from your office, home, and anywhere on campus, however.
11. Can I use my PDA device with the new system?
  Information about using your PDA with the new system will be available soon.
12. What is IMAP?
  IMAP is a system by which a program that you run on your computer communicates with one of the campus mail servers and lets you access your email. We call this program running on your computer a "mail client", and examples include Netscape, Eudora, Outlook and Outlook Express. Currently, the University uses a system called POP, and most people on campus access their mail using POP (whether they realize it or not). In general, the difference between POP a IMAP is that IMAP can do things that POP cannot. Whereas a POP client downloads the user's mail to their local machine, IMAP is designed to let you to leave your mail on the server. This enables you to access your mail from anywhere, not just the computer where you downloaded their mail. Other features of IMAP include:
  - You can create different folders on the mail server that you can use to organize your mail and access from anywhere.
  - Messages can be moved or deleted off the server without ever being downloaded, which is handy when access your mail over a slow connection (such as dialup).
13. How do I set an automated response message for vacations or other extended periods out of the office?
  The Exchange system has an "out of the office" setting, which is under your control. This and other technical and "how-to" questions are answered via our computer-based tutorials and instructor-led training resources. You can also access the normal Help files bundled with MS Outlook by clicking on the Help button in the program.
  
  For students and others not using Exchange, we are still investigating a means of providing a similar function.
14. How do I get access to my Exchange mail through the Web?
  Just point your web browser at https://exchange.uanet.edu/exchange/
  
  As a Microsoft product, Exchange seems to work a little bit better with Internet Explorer than with other browsers.
15. I am unable to add someone as an Exchange delegate. The permissions button is unavailable.
  The Permissions button is unavailable if your e-mail delivery is set to a personal folder instead of a Mailbox on the Microsoft Exchange Server. Follow these steps to change the mail delivery location:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Services.
  2. Click the Delivery tab and under "Deliver new mail to following location," click to select your Mailbox. Click OK.
  3. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Delegates tab.
  4. Click Add, select a user from the Global Address List, and then click OK.
16. After creating a meeting in Exchange, changes are made but are not reflected on the other attendees' calendars.
  It is important to note that changes to a meeting can only be made by the creator of the meeting (if they wish to reflect that change on everyone's calendar). When the creator changes the meeting, they will be prompted to send a notice to all attendees - they must send this message in order for the changes to be reflected on everyone's calendar. Furthermore, the attendees must Accept the Updated Notice in order for the change to be reflected on their calendars. If the meeting has been canceled, the attendee needs to select the Remove from Calendar button on the Cancellation Notice in order for the meeting to be removed from their calendar.
17. Others tell me that when they try to schedule an Exchange meeting with me my times show as "No Information".
  You need to publish your free/busy time. Follow the steps below:
  1. From the menu bar in Outlook, select Tools-Options.
  2. On the Preferences tab, click the Calendar Options button.
  3. Click the Free/Busy Options button.
  4. Check the box labeled "Publish my free/busy information".
  5. Click on Ok.
  6. Click on Ok twice to exit the dialog boxes.
18. Why can't I accept Exchange meeting notices on behalf of somebody when I am a delegate?
  You need to be given the permission of "Editor" in order to accept and decline meeting notices on behalf of somebody (unless you have permissions to their Inbox). The person giving permissions needs to follow these steps:
  1. From the menu bar in Outlook, select Tools-Options.
  2. On the Delegates tab, select the Delegates name and select the Permissions pushbutton.
  3. In the Calendar field, use the down arrow and select the Permission of Editor.
  4. Select OK twice to exit the dialog boxes.
19. How can I get all Exchange meeting notices sent to me for the person for whom I am a delegate?
  The person giving permissions needs to follow these steps:
  1. From the menu bar in Outlook, select Tools-Options.
  2. On the Delegates tab, select the Delegates name (or Add a new one) and select the Permissions pushbutton.
  3. In the Calendar field, use the down arrow and select the Permission of Editor.
  4. Check the box below the Calendar field, "Delegate receives copies of meeting related messages sent to me."
  5. Select OK one time.
  6. Then, if you want the Delegate to receive the messages solely (you do not want any notices sent to you), select the checkbox below the Delegate name box, "Send meeting requests only to my delegate, not to me."
  7. Select OK again to return.
20. How can I set up Outlook Calendar to NOT put a meeting automatically on my calendar as Tentative when I am invited?
  In Outlook Calendar, follow these steps:
  1. From the menu, select Tools, Options.
  2. On the Preferences tab, select the Email pushbutton.
  3. On the Email Options dialogue box, select the Tracking Options pushbutton.
  4. Uncheck the box, "Process requests and responses on arrival."
  5. Select OK three times to return.
Security Questions
1. Does the new system scan for viruses in the mail?
  Yes. All incoming and outgoing email messages are scanned for viruses. If the message cannot be disinfected it will not be delivered, with notifications sent to the both the sender and intended recipient. In addition, messages stored in the Exchange server database are also scanned for viruses.
2. I have heard that Outlook has many security problems. Am I more likely to get a virus if I use Outlook?
  It is true that Outlook shares the blame in the spread of some of the more spectacular virus attacks in recent years. However, a properly configured and patched Outlook program is now immune to most viruses, because it blocks access to executable attachments. These kinds of attachments are the primary carriers for most email-borne viruses and other malicious programs. This is why we are distributing a specific, supported version of Outlook.
  
  Additional layers of protection are provided by the virus scanning software on the servers and on your local workstation.
3. I sent a message and the server notified me that it contained a virus. What should I do?
  It is highly likely that your computer is infected with a virus. Please call the Technology Learning Support Center (972-6888) immediately for assistance.
4. I received some mail with a message indicating that it had contained a virus. Is my computer infected?
  No, that message indicates that the virus was successfully removed. You should notify the sender that his or her computer is probably infected.
5. My colleague sent me a message and our mail system replied with a notification that it contained a virus. What does that mean?
  Your colleague's computer is likely infected. She or he should have it checked out immediately.

For additional information (or to provide feedback):

Please check this web site first, as it will continue to be updated. Otherwise, if you have concerns or additional questions the Technology Learning Support Center (972-6888 or tlsc@uakron.edu) is always a good place to start. You may also send messages to mailadmin@uakron.edu.

Many of your technical and "how-to" questions can be answered via our computer-based tutorials and instructor-led training resources. Additional background information can be found in a VPCIO Bookmarks newsletter article.