Step 1: Clean up your email prior to Friday, August 14 (delete any unneeded messages, empty trash, and compact folders with File > Compact Folders).

Step 2 PLEASE do not log into the mail server between 5:00pm Friday and 8am Monday.

Your mail will be automatically transitioned beginning Friday evening. If you absolutely need to access your email immediately, you will need to use ELMO’s option 1 to synchronize your password again. Your mailbox may appear empty as the messages will be transferred over the weekend by IT Services staff. You will be able to send and receive messages throughout the weekend (aka: no down time). Old messages will not be available until your mailbox has been migrated between servers.

Step 3: On Monday morning, after all mailboxes have been transferred, lot into ELMO’s option 1 AGAIN to synchronize your account. If your account requires synchronization, you will be prompted explicitly to sync your passwords.

Step 4: Log in to your email and then re-subscribe to any folders that are missing (In Thunderbird: File > Subscribe, check all folders and sub-folder check boxes that appear.)

Step 5: If you are a user of a departmental or shared account, you will no longer be able to connect via Thunderbird or other IMAP mail clients. See the “Will the shared folders be the same?” FAQ (below).

Step 6: Enjoy the new, fast, and fantastic mail server!

For webmail users

Just keep on using http://mail.uas.alaska.edu!

Step 1: Clean up your email prior to Friday, August 14 (delete any unneeded messages, empty trash, and compact folders with File > Subscribe).

Step 2: PLEASE do not log into the mail server between 5:00pm Friday and 8am Monday.

Your mail will be automatically transitioned beginning Friday evening. If you absolutely need to access your email immediately, you will need to use ELMO’s option 1 to synchronize your password again. Your mailbox may appear empty as the messages will be transferred over the weekend by IT Services staff. You will be able to send and receive messages throughout the weekend (aka: no down time) Old messages will not be available until your mailbox has been migrated between servers.

I forward my email to a personal account…

Your mail will continue to be forwarded to your personal account!

Though, considering the robust features of the new mail server, you might want to consider taking a look at the webmail again – it’s got a stylish layout and other functionality, such as a calendar and tasks!

Will my address book automatically transfer?

Yes, during this transition, all settings will remain as they presently are – same address book, signature, etc. The only change you will need to make is to synchronize your password using ELMO’s option 1 on Monday.

Will my folders automatically transfer?

The folders kept on the server will be transferred over the weekend of August 14-16. Local mail will remain in your mail program and will not be affected.

Will the color on the new server be changeable?

A few people were interested in changing email colors for both aesthetics & functionality. While skinning is available in thunderbird, the changing of colors in webmail is not available.

Will the shared folders be the same?

Shared folders will be different.

The method of accessing your shared folder will be to use the webmail interface with a “switch” to tell it the proper account:

https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa/account-address@uas.alaska.edu where “account-address” is the friendly name of the account (helpdesk rather than jxhelp, or bookstore rather than jybook).

For example: https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa/helpdesk@uas.alaska.edu.

Because of the new mail server architecture, the only method to access shared folders is through the above link structure, or through Outlook. At this time, due to the complexity of configuring Outlook in a best-practice method, IT Services strongly recommends using the OWA (webmail) experience for shared accounts of any nature.

What type of spam protection will we have?

The IronPort anti-spam service will remain the same. The webmail mentions junk mail filtering, though that will only provide further filtering beyond the IronPort function. In testing, we have found that the client filtering is less effective than IronPort, usually tagging messages as false-positives (legitimate messages that are sent to the junk-mail folder.) For more details on IronPort, read the IronPort Anti-Spam FAQ.

Will I still have access to other individual’s email?

Sharing your, or accessing others’, shared email folders is not supported in the same way as our prior email server. To access someone else’s account, please use the same method as accessing campus shared folders.

Will it be seamless where I can just keep using Thunderbird?

Yes, the mail server will be transitioned to utilize the same “mail.uas.alaska.edu” reference, and the accounts will remain the same. Over the course of the Fall-2009 semester, we will be transitioning users to connect to the mail sever with SSL for an added layer of security. Stay tuned for more detail.

Can I list folders the way I want them listed rather than alphabetically?

The only reorganization that is available is by changing the order of the accounts rather than individual folders.

To do this, you will need to have the Folderpane Tools add-on installed, which allows for customization of the folder pane. Accounts can be rearranged and the startup folder can be chosen.

If you would like to reorder your folder structure (rather than the accounts), you can do so through clever alpha-numeric naming techniques, such as “1 Purchasing”, “2 Special Projects”, etc, etc.

So, we can use Outlook?

Outlook can be used. It is recommended due to the close proximity to the start of the fall semester to wait to transition mail clients until at least a month into the new semester.

If you are still wanting to transition, you can set up outlook to connect to our Exchange server. See the settings documentation for further detail on how to connect properly.

Later this semester, IT Services will be looking at other uses beyond the practical mail application. You may have experienced many other implementations such as shared calendaring, or task management. Those features will be advertised as time and testing allows.

I’m working over the upgrade weekend – what should I expect?

On Friday evening, we will switch where mail.uas.alaska.edu points – from the existing Netscape mail server to the new Exchange mail server. The new server has all of our accounts pre-populated, so as the switch happens, you will still be able to receive mail. Because of the switch over, the new accounts do not yet have your current password set. You will need to synchronize your password via ELMO’s option 1.

Next, throughout the weekend, IT Services will begin transitioning the contents of the email accounts via a back-end program. This will take some time, and will reach each account separately. Once an account is touched for message transfer, the password will be altered to enable the program to run. This means that come Monday, you will need to synchronize your password before accessing your account.

How do you set a different reply-to/from on a shared account?

Shared accounts automatically send messages from that account. If you need to change the reply-to address, that can only be done through a mail client such as Outlook.

What’s the junk mail thing in OWA?

The newly set up exchange server has its own brand of Junk-Mail filtering that is in addition to the IronPort anti-spam that the campus is utilizing. In testing, it appears that the OWA junk mail filtering is less effective, and in many cases misinterprets messages as spam, when in fact they are not.

How do I set an Out-of-office auto-response?

This can be done through the webmail by following these steps:

· Visit http://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/exchange, log in

· Click on Options (in the upper right hand corner)

· Click on Out of Office Assistant (in the left hand listing)

· Update your auto-response, and click save (above the auto-response area).

What about users presently with out-of-office responses?

At the moment, the existing auto-responses will be dropped. IT Services is investigating options to re-establish the existing auto-response on the new accounts. We will update this FAQ question with new details.

Mail Server Transition Q & A

When is the mail server going to be upgraded?

The upgrade will take place the weekend of August 14-16. IT Services staff will switch user accounts and any references of “mail.uas.alaska.edu” to the new server. This means that while your account will be active and available to send and receive messages throughout the transition, there will be a short window where past messages will not be available (during the data migration for all accounts). You should have access to all of your past messages beginning Monday morning. If, during the transition, you need to access your email account it will be necessary to visit ELMO and utilize option 1 to synchronize your password.

What changes should I expect to see?

The transition will be seamless to most users. The current configuration of Thunderbird and other mail clients will continue to enable you to connect to the campus mail server, it’s just that mail server will be new and fancy.

What do you mean, fancy?

The new server is an Exchange server, and with it, there are several features, such as a new webmail interface that has a more robust and user friendly interface.

Do I need to do anything for this upgrade?

Please, please, please, remove any unneeded mail from the mail server. The back-end transfer of messages seems to move messages at one message each second for smaller messages, so an account with 3600 messages will take more than an hour to complete. Clean up mailboxes, purge your trash and compact your folders – it will help everyone get onto the new server faster!

Also, you will want to make sure that your password is synchronized across all systems by visiting ELMO and using Option 1 with your current username and password. If needed, you will be prompted to sync your password to all of your accounts.

I don’t like change. Can I stay with the old mail server?

No, the old (and largely antiquated) mail server will be retired as soon as the mail is transferred to the new server. Besides, slow, and breaking semi-frequently are not qualities you’d enjoy from a mail server.

Okay fine, I’m happy to use the new mail server, but do I have to do it NOW?

The short answer is, “yes.” The longer answer is that really you don’t have to do much for the mail server to be upgraded. You just go home on Friday and then come in on Monday, and *poof*, your mail server (and webmail access) will be new and improved. Sync your password with ELMO (use option 1) and you’re all set!

This upgrade has been LONG overdue. If we put it off any further, it could have massive (aka: bad) implications towards our rapidly up-and-coming fall semester. Really, it’s better to move forward now, than to wait any longer. We promise.

Well, if sooner is better than later, why’d you wait so long?

Trust us; it would have been preferable to have a new mail server in place years ago. Unfortunately, due to various other concerns such as other projects and staffing we couldn’t fast-track this any more than we have. The server has been tested thoroughly by IT Services, looking for potential short comings, and we’re finally at a place where it all checks out.

Can I have a larger quota since this is a newer system?

Definitely. The new mail server will have ten times as much space by default than the last server. Most people should have no problem with this; if you’re one of those heavy hitters, your quota will transfer from the older server to the new. If you find that you are needing more quota space, please contact the helpdesk and a work order will be placed to accommodate your request. Naturally, it is always preferable to actively manage your mail than to simply store everything in some type of folder structure.

Exchange Account Information

What is my official email address?

Your email address remains the same: username@uas.alaska.edu, or for Faculty & Staff: firstname.lastname@uas.alaska.edu – you may see several variations such as username@mailgw.uas.alaska.edu, but all aliased addresses will continue to deliver mail into your single email account.

How do I read my email from the web?

The new mail server product is Exchange. With an Exchange server, the webmail interface is called “Outlook Web Access”. Our webmail link is, at present:

· https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa or http://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/exchange

(take note that it is httpS:// rather than http://).

What is Exchange?

Your exchange account is the account used new mail server (Exchange is a popular Microsoft messaging system that includes a mail server and groupware applications. Designed for use in a business setting, the Exchange server is often used in conjunction with Microsoft Outlook to take advantage of Outlook's collaborative features, such as the ability to share calendars and contact lists.

What is my initial password?

Your password can be self-managed at ELMO. There is no default password; you must set an initial password first.

I’ve heard that Exchange Accounts have more than just email – what features are there available?

Email, task, calendars, and contacts can be utilized. Additionally, some of these functions can be shared across the organization. This is a large transition from the prior Netscape mail service, and many of the features have not yet been explored. Please feel free to explore, and if you find something especially useful, let us know so we can share it with others.

Additionally, all elements are available in a virtual Outlook 2003 environment on the web, called Outlook Web Access.

Accessing my new account

Which client (Thunderbird vs Outlook vs Outlook Web Access) do I use?

The issue of Outlook is problematic. We currently predict that Outlook will become a standard client by next summer. This is primarily due to the calendar capabilities. However, planning an email client migration in the middle of a server change will greatly increase the complexity of this project and the up-front pain for our users. Given this, we will be down-playing Outlook in the initial rollout and concentrating our attention on the server changes.

Current Thunderbird (or other IMAP/SMTP) users

We encourage these users to simply change their client configuration to reference the new server.

How do I configure Thunderbird to access my email?

Existing UAS email users will be able to continue utilizing their current configuration; no changes will be required. For those who are new users or wanting to set up UAS email to work within Thunderbird, follow these steps:

1. If you don’t already have it, be sure to download and install Thunderbird.

2. Add mail.uas.alaska.edu as an IMAP mail server. If you already have accounts set up, follow these steps:

a. Tools > Account Settings…

b. Click Add Account…

c. Choose Email account, click Next

d. Enter your name and email address, click Next

e. Choose IMAP, and enter mail.uas.alaska.edu, click Next

f. Enter your UA Username, click Next

g. Click Next, click Finished

3. Update the following settings for the account

a. Choose Server Settings, set "Security Settings", to use SSL

b. Click Check for new messages at startup

4. Set the default Outgoing Server to reference the new mail server

a. Choose Outgoing Server (SMTP) from the left hand panel

b. Choose the current UAS entry, click Edit…

c. Change the server name to mail.uas.alaska.edu

d. Verify that Use name and password is selected

e. Choose SSL under Use secure connection

For those who are familiar with setting up accounts within thunderbird, use these settings:

· Mail Server type: IMAP

· Incoming mail server: mail.uas.alaska.edu

· Outgoing mail server: mail.uas.alaska.edu

· Username: your UA Username (see ELMO)

· Security: Use SSL connections for both incoming and outgoing mail servers

I like to use Thunderbird AND Outlook depending on where I’m connecting, but it seems there are some differences… What should I watch out for?

Outlook uses a folder called "Deleted Items" instead of the more standard "Trash". If it is desirable to make Thunderbird and Outlook treat trash the same, Thunderbird must be modified. This is done using the config editor or by modifying prefs.js. See the next FAQ question for the proper steps.

How do I make Thunderbird use Deleted Items instead of Trash?

The default special folder names of "Trash" and "Sent" might not suit you, especially if you are using other mail clients (or need to switch between different IMAP clients, such as Outlook).

Before you Start, make sure you have created the folders "Sent Items" and "Deleted Items" inside your IMAP account.

1. Go to Tools / Account Settings, change the server settings for each imap account

2. In "Server Settings" , set "When I delete a message -> move it to the deleted folder" , then tick the option "Cleanup (expunge ) Inbox on exit"

3. In "Copies & Folders", "when sending place a copy in" , select other, then select your newly created "Sent Items" folder

4. Close the Account Settings.

Next, you need to tell Thunderbird to consider the alternative folders as the default folders:

1. Go to Tools > Options…

2. Click the Advanced tab, then click the Config Editor… button

3. In the Filter field, enter mail.server.server, you will see the defaults for each account. Each account will have separate settings designated by mail.server.server1. mail.server.server2. . You will create strings for each account.

4. Right click in the main window and select New > String

a. Enter the preference name of mail.server.server1.trash_folder_name

b. Enter the mail.server.server1.trash_folder name of Deleted Items

c. Repeat above for mail.server.server2.trash_folder_name and any other accounts needed.

5. Close and restart Thunderbird TWICE. If you have been successful, the folder "Deleted Items" will be a garbage or trash-bin icon.

Users connecting via a web browser

Everyone will be directed to the Outlook Web Client (commonly referred to as “OWA”). This means that all web mail users will have Outlook-like features right away.

How do I access my email on the web?

Use the direct Outlook Web Access link here:

https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa or http://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/exchange

Note: https:// (secured http) is required for the first link.

You can also continue to access webmail at the same address as always:

http://mail.uas.alaska.edu

Current Outlook users (or former Outlook users who have always chafed at Thunderbird)

If you are ready to move to Outlook understanding the learning curve that will be required, you may do so using the settings below.

IT Services is still in the process of developing all the needed documentation for the Outlook client. If you have need of direction beyond the detail below, please contact the Helpdesk and we will work to answer your questions and/or provide documentation in response to your particular needs.

Users may want to consider consolidating their mail, address books, etc.

How do I configure Outlook to access my email?

Outlook Settings for everyone

Configure Outlook to connect to mailgw.uas.alaska.edu as an exchange server.

Disable "Use Cached Exchange Mode" (Tools -> Account Settings -> Exchange -> Cached Exchange Mode)
6/22/09 NOTE: We may need to reevaluate this. Cached mode may need to be left on. For now, continue disabling cached mode.

Enable "Send immediately when connected" (Tools -> Options -> Mail Setup)
Disable "Use Microsoft Office Word to edit" (Tools -> Options -> Mail Format)
Allow comma as address separator (Tools -> Options -> Preferences, Email options, Advanced Email Options...)
Disable AutoArchive (Tools -> Options -> Other, AutoArchive)
Add LDAP directories for UA and UAS (see current Thunderbird configuration settings)

Outlook specific documentation to be created.

Add the BCC field to new mail messages (click to compose new message, select View -> BCC Field, Cancel message composition)

Configuring Outlook 2007 on a campus computer

If Outlook has been used before on the computer with UAS email (for mail merges, etc):

1. Open Outlook 2007

2. Go to Tools > Account Settings…

3. Click View/Change Account

4. Select the UAS IMAP connection – click Remove

5. Close Outlook

Be cautious about removing any account that references Personal Folders… Data can be stored locally in these files, and if removed, could result in the loss of mail, calendar, contact information or more.

To add the new exchange account:

1. Open the Mail control panel (Start > Control Panel > Mail)

2. Click the Email Accounts button

3. On the Email tab, click New…

4. Click Manually configure server settings or additional server types

5. Click Next

6. Choose Microsoft Exchange

7. Microsoft Exchange server: mailgw.uas.alaska.edu

8. Uncheck Use cached exchange mode

9. Enter your user name, click check name

10. Enter your user name with the syntax: ua\username

11. Enter password

12. Click OK

13. Your name should now appear in the user name field

14. Click More settings…

15. On the Advanced tab, Add any shared accounts (may require figuring out the username/friendly name of the item)

16. Click OK

17. Click Next

"By adding a microsoft exchange accuont you have changed where some of your new email messages and calendar information is saved. these changes will take effect the next time you start outlook."

· Click OK

18. Click Finish

19. Click Close

Now that it has been added, we can now open Outlook to interact with the new Exchange account.

20. Upon opening Outlook, you will be prompted to authenticate to the exchange server.

21. Authenticate with: ua\username

22. Enter your password

23. Click Remember my password

24. Click OK

25. Enjoy!

Configuring Outlook 2003 on a campus computer

This is a step by step process to get outlook and shared accounts added on a campus computer running office 2003.

If Outlook has been used before on the computer with UAS email (for mail merges, etc):

· Open Outlook 2003

· Go to Tools > Account Settings…

· Click View/Change Account

· Select the UAS IMAP connection – click Remove

· Close Outlook

To add the new exchange account

· Open the Mail control panel (Start > Control Panel > Mail)

· Click Email Accounts

· Choose View or Change Account Settings

· Click Add

· Choose Microsoft Exchange Server

· Click Next

· Enter mailgw.uas.alaska.edu for the Microsoft Exchange Server

· UNCHECK Use Cached Exchange Server

· Enter User Name

· Click Check Name

o Username: ua\USERNAME

o password: *********

o CHECK Remember my password

§ click okay, the username should turn into the friendly name

To add a shared account

· Click More Settings

· Click Advanced tab

· Click Add

· Enter the departmental address name (financial aid or helpdesk rather than finaid or jxhelp)

· Click OK

· Click Next

· You will be prompted for where mail is to be delivered. We want all messages to arrive in the Exchange folder.

"Mail from this microsoft exchange server account will be delivered to the existing personal folder on your local computer. If you wish to keep your mail on your server, you must change the default delivery location using the email accounts command from the tools menu. do you wish to continue?"

§ Click Yes

· Look for the dropdown field on the email accounts page – choose to Deliver new email to the following location:

o Select the newly created exchange account

· Click Finish

"You have changed the default delivery location for your email. This will change the location for your inbox, calendar, and other folders. These changes will take effect the next time you start outlook."

§ Click OK

· prompted to authenticate to jun-exch01.apps.ad.alaska.edu

· username: ua\USERNAME

· password: ********

· OK

· Close

Automatic Bcc for Outgoing Outlook Mail

Unlike most modern (and not so modern) email clients, Outlook cannot be configured to automatically BCC outgoing mail. For users who use this feature for keeping copies of outgoing mail, the best Outlook option seems to be to set up a "rule" to automatically CC outgoing mail)

Disable "Save copies in sent items folder" (Tools -> Options -> Preferences -> Email Options)
Create a "rule" for outgoing mail:

Go to "Mail" (Go -> Mail)
Open Rules and Alerts (Tools -> Rules and Alerts)
Click "New Rule"
Check "Start from a blank rule"
Click "Check messages after sending" and click Next>
Click Next> again and click "Yes" to the confirmation popup
Check "Cc the message to people or distribution list"
Click on the underlined "people or distribution list" in the "Step 2" panel
Type the correct email address (the client's, presumably) next to the "To" button and click Ok
Click "Finish"

Outlook Settings for people who don't want to use Outlook for email

Disable Outlook new mail alert (right click on task tray icon and un-check box)
Disable Outlook new mail alert again (Tools -> Options -> Preferences, Email options, Advanced Email Options...)
Make sure that the CalendarAttachment add-on is loaded in Thunderbird

This add-on enables Thunderbird to receive calendar requests initiated from Outlook, They are viewed as an attachment, and allow the user open the *.ics file within Outlook to allow the user to save the calendar item to their Outlook calendar.

Set Outlook to start up in the Calendar view (Tools -> Options -> Other, Advanced Options, "Startup in this folder")

How do I get my Thunderbird Address Book into Outlook?

Export Address book:

1. Open Thunderbird.

2. Click on the Address Book icon or under the Tools menu, select Address Book.

In the lefthand section of the window, highlight the address book you would like to export. In most cases, this will be your Personal Address Book.

Tip: Before proceeding with the export, do a quick review of what is currently in your Address Book, because one of Thunderbird's default settings is to save the email address of anyone to whom you have ever sent an email, so your address book may include email addresses that are not used on a regular basis, or can be found through UVa resources (Global Address Book or LDAP).

Under the Tools menu, select Export.
On the Export Address Book window, enter a location where you would like to save the file.
Enter a name you would like to give the file. (The File type should be “LDIF (*.ldi, *.ldif) if you are on a Windows computer, or Comma Separated (*.csv) if you are on a Mac.)
Click Save.

Import Address Book:

Outlook 2007

Open Outlook Express. Cancel out of all windows that prompt you to setup or import accounts.
From the File menu, select Import and then Other Address Book.
In the Address Book Import Tool window, click LDIF-LDAP Data Interchange Format. Click Import.
Browse to locate the file you saved in the Export instructions above. Highlight file and click Open.
Close Outlook Express.
Open Outlook 2007.
Click on the Contacts icon.
Under the File menu, select Import and Export…
In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Import Internet Mail and Addresses. Click Next.
On the Outlook Import Tool window, select Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x or Windows Mail option.
Uncheck Import Mail. Click Next.
On the Import Address window, click Finish after selecting the appropriate option for how to handle duplicates.
Click OK on the Import Summary window. You should now see the imported information in your Contacts list.

How do I access my email on my Mac?

Until the release of the latest Mac OS X operating system named Snow Leopard, there is no client designed to connect directly to Exchange. In the meantime, you will either need to access the email and calendaring through the Basic Outlook Web Access (https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa), or connect an email client to connect to the new email server via IMAP:

Basic Email Settings:

Mail type: IMAP

Incoming mail server: mailgw.uas.alaska.edu

Outgoing mail server: mailgw.uas.alaska.edu (note: requires authentication)

Mail server user name: Your UA Username (fmlastname#), to locate yours, visit ELMO. (note: not username@uas.alaska.edu)

Additional configuration: Security settings require SSL

How do I access my departmental/shared email account?

In Thunderbird

Do to limitations to the new mail server, accessing shared accounts through Thunderbird is not available.

Direct via OWA

1. The direct link to connect to a shared folder of a delegate is:

https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa/username@uas.alaska.edu/

2. Change "username@uas.alaska.edu" to be the corresponding email address of the shared account (admissions@uas.alaska.edu, bookstore@uas.alaska.edu, helpdesk@uas.alaska.edu, etc)

Via Outlook Web Access (OWA)

1. Sign into OWA using Internet Explorer (note: this cannot be done with FireFox or other browsers)

a. https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa

2. Click on your name in the upper right corner

3. Enter Shared Account username (i.e.: uas_jxhelp)

4. Click Search

5. Choose located account

6. Another window should open with the shared account

In Outlook

1. Tools > Account Settings

2. Select Exchange Mailbox, choose Change

3. Click More Settings

4. Click Advanced

5. Click Add

6. Add Shared Account username (i.e.: uas_jxhelp)

7. Click OK

8. Click Next

9. Click Finish

Browser Related Questions

What browsers are supported in Outlook Web Access

All browsers can view the Basic Outlook Web Access, however not all browsers will be able to view the Premium OWA. In fact, only Internet Explorer (versions 6, 7, and 8) will have the full suite of features.

It is possible to install an IE Tab plugin for Firefox that enables particular tabs to be rendered in IE which would give the overall appearance of Premium OWA within FireFox, if needed. This plugin is available on the PC.

Is there a video with some tutorial information?

Yes, available on Microsoft you can find videos such as this:

http://www.microsoft.com/EXCHANGE/CODE/OWA/INDEX.HTML

Note, not all OWA features are activated in our Exchange environment.

Pasting images into messages is not an OWA feature. There are two workarounds to getting images into your message:

How can I paste / embed images in to OWA messages?

You can paste HTML links to images, but this means that the image needs to be stored on a public server. An example of this would be when you copy an image from a website and then paste it into an OWA message

You can embed images using Outlook, which actually stores images as attachments, making them available for recipients using OWA to see.

There is a Microsoft knowledgebase article, available below, which explains how to paste an image into the OWA signature. The workaround does not always seem to work and is not supported by Microsoft as an official solution.

How can I add an image into the signature file in OWA?

Check out this Microsoft article for further information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924222

Which security setting should I choose?

The public/shared vs private options are intended to help keep information secure for you and the university. When choosing the public or shared selection,

To protect your account from unauthorized access, Outlook Web Access automatically closes its connection to your mailbox after a period of inactivity. If your session ends, refresh your browser, and then log on again.

Choose This is a public or shared computer if you use Outlook Web Access on a public computer. Be sure to log off when you have finished using Outlook Web Access and close all windows to end your session. The server, by default, will expire your session after 15 minutes of inactivity.

Choose This is a private computer if you are the only person who uses this computer. Your server will allow a longer period of inactivity before logging you off. The server, by default, will expire your session after 6 hours of inactivity.

What is the difference between the Premium and Basic client

There are two different versions of OWA, "Premium" and "Basic". Premium has more features and resembles the Outlook client more. Basic has less features but is faster.

If you are using Internet Explorer on a Windows PC, then you are given the choice between the two. If you are using a different browser, only Basic OWA is available (you are not given a choice).

Find an exhaustive description here: http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6028796.html

The Basic version has only the core components of OWA. Below are screenshots of the side-panels available in the Basic and Premium views:

In FireFox

In Internet Explorer

I logged on with IE, but it looks like the Light OWA version – all the options are the same – what gives?

In IE if you have not selected OWA light at login screen, and you are still getting OWA light, do the following to get back to premium version:

Logoff and log back in and you will now see the OWA Premium version.

What are the differences between OWA and Outlook 2003?

The following is a list of features that are available in Outlook 2003 that are not available in OWA (Premium):

· Outlook Today

· Newsgroups

· Opening other accounts (e.g. IMAP and POP accounts)

· Searching external directories (e.g. UA's Enterprise Directory - use http://edir.alaska.edu instead)

· Archives

· Access to and storing of local mail, contacts, calendars, etc. (i.e. on the local computer)

· Send a message "Later" (timed delay)

· Surveys

· Recalling a message

· Granting delegate access

· Using multiple signatures (single signatures are available)

· Attaching a vCard to your signature

Most other features are available in OWA. To check the online documentation, log in to OWA and click "Help".

In OWA, when signing on, what is the difference between “Public or shared computer” and “Private computer”?

OWA has improved security for the logon page. This security measure is especially useful for those who share a computer or those who access their email from a public computer in a lab or the libraries.

Your OWA session automatically logs you off after a certain amount of time. When you logon, you specify what kind of computer you are using. If you select "Private Computer", your session will timeout after 24 hours. If you select "Public or shared computer" your session will be closed after 30 minutes. After your session closes, even if you leave your browser open and someone tries to use it, they won't be able to access your account.

If you are accessing your email in your office, dorm room, home, or another private setting, it's recommended you use the Private setting.

How can I save a message to my Drafts folder so I don’t lose it when I’m composing it?

To save a message to your Drafts folder, click on the Save button on the OWA tool bar. This is typically next to the Send button.

It is important to periodically save your message as you are composing it if you plan to be inactive for periods of time. If you do not save your message, you may lose it if your session times out due to inactivity.

Exchange Mailbox Management / Quotas

What is my quota for mail storage?

The default quota for the UAS server is 250mb. Requests for larger storage space can be made to the Helpdesk and will be considered based on academic need.

Why is my mailbox so small when gmail can give gigabytes of space?

The Exchange Server stores all of your data (messages, attachments, appointments, contacts, etc.) on the server until you explicitly remove it. The data left on the server is backed up in an ongoing basis.

While increasing the quota storage space is possible, with a virtually unlimited environment it adds complexities to backing up data for recovery in case of a catastrophe. Most people do not use a lot of storage, so by creating a limited quota, it can assist in reminding us all to manage our email rather than just filing it.

Why am I getting warning message from the system administrator about my mailbox size?

All mailboxes on the server are configured to have a 250mb limit. You will receive a warning notice when your mailbox has reached 225mb. When the limit (250mb) is reached you will neither be able to send or receive new messages.

Note: Messages in your "Deleted Items", "Drafts" and "Sent Items" folders count towards your mailbox quota so be sure to empty these folders when you get close to your mailbox limit.

What happens if someone sends me a message when my mailbox is over limit?

If someone sends you a message when your mailbox is over your limit, the message will be immediately returned to them with a notification that your mailbox is currently not accepting new messages. Once your mailbox size has dropped below your limit you will be able to receive new messages.

What is the limit on the size of an individual message?

At present, the default size limitation on incoming and outgoing messages is unlimited (with limits based on your mailbox size), however, please be mindful that many external accounts may have limitations on the size of messages received. (For example, Gmail’s limit is 25mb whereas, Yahoo, Hotmail, and some exchange servers may have a limit of 10mb.)

For larger items, consider using UAS Home to create a link for easy access, or even upload it to your UAS Online portfolio and then email the resultant URL to your recipient.

How can I check my mailbox quota?

In Thunderbird

At present, exchange does not support showing quota usage through the normal methods available. You will need to use webmail to have an accurate picture of your quota usage.

If you would like to set thunderbird to show the size of individual folders (not overall quota usage), you can do that by following these steps:

· Go to Tools > Options…

· Click on the Advanced tab

· Check the Show expanded columns in the folder pane box

· Click OK

· You will now have a small icon above your folders panel that looks like this:

· Right click on the icon and choose Size, this will enable the size column to see how much space is utilized by a particular folder.

In webmail

While signed into webmail (using IE, visit https://mailgw.uas.alaska.edu/owa), in the navigation bar click on Mail. In the upper left, you will see the folder list. Your name will be at the top of the hierarchy. Hold your mouse pointer over your name and your quota information will appear in a small box.

In Outlook

While in Outlook follow these steps to view your mailbox quota:

Click on Mail in the left hand panel

Right click on your Mailbox – Full Name item in the folders view, click properties

On the General tab, click the Folder Size… button

On the Server Data tab, you will find your total quota usage as well as distribution of allotments throughout the server folders.

How long do messages stay in my Inbox?

Messages are not auto-deleted at any point. IT Services will be looking into the Exchange server’s Auto-Archive functionality in the future. Additional details will be announced as appropriate.

General Email Features, Including Webmail

Thunderbird vs. Outlook – which email tool is better?

One of the key issues / questions concerns the “right” or “better” client. Most of UAS users are using Thunderbird. The easiest migration in the short term would be for them to simply start using the exchange server though Thunderbird and ignore Outlook altogether.

Thunderbird provides quick & easy email functionality, though with the use of add-ons, can be highly adjusted to meet an individual’s personalized needs. There are a few favorite add-ons used across campus such as Nostalgy (super-fast email filing), Attachment Sizes (ability to see individual attachment sizes on messages), and ThunderbBrowse (enables viewing websites within thunderbird rather than switching to a browser for viewing). You can also view other popular add-ons.

Webmail enables easy, connect from anywhere, email and more. All messages will be available through your favorite web browser, and, if you’re the adventurous type, you can also get to your calendar and contacts when away from your office.

Outlook is a much larger, robust program. It has an extensive feature set and has familiar undertones to the interface of Microsoft Office 2003 & 2007. With Outlook 2003 or 2007, you can create multiple rule sets, utilize an integrated calendar, and tasks.

Ultimately, it is personal preference. Each product will have pros & cons, and it may take time to find the intricacies of features that make or break the deal. It is also common to find users capitalizing on a hybrid of clients for their use (using all three for various reasons).

Can I do a spell check in Outlook Web Access?

Spell checking can be enabled within webmail using Internet Explorer and Premium Outlook Web Access. Simply sign in, click Options (upper right) and then select Spelling from the left hand pane. There you will find the available adjustments to spell checking prior to sending.

Other web browsers such as Firefox do spell checking of the field by default, so you may see the red underscore highlighting any words not in the browser dictionary.

How do I change my password?

Changing passwords is done strictly through ELMO. If you inadvertently changed your password through the webmail interface, you will want to visit ELMO and use Option 1 to synchronize your password across all systems.

Can I change my “from” address in webmail?

There is no functionality to alter the From address within webmail. If you are utilizing a shared account, any messages that are composed from the shared environment will be addressed with the default shared address rather than your personal identity.

How can I configure webmail with a reading pane?

The new version of OWA offers several Reading Pane options if you are running Internet Explorer on your Windows workstation. From the OWA toolbar at the top of the screen, select the drop-down arrow next to the icon and select if you want the reading pane to be to the right, on the bottom, or turned off.

You can also tell OWA how to treat messages in the reading pane by configuring options in the Options screen. Navigate to the Reading Pane Options area, configure your preferences and Save and Close your configuration changes.

How can I send to several webmail contacts at the same time?

To send to multiple contacts entries at the same time, enter their names on the "To" line of your message, separated by a semicolon: ";" Before sending your message, click on the "Check Names" button Check Names icon.

In my webmail folder list, I see something called Public Folders. What are Public Folders?

Public Folders are shared mail folders that reside on the Exchange server. If you can see public folders then your account has appropriate permissions to view public folder hierarchy, but you may not have permissions to read the messages stored in the public folder. Several University departments or student organizations maintain public folders to provide shared access to mail messages. If you see a public folder that you'd like to have access to, please contact that department to learn whether your account can be assigned appropriate permissions.

Can I add a signature to my outbound email?

In Thunderbird

First, create a basic text signature using Notepad, or, if you prefer, a formatted signature using HTML (we suggest using Dreamweaver).

Next, back in Thunderbird, go to Tools > Account Settings, choose the mail account that the signature should be attached to. Check the Attach this signature box and Choose… a document as your signature.

Additionally, you can choose to edit and attach a vCard to messages from this same location.

In webmail (Outlook Web Access)

· Log in to webmail

· Click Options (upper right)

· Click Messaging (left hand pane)

· Update your signature

· Click Save (upper left)

· Click Mail to return to your email (lower left pane)

· Enjoy!

In Outlook

In Outlook 2007:

· Tools > Options…

· Mail Format tab

· Signatures

· Click New

· Provide a name for the signature, click OK

· Enter and format your signature

· Choose your preferences to the upper right

· Click OK

· Enjoy!

What does the OWA Junk Mail Filter do?

OWA Junk Mail is enabled in the Options screen. You can use this preconfigured Junk Mail filter to help in the fight against spam. The filter will put suspected junk mail in the Junk E-Mail folder in OWA. You can also configure "safe senders" and "blocked senders" to customize your junk mail filtering rules.

How does Content Blocking work and why would I want to use it?

Another new feature of OWA 2003 is Content Blocking. By default, OWA will block any external content in HTML messages, such as pictures or sounds, linked within the message. These links are hidden references (not the underlined kind that you click to activate) in the HTML source code to an external location on the Internet, such as a Web site. They are triggered when the message is opened or previewed, which prompts a download of the external content.

While some legitimate senders do this to avoid sending large messages, junk email senders use this technique to verify your email address as a legitimate one. Once verified, you will be targeted directly with more spam. For this reason, make sure that Content Blocking is on. This setting can be confirmed in the Privacy and Junk E-mail Prevention section from the Options folder.

How do I forward my email to my non-university account (i.e. gmail, yahoo, etc)

To forward your email, simply sign into UAS Online at http://uas.alaska.edu/online. There, edit your profile and update the Forward UAS email to field to be your preferred email address. Please be aware that a typo in this field will render email undeliverable to you. Additionally, we have heard reports of many non-university accounts filtering incoming messages as spam, so keep an eye on your spam filtering folder.

Can I use other Email Clients and protocols?

Absolutely.

Primarily this is an Exchange server which lends itself to Outlook and other exchange capable clients. IT Services may be considering moving our mail solution to a sole Exchange environment, but for now, we have other protocols available.

We also have IMAP enabled which allows most other mail clients to connect. Many people are presently set up with Thunderbird or MyUA (both IMAP capable clients). Currently we allow both SSL and non-SSL connections, but will be transitioning to a solely SSL environment in the near future.

Lastly, webmail is a full-featured option to utilize exchange features from any computer.

Out of Office Assistant

How do I set up the Out of Office Assistant in Outlook Web Access

1. Log on to OWA and navigate to the Options page.

2. Enter your "Out of the Office" text and select that you are "out of the office."

3. Finally, save and close these changes. This setting will send one message to each person who mails you while the Out of Office Assistant is enabled.

1. When you return, please remember to change this setting and configure your email client to be "in the office."

Why do people get one copy of my Out of Office message when the send me multiple messages?

This is by design. The Out of Office Assistant replies to each sender exactly one time. This one-reply functionality is to safeguard against looping Out of Office messages between two mailboxes with the feature enabled.

Troubleshooting

I just emptied my Deleted Items folder in OWA and I accidentally deleted something important. Can I get it back?

After you "Empty Deleted Items" from Outlook Web Access, those "emptied" messages go into a waiting area for 7 days before they are permanently purged from our systems. During that 7-day period, you can retrieve messages from the waiting area. Go to the Options screen and scroll down to the bottom to the Recover Deleted Items section. Click on the View Items button, select the messages you wish to un-delete and click on the Recover button. The message will be recovered into your Deleted Items folder.

In Outlook Web Access I only see 25 messages. Where are the rest of them?

By default, OWA displays 25 messages in the browser windows. You can configure this value to display up to 100 messages. Go to the Options screen and looking the Messaging Options section. Change the Number of items to display per page value, then click the Save and Close button.

I can only see a few messages in my inbox, but there had been dozens when I last looked. Where did they go?

There are several view options for a mail folder. One option is to view only unread messages. Check the View options to see if you are only looking at unread messages, or some other subset.

When I try to send a message, I get a pop up saying, “You have exceeded the storage limit on your mailbox. Delete some mail from your mailbox or contact your system administrator to adjust your storage limit.” What can I do?

You will receive this message if you try to send a message when you are over your mailbox limit. Clean out your mailbox of unwanted mail, including messages in the Sent Items folder, then Empty Deleted Items.

Note: Messages in your "Deleted Items", "Drafts" and "Sent Items" folders count towards your mailbox quota so be sure to empty these folders when you get close to your mailbox limit.

Why can’t I send to multiple recipients?

Thunderbird requires using a comma to separate unique addresses whereas webmail (OWA) and Outlook require using a semicolon.

If you If you are typing more than one address in the To:, Cc:, or Bcc: fields, you must separate each address with the proper punctuation. If there is a string of addresses with the incorrect separator, you will receive an error message.

When I try to send a message with an attachment, my message won't deliver (BANNED FILENAME).

Your problem probably falls into one of two categories:

1. Your extension is not allowed. Some file types are prohibited from being sent from Outlook Web Access entirely. These include those file types with the following extensions:

ade, adp, app, asx, bas, bat, chm, cmd, com, cpl, crt, csh, exe, fxp, hlp, hta, inf, ins, isp, js, jse, ksh, lnk, mda, mdb, mde, mdt, mdw, mdz, msc, msi, msp, mst, ops, pcd, pif, prf, prg, reg, scf, scr, sct, shb, shs, url, vb, vbe, vbs, wsc, wsf, wsh

If your file falls into this category, you cannot send the file as-is. You can either rename the file (i.e. change the extension), send it, and then ask the recipient to rename it to change the extension back, or compress the file into a zip or rar archive before you send it.

2. Your extension is allowed, but only if you save a copy on your file system (i.e. on your computer) first. These include those file types with the following extensions:

htm, html, htc, mht, mhtml, shtm, shtml, stm, url, xml, dir, dcr, plg, spl, swf

If your file falls into this category, make sure that you save a copy of the file to your computer before sending (e.g. if you are trying to forward an attachment).