Outlook 2010 or 2013 Dual Configuration Exchange + IMAP

[Fozzie Bear]

I am helping 6 users to migrate a single shared email account from IMAP to hosted exchange with the same provider. They currently have two email accounts both set up as IMAP but only one will be migrated across to Exchange 2013 the other will remain as IMAP or POP.
Can Outlook 2010 or 2013 happily work with an Exchange account and another IMAP account at the same time and are there any pitfalls/problems:
I intended backing up both PST files and then delete and recreate a new mail profile to set up Exchange. Once this is working then import the messages etc from the backed up PST for the account that has been upgraded.
I then plan to re-add the second IMAP account.

1) Should I use the default Outlook PST used by Outlook for calendar and contacts or let Outlook create a new PST file for the re-added IMAP account (2010 only as 2013 I think creates OST files for IMAP)?
2) Also during the Exchange setup can I dictate where the exchange account saves its data files. I believe by default Outlook 2010 and later use a folder in "My Documents" rather than a hidden folder in the user profile. At the same time as the mail upgrade the users are getting a file server for enforced shared storage. This involves redirecting each users "My Documents" to a local file server. I therefore don't want the PST/OST files on the network but on the local machine.
Any advice/tips would be appreciated.
Fozzie

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Outlook works with multiple accounts just fine. If the mailboxes are in the same domain, the provider may not allow two different mail types...

You need one licensed mailbox to log in with but can set up unlicensed shared mailboxes and users either log in using the licensed credentials or open it in the licensed mailbox profile. So... you could move the second account to exchange at no extra cost. The biggest issue is that they need to select the address for new messages from the shared mailbox, replies will go out from the correct address.

On to the questions:
1. I would use the exchange mailbox - it will behave better if its set as default - or the existing pst. I would not make a new profile - on one computer: just add the exchange account and move the mail from the address's old imap folders to the exchange mailbox then remove the imap account that is going away. Leave the imap account you are keeping. On the others: remove the imap account and replace it with the exchange account.

2. You can move Exchange ost files but unless the C drive is full, I'd leave it - you don't back it up as it's a copy of the server and you can't open it except with the profile that created it. It's stored in the localappdata folder path by default and that folder is not normally stored on a network drive.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Firstly many thanks for the reply Diane. I am constantly researching and trying to keep up with Office/Email changes but unless you are using the platform yourself its impossible to get into the control panel and "root around"

I will try you suggestion as copying across from the old IMAP to the new exchange account will be easier than importing a PST and also prevent disruption to incoming mail and changing over.

The only reason I was suggesting creating a new mail profile was that the Exchange configuration tool you download from the Exchange hosting company (1&1) creates a new profile as part of the account setup process (I think). I initially set up the account manually but had problems with Outlook remembering the password something I have experienced with other hosted Exchange setups. I tried this numerous times but it would not accept the password which I knew was correct. The only thing that worked was the configuration wizard. Perhaps I will be more successful with Outlook 2010 than with Outlook 2013.
I am not sure I understand about licenced and unlicensed mailboxes. I assumed an exchange mailbox could only be used with one email address. Are you saying you can set up separate sub mailboxes with different email addresses e.g. info@somedomain.com as the licenced mailbox and accounts@somedomain.com and admin@somedomain.com as unlicensed mailboxes? Could you possibly point me to any information that explains this in detail please?
Thanks again
Fozzie

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I am not sure I understand about licenced and unlicensed mailboxes. I assumed an exchange mailbox could only be used with one email address. Are you saying you can set up separate sub mailboxes with different email addresses e.g. info@somedomain.com as the licenced mailbox and accounts@somedomain.com and admin@somedomain.com as unlicensed mailboxes? Could you possibly point me to any information that explains this in detail please?

I'm not sure what 1&1 allows with their setup... i have a godaddy account for testing and they don't let me do everything i can do on other exchange servers (like easily add a second domain to the account), but if they allow it you can do the following. Do you know if they are reselling Office 365 or running their own servers?

You can add additional email addresses to exchange mailboxes for receiving email but can only send from the default - i have diane, dianep and a few others for incoming mail. I can't send mail from those accounts.

Yes, you can pay for info@domain.com and create shared mailboxes that are "owned" by info - they are added to your profile as a mailbox and you can send using that address if you have send as permission.

this is from one of my test mailboxes - Help and Sales are shared mailboxes.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Many thanks again Diane,
I think I now understand what you mean, the catch is that you can only send from the parent (licenced) account. I don't think this would work in the office scenario I am trying to support. They have one catch all mailbox info@xxxx.com into which all outside mail is received. All six users access this mailbox and deal with jobs as they come in. One of the reasons for the upgrade to exchange is to increase the mailbox size. they are already up to their 10Gb limit on their current mailbox. The reason being they create numerous sub folders within the inbox into which they file incoming correspondence, like an online filing system. The other reason is the use of Flags to indicate who is dealing, which are very limited in IMAP plus shared address book and calendar etc.
In addition to their main mailbox they have a separate email account such as Jane@ or Accounts@ which they use primarily to forward mail to each other around the office and from partners or specific customers like accountants, and financial institutions.
I wish I could find an uncomplicated email filing system that integrates with Outlook so they can save their filing on the file server along with other documents. Most I have seen are designed for large organisations or enterprises which host their own exchange
I believe 1&1 use their own Mail Servers

Thanks again. I really do appreciate the help I and others get from this forum
Fozzie

 

[Diane Poremsky]

>> the catch is that you can only send from the parent (licenced) account.
As long as you have SendAs permission OR create a separate profile for that account, you can send using it. The catches are:

1) you need to select the address to send new messages from it, its not like a normal mailbox and outlook picks the correct address. The first time you use it, you'll pick it from the from menu, after that it's listed under the mailbox name. Replies will correctly use the shared mailbox address.



How to create a separate profile: http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/create-rules-and-oof-shared-mailbox/

2) each person who uses the mailbox should have a mailbox of their own, or they will all log in using the same account (info in your case) . It may not be a problem in your scenario as it sounds like they all share the mailbox anyway.

I had one guy who thought he'd save money by getting one mailbox and creating 50 shared mailboxes for his employees. He changed his mind when I said any employee could use the master account to log into any other mailbox.

3) accessing it from a smartphone is a little more complicated and is email only.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Just wanted to say thank you for your help. I spent a day in the office setting up their exchange accounts and all is now working with one niggle which I will post separately as a new question. Please consider this thread closed