Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 uses Web Services as the primary protocol for interacting with the Exchange mailbox database. Exchange Web Services is based on the Microsoft .NET Framework, and it represents the future of how clients use Microsoft Exchange. Compared to WebDAV, Exchange Web Services offer a more robust feature set to enable client applications to communicate with the server running Microsoft Exchange. To take advantage of the latest innovations that Exchange 2007 has to offer, the Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta uses Exchange Web Services for all communications with the Exchange Server.

Entourage 2008 used Exchange Web Services functionality to support Free/Busy, Out of Office Assistant, delegation, and Autodiscover service. In the Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta, Exchange Web Services provides folder and item synchronization, notes, tasks, and categories synchronization with the Exchange Server and for several calendaring improvements.

What’s new?

Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta makes significant strides with several updates. These include notes, tasks, and categories synchronization, logging, and calendar improvements. The following paragraphs discuss the new and improved features that are added when you install this latest version of Entourage.

Notes, Tasks, and Categories synchronize with Microsoft Exchange Server
Users can synchronize their notes, tasks, and categories with the Exchange Server. For example, a user can add tasks in Entourage. This task list is synchronized with the Exchange Server, which lets the user view those tasks from any of the Exchange Server clients: Entourage, Microsoft Office Outlook, Outlook Web Access Premium. Also, categories are synchronized with Exchange Server and are compatible with Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.

Autodiscovery
The Autodiscover service was introduced in Entourage 2008 for Mac SP1 to configure a user’s Exchange account settings automatically. In Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta, the Autodiscover service keeps user account settings up-to-date after the account setup.

• It runs in the background every time that you start Entourage.
• It also runs at a server-defined interval, typically every hour, to make sure that the Exchange Server settings are always kept up-to-date. For example, when a user’s Microsoft Exchange Server information changes, Entourage 2008 reconfigures the user’s profile automatically.
• The service also runs if a network failure occurs while Entourage is connecting to the Exchange Server. If Entourage connects to the Exchange Server with updated settings from the Autodiscover service, those settings are stored and used for future connections.

Enable Logging (troubleshooting) preference
You can enable logging for diagnostic purposes by selecting the Enable Logging (troubleshooting) preference. Microsoft Customer Support Services uses the diagnostic information to identify issues, such as Exchange synchronization, calendar, LDAP, and Autodiscover service issues.

Support for attachments in Exchange calendar events
Users can add attachments to the calendar meetings. If users send an invite with attachments, the meeting in the invite’s calendar shows the attachment.

Important:

• Your Entourage client must be connecting to an Exchange Server 2007 Server with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4 or later installed for this beta to work.
• The Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta will not connect to Exchange Server versions prior to 2007 with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4. Previous versions such as Exchange Server 5.5, 2000, and 2003) do not have the Exchange Web Services feature that enables the Entourage for Exchange Web Services to connect.
• If you are not currently connecting to an Exchange Server 2007 server with Service Pack 1 with Update Rollup 4 or later installed or are unsure of what version of Exchange Server you are connecting to, please do not continue with this beta until you have confirmed that you meet this minimum requirement.
• The Entourage for Exchange Web Services Beta will need to be installed on top of an exsting licensed Office 2008 for Mac install.