Configuring Microsoft Exchange Server settings

Introduced in 2023.1

This article will guide you through the process of setting up a mail server using Microsoft Exchange Server. The benefits of Microsoft Exchange Server include robust email management, advanced security features, and easy integration with Microsoft productivity tools.

Before you begin:

1. Choose which Microsoft Exchange account the Mail Connector will use. This must be a Windows account with sufficient permissions to access the Microsoft Exchange mailbox you want to use for the Mail Connector. You can create a special Exchange mailbox account for this task, or use an existing one.

2. On the Automation Server computer, start the Alloy Automation Server Manager and change the Automation Server startup account to your Microsoft Exchange account. For details, see Configuring the Automation Server.

3. If you plan to use MAPI:

   Create an e-mail profile for the Microsoft Exchange account. The profile must be created using a 64-bit edition of Microsoft Outlook. For details, see E-mail profile for integration with Microsoft Exchange.

To configure Microsoft Exchange Server settings:

1. Under Mail Server, choose which service to use for integrating with the Microsoft Exchange Server:

• Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) - MAPI is a standard method of e-mail integration for all versions of Microsoft Exchange. Using this method requires an e-mail profile for the Microsoft Exchange account on the Automation Server computer. For details, see MAPI e-mail profile for integration with Microsoft Exchange.

• Exchange Web Services (EWS) - EWS are an enhanced method of e-mail integration for newer versions of Microsoft Exchange, introduced in Exchange 2007 SP1. EWS are installed and configured by default if Outlook Web Access is enabled in your environment.

2. Specify the connection details:

• For MAPI:

  MAPI support is being deprecated. Please use EWS for Exchange on-premises or migrate your mailbox to Exchange Online.

  • Specify the Outlook profile that you have created for the Microsoft Exchange account:

  • If the Automation Server computer has a single mail profile or when Microsoft Outlook on the Automation Server computer is configured to always use the profile you want to use, select the Use default profile check box.

  • If you want to specify a non-default profile, clear the Use default profile check box and select the profile from the Mail Profile list.

  IMPORTANT: The profile must be created using a 64-bit edition of Microsoft Outlook. For details, see E-mail profile for integration with Microsoft Exchange.

• For EWS:

  1. Choose one of the following:

  • If Autodiscovery is not enabled, click Specify the Exchange Web Services URL or server name and type in the URL path (the default URL is https://hostname.domain.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx). Alternatively, you can type in just the server name, and the system will suggest you the full URL path.

  • If your EWS server has Autodiscovery configured, click Autodiscover the Exchange Web Services URL using this address and type in the e-mail address of the Microsoft Exchange account.

  2. Provide the user name and password for the Microsoft Exchange account.

  3. By default, Alloy Navigator Express automatically detects the version of your Microsoft Exchange Server. However, in some situations you may need to manually specify your MS Exchange Server version. To do this, choose the necessary option in the Version field.

  4. If you want to prevent communication with the Microsoft Exchange Server when a certificate validation error occurs, select the Reject invalid certificates check box.

  5. Specify which folder on the server the Mail Connector will monitor for incoming messages. The default folder is INBOX. If needed, you can use a subfolder, such as "INBOX/Support".

3. Click Test Connection to verify that the Mail Connector can connect to the specified mail server.