Enterprise Mail Services

What's New

Outlook Issues

Exchange Server

Utilities and Add-ins

Developer Issues (at Outlookcode.com)

Video Tutorials

Product Reviews

Click here to subscribe
to our weekly newsletter
Exchange Messaging Outlook
EMO back issues

Enterprise Services

This page covers non-Microsoft MAPI transports for connecting to enterprise mail, calendar and workflow servers. All of these services require Outlook 97, Outlook 98 or Outlook 2000 in Corporate/Workgroup mode, Windows Messaging or Exchange client. They do not work with Outlook 98 or Outlook 2000 in Internet Mail Only mode.

For a Microsoft enterprise mail solution, you have two choices:

Microsoft Exchange Server

Microsoft Mail -- no longer officially supported in Outlook, as of Outlook 2002

The other solutions listed on this page differ widely in complexity and cost. Some are no longer available to new customers.

IMAP

InsightConnector from Bynari is an Outlook addin that allows IMAP mailboxes to operate as full Outlook information stores containing any kind of Outlook items, not just the messages and posts that IMAP normally handles. When used with an IMAP server that supports folder access control lists (e.g. CommuniGate Pro, Cyrus (open-source), or InsightServer), InsightConnector also supports sharing of users' individual IMAP folders, as well as public folders. IMAP mailboxes configured with InsightConnector can operate as the primary information store for Outlook, through synchronization with a .pst file on the local machine. Meeting requests, sent items, and other Outlook features work just as you'd expect them to in an Exchange mailbox or standalone .pst file.

CommuniGate Pro MAPI Connector is a MAPI connector providing additional capabilities to Outlook clients against the CommuniGate Pro server.

Also see

Other solutions for sharing all kinds of Outlook data

Lotus cc:Mail

Outlook 2000 includes a free cc:Mail transport. For Outlook 97 and Outlook 98, see Support for Lotus CCMail (Windows95, Windows98, & NT 4.0) for Outlook to download the latest version.

Transend ConnectorWare for cc:Mail is an enhanced Exchange/Outlook service for connecting to cc:Mail and cc:Mail Mobile. It includes bulletin board support and other enhancements and supports Outlook 97, 98, 2000, and 2002. Transend also offers a ConnectorWare IMPORT Utlity for importing all kinds of cc:Mail data to Outlook Personal Folders or to Exchange Server.

Outlook 2002 drops support for the cc:Mail transport provided by Microsoft. Transend's does support Outlook 2002.

The cc:Mail Archive Importer and the Lotus Notes Mail Importer for from Microsoft move existing cc:Mail archive files to Microsoft Exchange Server.

Lotus Domino & Notes

Microsoft Outlook 2002 Connector	Microsoft-provided Outlook client component for access to an IBM Lotus Domino R5 server (version 5.0.1, 5.0.6, 5.0.8, 5.0.9, 5.0.10 or 5.0.11) for email, scheduling, address book, and task items. Download includes a PABImport.exe file to import the Lotus address book into the Connector. You must install the Lotus Notes client first and configure it to access the same server that you want the Connector to use. Cannot be used in the same profile as Exchange Server. Outlook 2002 only. May work with R6, though officially supported only on R5. Also see: OL2002 Draft Messages That You Create in Outlook Connector and Send From Lotus Notes Does Not Appear in Sent Items Folder Outlook 2002 Connector Hotfix Package October 14, 2003 Microsoft is working with IBM to release a new version of the connector that will add support for Outlook 2003 and for add support for Lotus Domino Release 6 messaging server.
Domino Access for Outlook	Lotus-provided Outlook client component for use with Notes Release 5.0.5 and later. See Understanding iNotes Access for Microsoft Outlook. (Formerly Lotus iNotes)
Older Lotus Notes client	Connecting Outlook and Exchange to Lotus Notes provides hints on making Outlook and Exchange/Windows Messaging work (at least somewhat) with Notes. Also see: OL2000 (CW): Outlook Does Not Work with Lotus Notes Mail OL98 (CW): Outlook Does Not Work with Lotus Notes Mail Lotus Notes Mail Not Available as a Service to MAPI After Outlook 2000 Installation -- Details on updating Mapisvc.inf

MailOne for UNIX

The MailOne MAPI Driver for the MailOne for UNIX server provides mail, group contacts, and shared folders, but does not support special Outlook items like appointments, contacts and tasks.

MHS

Connect2Exchange is an Exchange client for the Connect2 family of MHS-based mail products. You can use it to build an office mail system with shared address books and connections to many different kinds of messaging (e-mail, fax, etc.).

Novell GroupWise

GroupWise 5.5 Plug-in for Microsoft Outlook is an add-in to enhance Outlook's ability to connect to Novell GroupWise servers for mail, calendars and collaboration. See Introducing the GroupWise Plug-In For Outlook 98 for a detailed walk-through.

Older versions of GroupWise also include a MAPI transport. Like the Lotus Notes transport, it has limited Outlook compatibility. See:

OL2000 You Cannot Start Outlook After You Install Novell GroupWise

Compatibility between GW and Outlook 97 or 98 (Novell)

OL2000: (CW) Using GroupWise and Outlook on the Same Computer (MSKB)

OL98: (CW) Using GroupWise and Outlook on the Same Computer (MSKB)

OL97: Using GroupWise and Outlook on the Same Computer (MSKB)

Also see:

novell.support.collaboration.groupwise5.clients discussion group

Samsung Contact Server

Enterprise mail and calendaring server for various UNIX platforms, based on OpenMail code licensed from Hewlett-Packard. Enables users to securely send and receive emails, log on to their contact server, schedule meetings, and access their diary, personal contacts and to-do lists. Supports Outlook MAPI clients with offline synchronization. Other clients include POP, IMAP, Web (including WAP and PDA), and Samsung Contact client.

SAP

The SAP MAPI Service Provider allows Outlook and Exchange clients to access the SAP R/3 mail server and participate in SAP Workflow. Offline access is supported.

Also see:

OL98: Error Message: Outlook.exe Caused an Invalid Page Fault in Module Mpsap32.dll

OL2002 You Cannot View or Expand a Folder Hierarchy That Is Created by SAP MAPI Service Provider -- fix available in Office XP Service Pack 2

Tools

CalendarTime	Outlook Connector provides calendar-sharing via CorporateTime calendar server and IMAP e-mail. Supports offline folders, offline synchronization, PDA synchronization and Internet Free/Busy lookup. Does not support Outlook 97 or Outlook 98 or 2000 in Internet Mail Only mode. Part of Oracle Collaboration Suite.
Gordano Messaging Suite	Gordano Messaging Suite is an enterprise level messaging server available for Windows and UNIX platforms. The product suite offers mail, list, anti-spam, anti-virus, instant messaging and webmail. An Outlook connector provides online/offline access to shared and public folders. Outlook folders can also be accessed using a number of different clients including GMS WebMail, Mozilla Firefox, Apple iCal and KDE organizer. All Outlook folders types are available including mail folders, Contacts, Calendars, Notes, Tasks and Journals.
HP OpenMail	HP OpenMail is no longer available to new customers. However, HP plans to provide support until March 31, 2006. The OpenMail code has been licensed for the Samsung Contact Server and Scalix products discussed below. OpenMail 6.0 provides a MAPI service provider with support for Outlook scheduling and collaboration, while 7.0 adds offline folder synchronization.
Scalix	Scalix is an enterprise mail and calendar server built on HP OpenMail technology. Includes Scalix Connect for Outlook with offline support, shared public folders, scheduling, delegation, server based rules, direct resource booking, and other collaboration features. Also includes Outlook-like web client.

More Information

Outlook 2002 uses a different design for connecting to MAPI transports. Therefore, some third-party MAPI transports may not work as expected. See:

OL2002 Custom MAPI Transport Providers May Not Function

OL2002 Outlook Does Not Call MAPI Transports When You Work Offline -- fix in SP2

Updated Jul 15 2008