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Outlook Web Access
Outlook Web Access was first introduced in
Exchange 5.5 and then improved upon in Exchange
2000—providing access to Exchange from Internet
browser-based computers using HTTP or HTTPS (Secure
Sockets Layer, or SSL). With Exchange 2003, new features
and a new user interface make the Outlook Web Access
user experience very similar to the full desktop
Outlook. Outlook Web Access gives users additional
flexibility in how they stay connected with their
organization by enabling access to Exchange that is more
secure and that can be established from a browser-based
computer with Internet access.
Scenarios include checking e-mail,
calendar, and contacts from airport and trade show
kiosks, Internet cafés, a computer at home, or at a
customer’s location. In many cases, traveling users may
reconsider the need to carry their laptops on short
business trips or customer visits when they only need
e-mail access. Outlook Web Access in Exchange 2003 has
been upgraded to provide many of the productivity
features only found previously in the full Outlook
client, such as a spelling checker, support for Tasks,
Search Folders, Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail
Extensions (S/MIME) support that allows the ability to
digitally sign and encrypt e-mail, support for Rules
(processes incoming e-mails), support for block/accept
sender lists, and auto-time out logoff. Outlook Web
Access performance has also been improved, enabling a
productive user experience over slower network
connections.
Save
communication costs for occasional e-mail users
Many organizations are now using e-mail to
communicate with workers who traditionally have not used
or do not have access to e-mail such as factory or
retail floor workers. Company-wide bulletins, personnel
policies, marketing, or internal messages are
distributed by means of e-mail instead of traditional
paper-based means, enabling faster and less expensive
methods of communication. Some organizations have almost
completely eliminated paper-based communication, and ask
all employees to check their e-mail once per day for
news, policies, and general communication.
Use Outlook Web Access to migrate
and extend Exchange
Outlook Web Access is very helpful for
migrations to disparate desktops and support of
non-Windows desktops. Outlook Web Access is supported
with Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers. Users who
don’t use Windows-based desktops or who don’t have the
latest Office Outlook 2003 client can still enjoy the
new more productive experience by using Outlook Web
Access in Exchange 2003.
Note For more information on which
Outlook Web Access features are available depending on
the browser being used, see the white paper
“Introduction to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.” It is
available at:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=17028
Outlook Web
Access is less expensive to support and deploy
Outlook Web Access is also attractive
because less training and support is required for
deployments; no desktop installation (except for the
browser software) is necessary. Outlook Web Access is
also faster to deploy to any computer with a browser and
Internet access ready to connect. With Outlook Web
Access, Exchange 2003 end user benefits can be achieved
almost instantly.
Outlook Web Access offers compression for
Internet Explorer 6.0 and higher users.
Outlook Web Access also has a compression
feature for those using Internet 6.0 and higher, this
feature copresses all data from the Exchange Server 2003
to your web browser. This is a great new feature for
users on a slow connection.

For tech support on Outlook Web Access see:
OWA
Support.