Exchange

Tips and Tricks: Outlook Web Access

December 14, 2016 by Michael Caban

Most UCI Exchange email and calendar users now have their accounts in Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud service. You can always use the full-featured Outlook application (part of Microsoft Office), but you can also use the Web interface, Outlook Web Access (OWA) if Outlook isn’t available on your computer, or doesn’t meet your needs.

There are many methods for sorting and filing from your inbox. You can delete a single message by simply clicking on the trash can icon that appears when you hover over or select the message. You can use the check-boxes that appear on the left when mousing over a message to create a group for refiling or deletion. You can also drag-and-drop messages one at a time or (by shift-clicking or control-clicking) in groups.

Because OWA is part of an online suite of Microsoft tools, you can quickly jump to another (such as your calendar) using the grid in the upper left of the window. There is also a flexible search box in that corner.

The Filter drop-down menu above your message list offers a number of features, including the ability to choose how the message list is sorted (say, by date or sender.)

From the black-and-white gear at the upper right, you can configure your out-of-office message, as well as make some layout choices (Display Settings).

The Reading Pane is where you see the contents of a message. You can choose where in your browser window you want it to appear, or suppress it and use all the screen space for your folder and message list. From the Conversations tab you can display related messages with the newest message first or last.

This is only a sample of the features in OWA. The OIT Help Desk is ready to assist you with any other needs in managing your Exchange email or calendar.

Tips and Tricks: Vacation Messages in Webmail

March 30, 2016 by Carol Jackson

If you are leaving campus for a conference or vacation, or for some other reason will have limited access to your email, it is helpful to set up your account to inform your correspondents. Called a “Vacation message” or “Away message,” you can say as much or as little as you wish, and each person who writes you will only be notified the first time they send you email.

If you use OIT’s Webmail service, it is a simple process with the new Webmail software:

Click the Settings button then the Vacation tab
From that screen, check Enable (turn on) vacation messaging, be sure the end date and message are correct, and click Save

When you return to the office, repeat these steps but disable (uncheck – turn off) your message

For a detailed visual guide to setting a vacation message in Webmail, refer to the OIT Knowledge Base.

If you prefer (or while using the legacy Webmail software), you may still use My Email Options to set an away message.

If you use OIT’s Exchange service, you can set up an automatic reply in Outlook or Outlook Web Access.

If you use UCI Gmail, you should use the automatic reply feature.

Update from Windows Services Group

April 3, 2014 by Jeffry Martin

OIT’s Windows Services Group (WSG) provides Windows Server system administration and related application support. Here are some of WSG’s efforts over the last year.

Windows 7 Migration

As OIT’s Desktop Support has been guiding departments through the transition from Windows XP to Windows 7, WSG has been working behind the scenes to create a productive environment for users, including server support for user profiles (i.e., seeing the desktop and preferences you expect when you log in – at any supported machine), departmental shares (network disk drives), and group policies (such as security features.)

Remote Administration

Remote administration refers to systems that allow for efficient distribution of standardized software and desktop configuration from a centralized location. WSG has worked with Desktop Support to transition remote administration from LANDesk to BigFix and Microsoft System Center resulting not only in flexible and efficient support for user desktops, but saving UCI tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Lync

WSG has pioneered deployment of Microsoft Lync services for UCI. Lync is a hosted service that lets you connect with others through instant messaging (IM), video calls, and online meetings. Lync is integrated with Exchange so that (for example) free/busy information from your colleagues’ calendars is visible allowing you to see who among your collaborators is available through the work day or to schedule conferences.

Mobile Devices Connect to Enterprise Services

May 22, 2009 by Andrew Laurence

The campus wireless network has enabled mobile computing for laptop and tablet computers for years. Faculty and staff may be less aware that NACS also offers services to users of handheld mobile devices such as iPhones and Blackberries.

If you use Oracle Calendar to manage your appointments, NACS offers support for wireless synchronization so you can carry your calendar with you. Oracle Calendar offers two methods for synchronizing a personal digital assistant, Desktop Calendar Sync (for PDAs) or Mobile Data Sync (for smartphones and cell phones.) These methods are mutually exclusive, and should not be intermingled.

For users of NACS’s Exchange server, you can get access to your email via Blackberry by using Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) for Exchange. BES is a “push” technology meaning the Exchange server will update your Blackberry whenever new data (email, events) is delivered to your account.

If you need help with these resources, or have other ideas how NACS can support mobile devices and technologies, please call x4-2222 or email nacs@uci.edu.

NACS Exchange Services

December 10, 2008 by Andrew Laurence

For most departments, email needs can be met with NACS Mailbox Services which is provided to the campus at no charge.

NACS offers Exchange services to departments which require an integrated Microsoft environment, including email, calendar, and group communications. Clients have access to the service from anywhere on the Internet. This service is intended as a lower-cost alternative to local email management for departments that already use Exchange.

NACS is currently supporting an Exchange server for the Paul Merage School of Business and several other departments including the School of Law . The Exchange Service provides support for Outlook, Outlook Web Access, Outlook Mobile Access, Exchange ActiveSync, Microsoft Entourage, and standard-based POP/IMAP/SMTP clients. For users who often use multiple computers, Exchange has a web interface.

The servers used for the Exchange platform are hosted in the Academic Data Center . NACS manages the software, system administration, server hardware, storage management, upgrades, backups, and performance tuning for the Exchange servers. NACS also has a 24/7 monitoring and response group to make sure service is restored quickly in the event of an interruption. NACS would be happy to meet with interested department managers to assess whether this service matches department needs. Contact us at nacs@uci.edu .