Properly Configuring Cached Exchange Mode in Outlook
The Cached Exchange Mode is essentially a setting in Outlook 2003 that determines how data is collected from your account on a Microsoft Exchange Server and stored on the local computer. Cached Exchange Mode allows you to store mail from your Exchange account locally in what are called offline folders and work with them even if you are not connected to the server. When you connect to the server, the data is downloaded and stored in the local offline folder files or OST files. You can work on the contents of these OST files and the next time you connect to the Exchange server, Outlook will carry out an automatic synchronization so that a properly synced copy of all the offline data is also available in the folders of the Exchange server. By having an offline copy of the folders, you can ensure that you take backups of the OST files locally and use them in case you need to carry out an exchange recovery.
On the other hand, if you do not want to use the Cached Exchange Mode, you can simply disable this feature. This would mean that every time some mail has to be sent, received or used in any manner, you would need to connect to the Exchange server. Naturally, this causes Outlook to run more slowly than it would in the Cached Exchange Mode. Further, the Cached Exchange Mode also allows you to store a local copy of the address book in what is called offline address book (OAB). If your Outlook has already been configured for offline use, there will be OST files and an OAB present. Outlook now just needs to download new information into the offline address book and the OST files. You will not only be speeding up the performance of Outlook, you will be ensuring that you can back up all the important addresses for use in case of an exchange recovery.
The main benefits of using the Outlook Cached Exchange Mode feature are as follows:
" For one, if you were having serious network connectivity problems and you would like to work while connected to the server, this would mean frequent interruptions. Not only will this result in loss of recent changes, it is going to result in an inefficient performance. By being able to work offline and going online only when needed to, you are saving yourself time and ensuring that your work is protected.
" If you are traveling or working from home, the Cached Exchange Mode enables you to easily switch back and forth from being online to working offline without any noticeable effects.
" You can always keep the latest copy of the contents of your folder on your local computer. You thus do not have to depend on connectivity to the server to access addresses or on the remote backups in case of an exchange recovery. Even if your local OST files get damaged or corrupted, you can easily use third-party tools such as Advanced exchange recovery from DataNumen to repair the OST files and minimize data loss.
On the other hand, if you do not want to use the Cached Exchange Mode, you can simply disable this feature. This would mean that every time some mail has to be sent, received or used in any manner, you would need to connect to the Exchange server. Naturally, this causes Outlook to run more slowly than it would in the Cached Exchange Mode. Further, the Cached Exchange Mode also allows you to store a local copy of the address book in what is called offline address book (OAB). If your Outlook has already been configured for offline use, there will be OST files and an OAB present. Outlook now just needs to download new information into the offline address book and the OST files. You will not only be speeding up the performance of Outlook, you will be ensuring that you can back up all the important addresses for use in case of an exchange recovery.
The main benefits of using the Outlook Cached Exchange Mode feature are as follows:
" For one, if you were having serious network connectivity problems and you would like to work while connected to the server, this would mean frequent interruptions. Not only will this result in loss of recent changes, it is going to result in an inefficient performance. By being able to work offline and going online only when needed to, you are saving yourself time and ensuring that your work is protected.
" If you are traveling or working from home, the Cached Exchange Mode enables you to easily switch back and forth from being online to working offline without any noticeable effects.
" You can always keep the latest copy of the contents of your folder on your local computer. You thus do not have to depend on connectivity to the server to access addresses or on the remote backups in case of an exchange recovery. Even if your local OST files get damaged or corrupted, you can easily use third-party tools such as Advanced exchange recovery from DataNumen to repair the OST files and minimize data loss.