Outlook Web Access with Exchange 2007 – Get the Full Feature Set
For all you Microsoft Exchange 2007 users that are constantly on-the-go, I’m sure you’ve become very familiar with Outlook Web Access (OWA). Just in case you aren’t familiar, here is a brief run down: OWA is a the handy web application that allows Exchange users to access their Outlook email and calendar information from a standard web browser, regardless of location. Very cool for those of you that travel or use a shared workstation, but there is one caveat.
As mentioned above, Microsoft states that OWA is accessible from a standard web browser, but depending on which browser you choose, you will experience a different feature set. OWA can run in one of two versions: Premium and Light. OWA Premium is the next best thing to using Outlook 2007 directly on a network computer. You get nearly all the same features as Outlook, but OWA Premium can only be accessed with Internet Explorer (IE) 6 or later versions. OWA Light, on the other hand, can be accessed via other browsers, but it’s a stripped down version of the application with fewer features.
Browsers that support OWA Light include:
- Mozilla Firefox 1.8
- Opera 7.54
- Netscape Navigator 7.1
- Safari 1.2.
Keep in mind, however, that OWA Light is only supported on these browsers when setup in certain operating system environments. For full details on the operating system/browser combinations that support OWA light, visit Microsoft’s site at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998931.aspx.
I bring all this up because I am fully aware that not everyone uses IE. In fact, close to 50% of people use some other type of browser and, therefore, aren’t getting the full fledged OWA experience.
For all you non-IE users, here’s what you’ll be missing:
- Spelling Checker
- Reading Pane
- Notifications and Reminders
- Weekly Calendar Views
- Windows SharePoint Services and Windows File Share Integration
- HTML Message Format
- Right-Click Menu
- Drag and Drop
- Explicit Logon
- Type-down Search
- Resource Mailbox Management
- Color Scheme Appearance
- Voicemail Options
For a full list of all OWA Light limitations, visit Microsoft’s site at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997437.aspx.
The good news is that you do have options to avoid experiencing this watered down version of OWA. First option is to use IE instead, even if it’s only for this one application, and you’ll get full access to the Premium features. I know for some of you that may be asking a lot, so here is the second option.
If you are a Mozilla Firefox fan, you can download the Firefox IE Tab Add-on. This nifty tool allows you to open an IE tab in the Firefox browser as needed. According to Mozilla, it “should” operate just as if you are using Internet Explorer, and thus your OWA problems are solved. To download the add-on, visit Mozilla’s site at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419.
Finally, there is a third option, but it’s not yet available. Exchange 14 (coming soon) will have a ton of new features – including full Outlook Web Access on FireFox and Safari as well as IE. See our post on Exchange 14 features.
Whatever you chose, the moral of the story is: OWA has a lot to offer remote Exchange 2007 users. Don’t miss out on the goods!
