Outlook Extension
The Outlook Extension is a plugin that provides access to email via Microsoft Outlook during an outageRefers to a situation when the email server is down or offline.. Users that have the Outlook Extension installed can continue sending and receiving emails seamlessly. Through Outlook Extension user also have a link to access their archived emails.
How it works
The Outlook Extension periodically polls the data center to see if ContinuityA feature provided by GFI OneConnect that queues the emails sent and received in a Data Center and ensures that your organization can keep the mail flow even when the email infrastructure is down. has been activated.
When Continuity is activated, the plugin switches Microsoft Outlook into offline mode, and remains offline for the duration of the activation. While Continuity is active, messages are routed and delivered to user Inboxes through GFI OneConnect.
When the activation period is over, the plugin switches Microsoft Outlook back into online mode. Messages sent and received during the activation using the Outlook Extension are resynced by Microsoft Exchange. These messages are included in the Recovery archive, but are not restored during normal recovery unless an administrator directs the RecoveryManager to do so.
Outlook Extension notes
- End-users must log in or register with GFI OneConnect prior to using the Outlook Extension during a Continuity activation.
- When Continuity activation is over, the Outlook Extension normally receives a state change signal from GFI OneConnect telling it to reconnect to the Microsoft Exchange server and return to regular operation. However, if Microsoft Outlook is closed during an activation and it misses the state change, it may remain offline after the activation is over. If this happens, users can reconnect to Microsoft Exchange and resume regular operation by right-clicking the Offline button.
- If your organization uses proxy servers, the Outlook Extension provides basic proxy authentication. Users enter proxy server credentials (user name and password) to gain access to their email during an activation of Continuity.
- If multiple Outlook Extensions are pointing to the same mailbox, it is likely that each instance of Outlook only receives a subset of messages received during an activation since each message is downloaded by the first Outlook Extension instance that polls for the message. It is highly recommended to have only one Outlook Extension per mailbox.
- The Outlook Extension is not supported on Microsoft Entourage or Microsoft Outlook 2011 for Mac.
Feature comparison with WebMail
The following table compares the features and functionality available to users through WebMailA web-based email client provided by GFI OneConnect that is available when your organization's primary email infrastructure is unavailable. and the Outlook Extension.
| Microsoft Outlook Feature | Available in WebMail? | Available in the Outlook Extension? |
|---|---|---|
|
Send and receive email |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View or use the message importance feature |
Yes | Yes |
|
View or use the message sensitivity feature |
No |
Yes |
|
Use message delivery options |
No | No |
|
View calendars |
Yes | Yes |
|
Receive appointments |
Yes | Yes |
|
Modify calendars |
No | Yes |
|
Send appointments |
No | Yes |
|
View contacts |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Modify contacts |
No |
Yes |
|
View Global Address List |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View tasks |
No | Yes |
|
Modify tasks |
No | Yes |
|
View or use categories |
No | Yes |
|
Manage folders |
Not applicable |
Yes |
|
Access PST folders |
Not applicable |
Yes |
|
View or use the Reminders window |
No | Yes |
|
Access client-side rules (filters) |
No | Yes |
|
Access server-side rules and the Out-of-Office feature |
No | No |
|
Delegate access or view others’ mailboxes |
No | No |
Further reading about the Outlook Extension: