Keeping Exchange all synced up, 2 Macs and a PC?

[krwilkins]

I have a Mac G5 at home and a MacBook Pro, but am forced to use a PC at work.

My goal is to be able to have my work PC Outlook information (via Exchange server) be reflected and properly synced on my Mac Laptop and Home Mac Desktop.

I want to be able to use Entourage on my MacBook Pro and have it linked to my work exchange server so any changes I make in Outlook on my work PC will show up on the laptop in Entourage when I connect it to the exchange server. Then I want to be able to isync my MacBook Entourage info and have it sync up with Entourage on my home desktop Mac.

Is this possible?

Ken

 

[blodwyn]

I have a Mac G5 at home and a MacBook Pro, but am forced to use a PC at work.

My goal is to be able to have my work PC Outlook information (via Exchange server) be reflected and properly synced on my Mac Laptop and Home Mac Desktop.

I want to be able to use Entourage on my MacBook Pro and have it linked to my work exchange server so any changes I make in Outlook on my work PC will show up on the laptop in Entourage when I connect it to the exchange server. Then I want to be able to isync my MacBook Entourage info and have it sync up with Entourage on my home desktop Mac.

Is this possible?

Ken

If you set up Outlook and Entourage to keep all your email on the Exchange server then you should be able to use either to access, and any changes will show up in both.

Not sure if you can isync to keep both your Macs in sync, but you can copy your Entourage main identity database file from one to the other, and all the settings and contents will follow

 

[krwilkins]

If you set up Outlook and Entourage to keep all your email on the Exchange server then you should be able to use either to access, and any changes will show up in both.

Not sure if you can isync to keep both your Macs in sync, but you can copy your Entourage main identity database file from one to the other, and all the settings and contents will follow

Thanks for the info. Using Entourage and Outlook on Exchange, and being able to have two way synchronization, sounds great.

Your second suggestion seems too awkward for me. I want to be able to Isync my Entourage and have it automatically Isync with my desktop Mac at home. This way I’m always dealing with the same information on my work PC (with Outlook) and both Macs.

Anyone else? Can this be done?

 

[maverick808]

It can be done if your Exchange server is properly configured to allow offsite access. I don't use Entourage (hate it) but I do sync my email and contacts with my work Exchange server using Apple Mail and Apple Address Book. I think most people assume that neither of these work with Exchange but they do.

To set up Mail you simply create a new account and pick Exchange as the type then enter your server details. To set up address book just go into prefs->General and check "synchronize with exchange" at the bottom. Couldn't be easier.

 

[krwilkins]

It can be done if your Exchange server is properly configured to allow offsite access. I don't use Entourage (hate it) but I do sync my email and contacts with my work Exchange server using Apple Mail and Apple Address Book. I think most people assume that neither of these work with Exchange but they do.

To set up Mail you simply create a new account and pick Exchange as the type then enter your server details. To set up address book just go into prefs->General and check "synchronize with exchange" at the bottom. Couldn't be easier.

Unfortunately my IT department has Exchange logged down like Fort Knox.

This is why I hope there is a solution using isync and my .mac account.

 

[maverick808]

Oh, I didn't understand. So you want your work account to basically sync to your iSync? I'm sorry but it can't be done that way round.

 

[Scottyk9]

Unfortunately my IT department has Exchange logged down like Fort Knox.

This is why I hope there is a solution using isync and my .mac account.

I have been checking into this a little bit, as my assistant uses Outlook / Exchange (although I am waiting for the upgrade to Exchange 2003 to be able to implement this).

As you know, Outlook will sync with Exchange, and Entourage should sync with the Exchange (unless they are still using Exchange 5.5, like they are at my institution ), but of course Outlook and Exchange will not sync with iSync .

So, you need access to Exchange through Entourage either offsite or onsite by bringing you MPB into work. I would check with you IT dept to see if they allow access from remote sites - I think some of this functionality is needed for Entourage to work at all.

Once you get over that hurdle of having it synced with Entourage, then you need to sync it with your other Mac. Office 2004 just had an update - and it looks like this will allow you to sync with Mac programs (iCal, Address Book) as well as to other computers through .Mac (here is a good resource: http://www.entourage.mvps.org/exchange/ )

 

[Le Big Mac]

Unfortunately my IT department has Exchange logged down like Fort Knox.

This is why I hope there is a solution using isync and my .mac account.

Here's what I think you could do. Set up the macbook to log on to exchange server at work. then in entourage, sync stuff to .mac through isync (using sync services in entourage). then at home use .mac to sync back.

Now, this will probably be a bit kludgy because you'll be going through several syncs and they don't all play nice together. also, there will not be any syncing of mail.

What I'd do is this. get the macbook working at work, using entourage. use that for any email needs. every so often, copy your contacts and calendar over to your G5.

In other words, until they let you have offsite access to the exchange server, it's not worth trying to do what you propose.