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Installing Domino Access for Microsoft Outlook
Level: Intermediate
Target: All - Administrator, Developer, End-User
Server Compatiblity: 6.5 Series
Updated: 05/17/2004
Supplement Files:
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IBM's Domino Access for Microsoft Outlook (DAO) is an application, which will give Microsoft Outlook a way to connect to the domino server's mail file. Unlike the previous iNotes connector for Microsoft Outlook, it is not based on IMAP or other open standards. Instead, it is using replication methodology via a proprietary connection.
Target Audience
This product is really geared towards the user community who would rather use the Outlook interface. These are users who are going to be panic or feel a great amount of stress from the change. As a stepping-stone, the product would be good as an interim measure to using IBM's Web Access or even the Lotus Notes client. An important note is in the total cost of ownership (TCO) you will have to be figured in the cost of the outlook client.
Required Software for Installation/Implementation
An environment needs to have the Domino server version 6.5.1 to use the DAO and is not limited by the server’s specific operating system. DAO can work with any Domino server 6.5.1 (including Linux and AS/400 flavors). Microsoft Outlook 2000 and 2002-SP2 are the compatible version for DAO running on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. In my test scenario, I was able to run Microsoft 2002-SP2 on a Windows 2000 desktop with DAO connecting to a Domino server on Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft 2000 on a Windows 2000 desktop with DAO connecting to a Domino server on Linux (Red Hat 7.3 to be specific). The Domino server mail file can be of the Web Access (6) or Extended Mail (R6) template.
Installation Steps
These installations steps can be used for an overview and may not be the same based on your environment. Please feel free to respond with any questions via my inquiry form on my main website page. DAO assumes that your Microsoft Outlook is configured to be in "Workgroup/Corporate mode" and assumes you have launched Outlook at least once prior to the DAO install. There will be pictures (in JPEG format) as supplementary material to the narrative of the installation process.
Make sure you have your desktop installed with Microsoft Outlook. Acquire the DAO installation software from IBM's website (Passport or Partnerworld download sites). The file name will be c563hie.exe, which can only run on Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Launch the exe.
Click 'Next'.
Agree to the license and click ‘Next’.
Identify the user and who will have access to this application on the workstation. I left the option for “Install this application for:” as default value and click 'Next.
Installation program will now share where DAO will be installed and require you to click 'Next' to continue.
Installation program will now ask which components need to be installed. I kept the defaults and click 'Next'.
Click 'Install' to install the software.
This Picture shows the install progress.
A window will launch the MAPI configuration for you to identify the user and then name of the home server (type in the Notes canonical name -- Server/Organization) for the user's mail file. Click 'Next'.
You will have to specify the location of the id file for this user and click 'Next'.
You will then be asked if you want the id file copied to the data directory. The options are 'Yes' or 'No'. ‘Yes’ will copy the id file to the data directory and ‘No’ will not make a copy of the file.
You will need to then type in the id password and click 'Ok'.
If you type in the correct password, you will then reach a finish page for the MAPI configuration and click 'Finish'.
Installation will finish up the install and present you a complete dialog to mark the installation was successful.
Configure Outlook to use DAO
You now have DAO installed but Outlook does not know the type of mail file you are using. You will need to go to the control panel and click on the 'Mail' icon.  A dialog titled 'Microsoft Outlook Internet Settings Properties' will appear as shown in this picture.
Depending on your version of Outlook, the dialog box will be different. Shown in this picture is Outlook 2000. Click the 'Add' button and a new dialog appears as shown in this picture.
You will notice a 'Domino Mail' type. This is the MAPI configuration, which you initially setup in the install process. Choose this information server and click 'Ok'. At this point, outlook knows you have a Domino mail file type, which is pointing to your mail file on your home server with a Domino Directory. After clicking ‘OK’ you will be prompt for your notes id password as shown.
Type in your password and click ‘OK’..
Since DAO in my environment will only use Domino Mail, I removed the other type of mail file and left Domino Mail as the only option shown in this screen capture. Now you will want to make sure you only have one profile. Click on the 'Show Profiles' button.
Here Outlook had 2 profiles, one for Domino Mail and the other being the default profile. For this environment, I only kept the Domino mail profile. This user account was named iNotes Test and the profile was iNotes Test's mail on Domino Server name. For this document sake and privacy I blurred the name of the Domino Server in my test environment. The configuration is now finished.
Launching Outlook After Configuring DAO
Microsoft Outlook can be launched to view the mail file.
I have provided the Microsoft Outlook splash screen and the domino password dialog with this picture.
After the client opens, you should see a default message from System Administrator noting that DAO is now installed and replication will occur subsequently. The Microsoft Outlook title bar will show the percentage complete for replication. When replication has completed, you will see an IDLE message in the title bar. At this point, your Microsoft Outlook client is working with Domino mail. Outlook is like an island and it will connect to the Domino Server periodically to check for new mail and when you are going to send a message. You can trigger replication through Tools menu by choosing the Send/Receive option, and finally choosing Domino Mail. NOTE: Microsoft Outlook 2000 showed 'Lotus Domino Transport Provider' whereas Microsoft Outlook 2002-SP2 will have Domino Mail. As a new mail message is created, you can click on the 'To', 'CC', or 'BCC' to open the Domino Directory. Microsoft Outlook with DAO will use the notes name format (FirstName LastName/Organization) or an internet/intranet e-mail address (based on RFC 922 or RFC 821). All the normal email conventions will work -- attaching files, spell check, setting email priority, etc. When creating a calendar entry, the Microsoft Outlook client has a field called ‘Location’. You will not be able to enter the room name in this field, but you can invite the room as an invitee. NOTE: Room and Resources Reservations database needs to be implemented. In the date/time matrix, you will see the availability of the room and invitees. You cannot create a To-Do and assign them to other Domino mail users when using Microsoft Outlook with DAO. If a Domino mail client user (not using DAO) sends a To-Do assigned to a DAO user, the To-Do will not be in the To-Do area of Microsoft Outlook. The user will be required to do a 'Follow-up' and set the due date manually to make it a true To-Do.
You can look at the files where DAO has been installed. There you should see a NSF for mail file, a mail.box file for all outbound mail, and a very small PST file. Microsoft Outlook uses a MAPI configuration with the PST file to display the contents of the NSF.
Here is a screen capture of the files in windows explorer. On this test workstation NSF file extensions are not shown. This JPG has been edited to remove the Domino Server’s name from the filenames of the NSF and PST files.
I did observe an error message on the first replication cycle using Microsoft 2002-SP2. It forced NSD to prompt a message and a second alert dialog box point to an application exception to nwrdaemn.exe. This is a file in the DominoforOutlook directory. After the application exception error, I rebooted the workstation and launched Microsoft Outlook. The application noted it was going to launch in safe mode. While in safe mode, the replication cycle was invoked manually via the Send/Receive functionality. After the first complete replication cycle, I did not receive any error messages or application exceptions. IBM has fixed this problem, but will not release a new version until version 6.5.2 Domino Server. Microsoft Outlook will also have a new option tab in Tools - Options. On this tab you can pick the replication server, change your availability for meetings, out of office messages, change the notes id password, etc.
Summary/Conclusion
Personally I do not mind DAO, but I would urge the administrator to make sure there is an understanding of the TCO for this type of configuration. It offers some flexible features for the users not familiar with the Lotus Notes/Domino clients. For example, DAO lends itself nicely when there a corporate merger and the former company used a Microsoft Outlook/Exchange environment. The most featured mail file will always be based either in Domino Web Access or the Domino mail from the Lotus Notes client. I would rank the mail clients used with Domino in this order:
1. Domino Mail using a web browser (simple interface not as much on features)
2. Domino Access for Microsoft Outlook (better interface with more feature, but limited on some functionality)
3. Domino Web Access (better interface with more features mimicking the Lotus Notes client)
4. Domino Mail using the Lotus Notes client (most secure in access and with features)
Templates used for the above rankings would be 1 & 4 for mail6.ntf and 2 & 3 for inotes6.ntf. IBM does note that mailex6.ntf (Extended Mail) can be used with DAO for those appropriate environments.
Resources
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/lotus/products/accessoutlook
Crotty, Brandan and Frost, Jeff. ID 104: Lotus Notes Access for Microsoft Outlook – Reloaded. Presented at Lotusphere 2004
Screen captures from installing DAO
Domino and Lotus Notes is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
Microsoft Outlook, Windows 2000, Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Red Hat Linux is a registered trademark of Red Hat Inc.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linux Trovalds. |
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