06-30-2006, 09:01 AM
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Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
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The Ins and Outs of Push Email & Exchange
"One of the most interesting features available in Exchange 2003 Service Pack 2 is without doubt the new DirectPush technology (aka AUTD v2), which improves the mobile messaging experience for your end-users by providing close to real over the air (OTA) push technology. In this article, which is the first in a 5 part article series on mobile messaging using Exchange 2003 with SP2 applied and mobile devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) installed, we�ll take a closer look at the new DirectPush technology."
If you ever wanted to know more detail on how the MSFP and AUTD, and SP2, (And other abbreviations) got your push email to you, then this write up should be helpful. It's always neat to see how things work, of course you already know that, being a Pocket PC user and most likely someone who appreciates the steps involved in your user experience 
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Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
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07-05-2006, 09:48 AM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 599
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I'm confused ... although it doesn't take much  .
The article says "you only need to enable Microsoft DirectPush under the Comm Manager as shown in Figure 4 below" but it seems to me that Figure 4 shows DirectPush as disabled - or is the icon misleading?
Either way, on my device, I do not get the two arrows that the author talks about.
I've got synchronisation with Exchange working - but it seems to be the old scheduled style. It doesn't seem to be the new AUTD method and I can't see what I need to do to turn it on.
--Philip
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07-05-2006, 10:34 AM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 599
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I think I've found the two little arrows that the article is talking about. I've currently got Wi-Fi turned on, and the arrows are superimposed on the Wi-Fi icon!
Curious ... given that everything I've read about DirectPush says that it uses the GPRS connection. Maybe it is for the HTTPS connection to the server and then using ActiveSync over the primary Internet connection?
Anyway, the Exchange team have also done a video about this feature: http://msexchangeteam.com/videos/9/t...try426996.aspx.
The main downside seems to be that the device doesn't provide you with an audible or vibratory alert when new email arrives, unlike the Blackberry. Could be a showstopper :cry:.
--Philip
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07-05-2006, 05:52 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Philip Colmer
I'm confused ... although it doesn't take much . |
I think the author is wrong. The two arrows at the top merely indicate an IP connection, and has nothing to do with Direct Push. And yes, the icon in the wireless manager is indeed disabled.
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I've got synchronisation with Exchange working - but it seems to be the old scheduled style. It doesn't seem to be the new AUTD method and I can't see what I need to do to turn it on.
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If you are running AKU2 and the Exchange Server is 2003 SP2, it's automatic -- you just set to "as new items arrive" and you do not have to supply your phone number.
--janak
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07-05-2006, 05:55 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Philip Colmer
I think I've found the two little arrows that the article is talking about. I've currently got Wi-Fi turned on, and the arrows are superimposed on the Wi-Fi icon!
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Right -- there are multiple possibilities for the arrows, depending on what is the "dominant" IP connection. It's roughly in the following order:
1. IP over your cellular network (arrows on top of 1x/EV/G/U);
2. IP over WiFi (arrows on top of the WiFi icon);
3. IP over AS (just the arrows).
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Curious ... given that everything I've read about DirectPush says that it uses the GPRS connection. Maybe it is for the HTTPS connection to the server and then using ActiveSync over the primary Internet connection?
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Direct Push will indeed only work over a cellular data connection. Not sure what happens if you have WiFi running at the same time as cellular data.
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The main downside seems to be that the device doesn't provide you with an audible or vibratory alert when new email arrives, unlike the Blackberry. Could be a showstopper :cry:.
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It should with most devices if the Messaging/Inbox applet is not in the foreground. Apparently this behavior is OEM-customizable, and some HTC Wizard OEMs decided to turn it off. Not quite sure why. :? My 700w vibrates faithfully as emails come in.
--janak
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07-06-2006, 09:21 AM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 599
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A bit of an update, having used the QTek 9100 for a bit longer ...
I found out how to enable vibrate for new email messages - it is (sensibly enough) under Sounds & Notifications.
On the issue of what is required for DirectPush ... you definitely need GPRS. If you turn off the mobile phone part, ActiveSync says that the current schedule requires a cellular connection. That said, I'm still not convinced that it continues to use GPRS for the actual data transfer. I still think it uses GPRS for the HTTPS connection and then the active Internet connection for the normal ActiveSync transfer.
If I'm wrong, it is because Microsoft don't get the icons right at the top of the display :-). With Wi-Fi turned on, the AS arrows are definitely on that icon, even with GPRS live & happy.
I can, though, envisage some problems with staff who have been used to using BBs until now. I don't, for example, like the fact that the device occasionally pops up a notification window saying that it is connecting to GPRS. I think it ought to do this in the background, silently. Blackberrys seem to.
Also, I've had a pop-up saying that it can't get an IP address (or something like that). I assume that is when I've driven home and, when I've got home, the phone has lost the mobile signal and is complaining. Again, Blackberrys seem to just handle this quietly.
--Philip
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07-06-2006, 04:27 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Philip Colmer
On the issue of what is required for DirectPush ... you definitely need GPRS. If you turn off the mobile phone part, ActiveSync says that the current schedule requires a cellular connection. That said, I'm still not convinced that it continues to use GPRS for the actual data transfer. I still think it uses GPRS for the HTTPS connection and then the active Internet connection for the normal ActiveSync transfer.
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This can't quite be accurate, because Server/Exchange ActiveSync is done entirely over HTTPS.
The question is if EAS can use two HTTPS connections -- one over GPRS for notification, and one over WiFi to actually perform the sync. I'm guessing no, and that the icons are wrong.
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I can, though, envisage some problems with staff who have been used to using BBs until now. I don't, for example, like the fact that the device occasionally pops up a notification window saying that it is connecting to GPRS. I think it ought to do this in the background, silently. Blackberrys seem to.
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I think this is a device-specific thing. The Treo won't show the dialing window.
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Also, I've had a pop-up saying that it can't get an IP address (or something like that). I assume that is when I've driven home and, when I've got home, the phone has lost the mobile signal and is complaining. Again, Blackberrys seem to just handle this quietly.
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And again, the Treo does this silently as well. I think MS gives too much flexibility to the OEMs in this regard. :?
--janak
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07-07-2006, 04:43 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 1
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push
We just had a Cingular rep come to our offices. We confirmed that you have to use GPRS for Push to work.
My boss currently has rules in Outlook that sort email to different folders. How can I specify which email I want pushed to his device?
any ideas?
Thanks
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07-07-2006, 07:05 PM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 599
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Re: push
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Originally Posted by slayerhawk
My boss currently has rules in Outlook that sort email to different folders. How can I specify which email I want pushed to his device?
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I've been thinking about this because it is an area where BB may be better than MS.
One option might be to set up a rule that copies emails you want pushed into a specific folder, and you set up the mobile device to synchronise only that folder. I haven't tested this, though, so I don't know if it would work. I don't know, for example, if you can stop the Inbox from synchronising.
--Philip
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07-07-2006, 08:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Re: push
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Originally Posted by slayerhawk
My boss currently has rules in Outlook that sort email to different folders. How can I specify which email I want pushed to his device?
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You can control which folders are pushed. Go into Inbox/Messaging, and choose Menu => Tools => Manage Folders. The catch is that Inbox must be synced, and only messages coming into the Inbox will trigger a vibrate, but other than that it should work well.
--janak
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