
Special Edition Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5


- 20 -
Using the Microsoft Mail Connector for AppleTalk Networks
This chapter delineates how to establish a messaging link between Microsoft Exchange
and a Macintosh Server running Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk networks. Unlike a Microsoft
Mail for PC network, Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) does not use the Post Office paradigm.
Therefore, the process of connecting to a Microsoft Exchange Server is more complex.
The Macintosh Server believes it is communicating with a standard Microsoft Mail
(PC) Post Office. Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk uses a special gateway component to
communicate with the Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector. Respectively, the
Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector has specific configuration settings and
a message queue for Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) connections as well. Any configuration
pertaining to Microsoft Exchange communicating with Microsoft Mail Post Offices is
not applicable.
Introduction to the Microsoft Mail Connector
This section describes how you use connectors to establish a link between Microsoft
Exchange and Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers.
The two core Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector components are the following:
- Microsoft Mail Connector Interchange: The interchange is the Microsoft Exchange
service that routes messages between the Microsoft Exchange Server and the Microsoft
Mail Connector Post Office.
- Microsoft Mail Connector Post Office: This component is a Microsoft Exchange
emulation of a Microsoft Mail Post Office. The post office stores messages in transit
to and from Microsoft Mail (PC and AppleTalk).
Microsoft Exchange also includes one additional component for communication with
Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers:
- Microsoft Mail Connector (AppleTalk) Message Transfer Agent: This is a Windows
NT service that routes messages between the Microsoft Mail Connector Post Office
and the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server.
The following explains the procedure for connecting Microsoft Exchange to a Microsoft
Mail for AppleTalk network:
- 1. Set up all necessary network connections between the systems.
- 2. Install and set up the Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector.
- 3. Place the Connector Post Office on a Macintosh-accessible NTFS volume.
- 4. Configure the Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector to communicate with
Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers. This includes starting the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
MTA service.
- 5. Install and configure the Microsoft Exchange Connection software on
the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) gateway server.
- 6. Enter address space entries for the Microsoft (AppleTalk) Server. Test
the configurations for correct message routing between systems.
- 7. If you want additional Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers to communicate
indirectly with the Exchange Server, install and configure the gateway access component
on each Macintosh Server.
- 8. Test the transfer of messages to indirectly connected Microsoft Mail
(AppleTalk) Servers, if applicable.
- 9. After messages route properly to all servers, set up directory synchronization
to maintain up-to-date address lists among systems.
The preceding steps conclude the introduction to connecting Microsoft Exchange
to a Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk network. In the next section, you take a closer
look at Exchange by starting with installing Services for Macintosh.
Installing Services for Macintosh
The following procedures define the configuration of the Microsoft Exchange Server
to support Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk networks. Windows NT Services for Macintosh
enables your server to communicate over Apple's native AppleTalk protocol. The requirements
for installing Services for Macintosh include 2M of hard disk space and an NTFS Macintosh-Accessible
Volume to enable Macintosh Clients to access resources on the Windows NT Server.
The following steps offer a quick guideline for installing Windows NT Services
for Macintosh:
- 1. Open the Control Panel and double-click the Networking icon (see Figure
20.1).
FIG. 20.1 The Windows
NT Network is part of your Windows NT Server.
- 2. If Services for Macintosh is not listed in the Installed Network
Software scroll box, it is not installed. Click Add Software. The Network dialog
box appears (see Figure 20.2).
FIG. 20.2 Select Services
for Macintosh in the list of available components.
- 3. Select Services for Macintosh from the list of available network software.
Click Continue.
- 4. Type the directory path to your Windows NT Server source files, such
as CD-ROM, floppy disk, or server volume. Click Continue.
- 5. After the services are installed, the program returns to the Network
Services dialog box. Services for Macintosh should now appear in the Installed Network
Software list on the Services tab of the Network applet.
- 6. Click OK to complete service installation.
- 7. The system prompts you to restart your server to update the Network
settings.
- 8. Click Restart now. Alternatively, you can click Don't Restart Now to
return to the Windows NT screen.
Consult your Windows NT Server documentation for more advanced configuration and
support information.
NOTE: If you choose not to restart immediately, the Microsoft Mail
(AppleTalk) configuration cannot complete until you restart the system.
Creating a Macintosh-Accessible Volume
You must create a Macintosh-Accessible Volume on the Windows NT Server, so that
your Microsoft Mail AppleTalk Server is capable of seeing your Microsoft Exchange
Server on the network. The volume itself is a shared directory within an NTFS partition,
which is configured for connection from a Macintosh Server. You must configure the
Macintosh Server to automatically log on to this volume upon initialization.
The following steps demonstrate how to create and configure a Macintosh-Accessible
Volume:
NOTE: For more information on Macintosh-Accessible Volumes, refer
to your Windows NT Server documentation.
- 1. Open the Windows NT Explorer.
- 2. From Windows NT Explorer, find the following folder.
- <Drive Letter where Microsoft Exchange is installed>: \EXCHSRVR\CONNECT\MSCON\MAILDATA
NOTE: This assumes that you named the main Exchange directory EXCHSRVR
during installation.
- 3. From the MacFile menu, choose Create Volume. Recall that a Macintosh-Accessible
Volume is nothing more than a shared directory. The Create Macintosh-Accessible Volume
dialog box appears (see Figure 20.3).
FIG. 20.3 Create a New
Macintosh-Accessible Volume from the MacFile menu.
- 4. The Volume Name should be MAILDATA.
- 5. Enter a password. Users connecting from Macintosh workstations must
enter a password to access the volume. The password applies only to Macintosh users.
Non-Macintosh users are not required to provide a password when accessing the same
directory structure through a share name. Enter confirm password.
- 6. For enhanced security, clear the Guests Can Use This Volume checkbox.
- 7. Confirm that This Volume is a Read-only remains deselected.
- 8. Be sure that the Unlimited User Limit option button is selected.
- 9. At this time, you may click the Permissions button to assign permission
to those users that you want to access this volume or click OK to return to the MacFile
dialog box.
Configuring Macintosh-Accessible Volume Permissions
After creating a Macintosh-Accessible Volume, you must define what users and groups
will have permission to access the volume. If you do not complete this step when
creating the Macintosh-Accessible Volume, you can complete the configuration in the
Macintosh-Accessible Volume Permissions dialog box. This dialog box is almost identical
to the Macintosh File Sharing dialog box. In this box, select the users or groups
that have access rights to the volume. The following steps guide you through assigning
access rights to the Macintosh-Accessible Volume:
- 1. You can use two methods to open the permissions for a Macintosh-Accessible
Volume. You can click Permissions from the Create Macintosh-Accessible Volume dialog
box. Alternatively, you can choose the volume from the Explorer. Then choose Permissions
from the MacFile menu. The Macintosh View of Directory Permissions dialog box appears
(see Figure 20.4).
- 2. Use the (ellipses) buttons to configure an Owner and Primary Group
for this volume. The configurations determine who is able to connect to the volume
through the Macintosh Chooser.
FIG. 20.4 You can set
access permission for this volume.
- 3. Confirm that See Files, See Folders, and Make Changes permissions remain
checked for the Owner and Primary Group.
- 4. Clear the check boxes pertaining to Everyone. This prevents anyone,
except those users contained in Owner and Primary Group, from using this volume.
By default, the Everyone permissions are checked.
- 5. Select the Replace Permissions on Subdirectories check box. This permission
gives all directories within the current one permission settings identical to the
ones on this page. By default, this box is not checked.
- 6. Click OK to set the permissions and return to the explorer.
After setting permissions on the Macintosh-Accessible Volume, the next logical
step is to test the connection.
Testing Connection to the Macintosh-Accessible Volume
Upon completion of the Macintosh-Accessible Volume, the directory is now available
for connection through the Macintosh Chooser. To confirm accessibility, you can test
a manual connection by using the following steps:
- 1. Open the Chooser application from your Macintosh's Apple menu.
- 2. Click the AppleShare icon in the Chooser. Then select the AppleTalk
Zone, if applicable, in which your Microsoft Exchange Server is located.
- The Microsoft Exchange Server should now be listed in the Select a File Server
display window.
- 3. Click the Microsoft Exchange Server's name. Then click OK.
- 4. On the Connect dialog box, make sure the Registered User option button
is selected. Enter the user Name and Password for this server. Then click OK.
- 5. After authentication, a list of available Macintosh-Accessible Volumes
displays in the Select the Items You Want to Use: window.
- Your newly created MAILDATA (or whatever customized name you chose) volume should
appear on the list.
If the Microsoft Exchange volume does not appear, repeat the preceding steps for
creating and configuring a Macintosh-Accessible Volume. Otherwise, proceed to the
following section.
Configuring the Microsoft Mail Connector for Use
After configuring the network link between the Macintosh Server and Microsoft
Exchange, the next step is to configure the Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector
to send and receive messages with the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server.
The following explains the property pages for the Microsoft Exchange Microsoft
Mail Connector, as well as how you should configure the connector to work with AppleTalk
networks:
- Interchange: Use to configure the Microsoft Mail Connector (AppleTalk) MTA.
- Local Post Office: Sets the local information that a Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
Server uses to identify and connect to the Microsoft Mail Connector. Any standard
Microsoft Mail (PC) Post Office uses this data to connect.
- Connections: Enables viewing of the AppleTalk MTA's message queue.
- Connector MTAs: This page is not used with respect to connecting to Microsoft
Mail for AppleTalk networks. Normally, this page defines which Microsoft Mail (PC)
Post offices are serviced by a Microsoft Exchange Server.
- General: Use this page for both PC and AppleTalk Microsoft Mail connections to
set an upper limit for message sizes.
- Address Space: Define which messages will be routed through this Microsoft Mail
Connector to either type of Microsoft Mail system.
- Diagnostics Logging: Define logging levels for the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
MTA service. Also, configure on this tab the logging for the Interchange activity
and the Microsoft Mail (PC) MTA.
Configuring Exchange Microsoft Mail Connector Properties
This section covers the installation of Microsoft Mail Connector properties primarily
corresponding to communication with Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers. For a complete
guide to the Microsoft Mail Connector, see Chapter 19, "Using the Microsoft
Mail Connector for PC Networks."
The Interchange Page
Use the Interchange page to configure the Microsoft Mail Connector (AppleTalk)
MTA. The following steps guide you through the Interchange configuration:
- 1. Open the Microsoft Exchange Administrator program. Select the site
from the Organization list and the Microsoft Exchange Server name from the site.
Select Connections from the list and click the Microsoft Mail Connector. The Microsoft
Mail Connector property pages appear.
- 2. Select the Interchange tab. The Microsoft Mail Connector (GARLAND01)
Properties page appears (see Figure 20.5).
FIG. 20.5 In the Microsoft
Mail Connector Interchange property page, you can designate mailboxes.
- 3. From the Interchange tab, identify the administrator account for the
Administrator's mailbox. This account receives system information and alert messages
from the Connector in the case of nondelivery of mail and failed messages.
TIP: For larger organizations, create a POSTMASTER account to receive
the potentially large volume of status messages. This way, one administrator mailbox
is not burdened with an extra message load. In addition, other administrators can
view the delivery messages without logging on to a general administrator mailbox
or any recipient's personal mail.
- 4. Next, select the Primary Language for the recipients from the pull-down
menu. Use the primary language for interoperability with Microsoft Mail Clients using
an alternate language.
- 5. Check the Maximize Microsoft Mail 3.x Compatibility box to provide
for OLE compatibility in messages transferred between older version applications
used in Microsoft Mail Clients and the new version applications of Exchange Clients.
- 6. Ensure the Enable Message Tracking check box is cleared. You should
select this option only for message tracking for troubleshooting purposes. For more
information on message tracking for troubleshooting purposes, see Chapter 28, "Troubleshooting
Exchange with Diagnostic Tools."
After configuring the Interchange property page, the AppleTalk MTA settings should
be configured. The following section discusses these settings.
The Mail Connector AppleTalk MTA Dialog Box
To open a messaging link between Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk),
you must configure the Microsoft Mail Connector AppleTalk Message Transfer Agent
(MTA). Complete the following required steps:
- 1. Click the Configure button under the Microsoft Mail Connector (AppleTalk)
MTA. The Microsoft Mail Connector (Apple Talk) MTA Options dialog box appears (see
Figure 20.6).
- 2. Select the Enable Microsoft Mail Connector AppleTalk MTA option button
under the Set Status window.
NOTE: Enabling the AppleTalk MTA adds the property to the list of
services in the Services applet of the Control Panel.
- 3. Select the Start Automatically at System Startup option button to configure
this option. Subsequently, by default, this option will be selected. Click OK to
return to the Interchange property page.
NOTE: Typically, the automatic startup should remain selected. If
you have a situation that requires troubleshooting in which you require manual control
of the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) MTA, select the Manual Start option button.
FIG. 20.6 You can view
and set Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) MTA service status.
- 4. Click Apply to set the properties and continue with the remaining configuration
of the Microsoft Mail AppleTalk Connector.
The preceding steps conclude the configuration of the Microsoft Mail Connector
AppleTalk Message Transfer Agent (MTA).
The Local Postoffice Page
The Local Postoffice information identifies the Microsoft Mail Connector Post
Office to the Macintosh Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Servers and any Microsoft Mail
Post Offices on the network. The following steps outline the configuration of the
Local Postoffice page:
- 1. Select the Local Postoffice tab from the Microsoft Mail Connector property
pages. The Microsoft Mail Connector (GARLAND01) Properties page appears (see Figure
20.7).
- 2. Enter the Microsoft Mail Network name for this post office. By default,
the name is the Microsoft Exchange organization name.
- 3. Enter a post office used to identify this connector to other Microsoft
Mail Servers. By default, the name is the Microsoft Exchange Server's name.
- 4. Enter a Sign-on Password used to authenticate other mail systems. By
default, this is set to PASSWORD. You should change it for security reasons.
- 5. If you make any changes to post office settings, click Regenerate to
rebuild addressing data.
NOTE: To make Local Postoffice information changes take effect immediately,
you must restart the Connector Interchange service as well as the Microsoft Mail
MTAs.
- 6. Click Apply to set the properties and continue with other properties.
- 7. When you finish with all settings, click OK to set them and return
to the Administrator program.
FIG. 20.7 You can configure
the local Microsoft Mail Connector Postoffice information.
The Connections Page
The Connections property page enables you to view the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
MTA message queue. Options such as Modify, Delete, and Create, are available only
for Microsoft Mail (PC) connections. The MTA queue lists all outgoing messages awaiting
transmission by the Microsoft Mail AppleTalk message transfer agent.
To view the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) MTA message queue, complete the following
steps:
- 1. Select the Connections tab from the Microsoft Mail Connector Properties
page. The Microsoft Mail Connector (GARLAND01) Properties page appears (see Figure
20.8).
FIG. 20.8 The Connections
tab enables you to view the Microsoft Mail Connector AppleTalk message queue.
- 2. The Connections dialog box displays all current Microsoft Mail connections.
- 3. Click the AppleTalk Mail entry in the window. Note that the Modify
and Delete buttons are dimmed.
- 4. Click the Queue button to view the Queued Messages dialog box for AppleTalk
Mail. (see Figure 20.9).
- 5. The Queued Messages window shows the current messages awaiting delivery
by this MTA.
From |
The message sender |
Subject |
The information on the message's Subject line |
Message ID |
The Microsoft Exchange message identification code |
Date/Time |
The date and time the message entered the queue |
- 6. Click Refresh to update the message list.
TIP: The queued message window is a listing of messages awaiting
delivery at that moment. To get a more dynamic view of messages passing through the
connector, you must repeatedly click the Refresh button. Clicking this button also
gives you the latest updates.
FIG. 20.9 The Microsoft
Mail (AppleTalk) message queue displays the pertinent information on current messages.
-
- 7. Select a message. The Delete tab enables you to remove a message for
the message queue. If Send Non-Delivery Reports When Messages Deleted is checked,
the message sender is notified of the deletion.
- 8. Select a message. The Return tab removes the message from the queue
and returns it to the sender.
- 9. After viewing the Microsoft Mail Connector AppleTalk message queue,
click Close to return to the Connections property page.
Configuring Macintosh Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
This section describes the configuration required on the Macintosh side of the
Microsoft Exchange/Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) connection.
The following are the Macintosh Server configuration elements:
- Log in to the connector Post Office (Maildata volume).
- Log in to the Local Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server as Network Manager.
- Install the Microsoft Exchange Connection Gateway.
- Configure the gateway with the Microsoft Mail Client.
- Install the Macintosh Directory Exchange Requestor (DER) (optional).
Complete the following steps to log in to the connector Post Office:
- 1. Open the Chooser application from your Macintosh Apple menu and click
the AppleShare icon.
- 2. Then select the AppleTalk Zone in which your Microsoft Exchange Server
is located.
- The Microsoft Exchange Server should now be listed in the Select a File Server
display window.
- 3. Click the Microsoft Exchange Server's name. Then click OK.
- 4. On the Connect dialog box, make sure the Registered User option button
is selected. Enter the user Name and Password required to access this volume. Click
OK.
- 5. After you are authenticated, a list of available Macintosh-Accessible
Volumes displays in the Select the Items You Want to Use: window.
- The MAILDATA, or the customized name volume should appear on the list.
- 6. Select Maildata volume.
- 7. Select the check box to the right of the Maildata volume to have this
volume automatically mounted every time the Macintosh Server starts up.
- Select the Save My Name Only option button to request your password when the
volume attempts to mount at startup.
- Select Save My Name and Password to store your logon data, and then automatically
authenticate your connection when the Macintosh starts up.
- 8. Click OK to mount the volume.
After following these steps, the Maildata volume mounts.
Installing the Microsoft Exchange Connection Gateway
The Microsoft Exchange Connection Gateway is provided with your Microsoft Mail
Connector software. Install the Microsoft Exchange Connection Gateway on your Macintosh
Microsoft Mail Server to enable connectivity to the Microsoft Exchange Connector
Post Office.
The following section assumes that you have installed Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk
Networks, and it is properly running on your Macintosh Server.
The following steps guide you through installing the Connection Gateway on your
Macintosh Server:
- 1. Log on to your Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server as Network Manager.
- 2. Load the disk containing the Exchange Connection Installer. Open the
installer application. The Connection Installer dialog box appears.
- If no previous gateways have been installed, the Gateways Installed on This Server:
window appears blank.
- 3. Choose Install Gateway from the Gateway menu.
- 4. Select the GW icon from the dialog box and click Install. The dialog
box appears.
- 5. Enter a unique Gateway ID. The Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server uses
this identifier to distinguish each gateway. By default, the ID for this gateway
is NC.
- 6. Enter a Gateway name as you want it to display in the gateway list.
Click OK. The dialog box appears.
- 7. Select which gateway templates to install for this gateway. Choose
only those that you can access through this gateway or those typically used in your
Microsoft Exchange organization. Click OK.
NOTE: A gateway template becomes available in your Microsoft Mail
(AppleTalk) Client, so you can create custom recipients for other messaging systems.
- 8. The Gateway is installed. Now, switch to your Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk)
Client still logged in as Network Manager.
Configuring the Exchange Connection
With the Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Client, you may proceed to configure various
gateway and post office connection options.
NOTE: You must be logged in as Network Manager to administer a Microsoft
Mail (AppleTalk) Server.
Specify the post office location and general gateway configuration by following
these steps:
- 1. Select Gateway. Then choose Configuration from the Mail menu.
- 2. A dialog box prompts you to locate the Connection Store (MacGate) directory.
Click OK.
- 3. Scroll through the MAILDATA volume and locate the MACGATE folder. Click
Open.
- 4. Enter a Blocking Factor value. This value limits the number of messages
that can transfer with each gateway cycle.
- 5. Enter an Aging Factor value. This is the amount of time, in minutes,
that a message can remain in the Microsoft Mail Connector Post Office before a notification
message is sent to the Network Manager.
NOTE: Setting the Aging Factor to zero turns off notification.
- 6. Set the Max Size value. Messages exceeding this size (including attachments)
cannot pass through this gateway. By default, this size is 100 kilobytes.
- 7. Select a logging level for this gateway. Select one of the three option
buttons: Critical, Errors, or Details.
The gateway is now configured. Follow the next section to schedule gateway connections.
Scheduling Gateway Connections
The schedule screen is functionally similar to Microsoft Exchange's schedule property
pages. Use this dialog box to configure at what times during the day the gateway
connects to the Microsoft Mail Connector Post Office. You should base your decision
for the time of the day the gateway connects to the Microsoft Mail Connector Post
Office on factors particular to your environment. For most, bandwidth, server loads,
and connection costs (for example, over leased lines or ISDN) are the limiting factors
in the decision. If bandwidth or line costs are not an issue in your case, set the
connection times as frequently as you want.
To set connection times, follow these steps:
- 1. Select Gateway. Then choose Connect Times from the Mail menu. A schedule
grid appears for you to set connection times.
- 2. Select the option button that determines how frequently you want this
gateway to initiate connection.
- The Never button effectively deactivates the gateway.
- The Always button connects at the interval (in minutes) set at the bottom of
this dialog box.
- The At the Times Selected in the Chart Below button defines connection times
by those that are highlighted in the time grid.
- 3. Select the Connect Immediately When There is Outgoing Mail check box
to initiate a gateway connection as soon as a message is sent to the gateway.
- 4. If you chose the Selected Times option, use the time grid to mark the
specific time you want the gateway to connect and transfer messages.
The connection schedule has now been set.
Installing an Access Gateway
After you have installed and configured the Connection Gateway, you can install
additional access gateways on your Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) system. This enables
other Macintosh Microsoft Mail Servers to communicate with Microsoft Exchange and
all its gateways and connectors.
You install an Access Connection Gateway by completing the following two steps:
- 1. Extract the Access gateway from the Microsoft Exchange Connection Gateway.
- 2. Install the Access gateway on another Microsoft Mail (AppleTalk) Server.
For step-by-step procedures for additional gateway installations, consult your
gateway documentation. l

