Microsoft Network E-mail Client

Tahna Los · 07-19-2002, 10:14 AM

I just started at a new company as assistant IT administrator. One of the things that we would like to get done is to have all e-mails set up on network drives as we are currently swapping in new equipment.

Here is the setup: Most machines have either Windows 98 or Windows 2000 and a couple have Windows XP. We are using Outlook Express and not Microsoft Office. The problem with Outlook express is that it does not allow us to store our files on a network drive. Therefore these mail files are stored on the User's computer. This creates a small problem in which when we swap out hardware, the user loses all e-mail sent to their folder.

Therefore, we would like to obtain a new e-mail program. One that will allow us to store all contacts, sent and inbox messages on the network. Ideas will be appreciated. You may post your ideas here. Thanks.

Eric

-- Flying Blind.

*hobbes* · 07-19-2002, 10:22 AM

If it's a MS shop, Exchange will probably integrate best (no comments on its security though).

Whether Exchange or something else, would probably suggest IMAP servers/clients that way email is kept on the server, and if there is a problem with the system swap, a user can simply use another machine and still access all their email.

Tahna Los · 07-19-2002, 10:32 AM

A little clarification. Please do not suggest any suites like Microsoft Office or similar. We just want an e-mail only client.

*hobbes* · 07-19-2002, 10:54 AM

Well, Exchange is not a suite, rather an email server. You can still use non-Outlook clients with it such as Eudora and Netscape Messenger. Other servers include products such as Sun's iPlanet.

Bottom line, if this is a business you may want to take a serious look at your overall email architecture. Or if you don't care, just mount the remote disk as a local drive and see if your email program will then ignore the fact that it's really on a remote server.

Tahna Los · 07-19-2002, 12:09 PM

Do you know any non-Microsoft e-mail clients that would allow you to store files on a network drive? Also, how do you "mount" the remote disk as a local drive? Keep in mind that some computers use Windows 98 so I don't know if this will work on all of them.

Thanks.

Eric

*hobbes* · 07-19-2002, 02:02 PM

Not off-hand. I would suggest you download Eudora and Netscape (Mozilla?) Messenger and give them a try.

As for mounting a network drive, under File Explorer select the Tools -- Map Network Drive... menu.

*skolnick* · 07-19-2002, 03:44 PM

I'm surprised that you can't get OE to look for its file on a network drive. Granted I use Outlook (vice OE), but that's I have everything set up on my home office network. The pst files are on each person's personal (P:) drive. Outlook doesn't know the difference between a network drive and a local drive (except when the network connection drops <grin>).

To map a network drive (Win 98, NT, and XP Pro -- haven't used any other flavors), in Windows Explorer, under Tools, select Map Network Drive.

Tahna Los · 07-19-2002, 04:34 PM

Looks like that's already done. When I meant network drive, I meant a drive that was mapped from the network. I have two mapped drives, my personal drive and one that is for the department. When I tried to save all outlook files in my personal drive, it didn't work.

*skolnick* · 07-19-2002, 05:27 PM

Hmmm. I think I had a similar problem. I didn't use Outlook to save my files initially. After the mail file was set up on C in the typical Microsoft insane location, I copied it to the network drive (P: in my case) and deleted it from C: (okay, I just renamed it to something else until I was sure everything worked -- then I deleted it). When I started Outlook it screamed about not being able to find the mail file and opened a file browser that WAS perfectly happy to let me point it to the network drive and open the mail file there. Outlook then remembers the new location for ever after.

Tahna Los · 07-19-2002, 05:40 PM

It sounds like a tedious process and one which we would like to avoid. We're talking about a company with over 200 workstations. We are still replacing existing computers and as we do so, all we want to do is to "point" out where to store the mail files, without using a process that could probably end up costing ten times the work hours than originally intended.