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Who's connected? Mobile Access question

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Who's connected? Mobile Access question - 24.Aug.2008 9:00:26 PM

jcooper

Posts: 14
Joined: 7.Nov.2003
From: United States
Status: offline

I have several users who wanted to start using their iPhones in conjunction with my Exchange server. Even though we provide them Blackberry's that work off our BES server I decided why not take a look at some of the Microsoft features for Mobile access.

After about 8 hours researching the issues I was having getting the iPhones connected I finally got it all resolved and I can get them connected through SSL. Now comes the management part. I downloaded the mobileadmin client from Microsoft and gave it a whirl. Upon first logging in I noticed that I have only two choices, (Remote Wipe and Transaction Log). So I clicked on the Link for Remote wipe typed in the users account and voila, it showed the test iPhone I had connected. I clicked the Wipe button and bam the iPhone went to a black screen. Everything was going good until I started thinking where is the list of all users that are connected. Only two choices and neither one was a list.

So after my long story, my question is, how can you find out who is actually connecting to your Exchange server with their Mobile device without having to go through and type each persons account name in manually? This may not seem like a problem unless you have over 1600 users that could potentially have Mobile devices. Does anyone know a way to track who has actually connected a mobile device to their system? Their needs to be some sort of auditing feature.

Thanks for taking the time,

Justin

Post #: 1

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RE: Who's connected? Mobile Access question - 25.Aug.2008 12:38:13 PM

Sembee

Posts: 3577
Joined: 17.Jan.2008
From: Somewhere near London, UK
Status: offline

Mobile Admin is probably the most badly named application from Microsoft. It should be called the Remote Wipe tool, because that is all it does.

There is no straight forward way to find out who is using a Windows Mobile device with Exchange 2003. It was effectively a version 1 implementation. If you are expecting any of the reporting/auditing that you get with BES then you will be disappointed. Things only start to improve with Exchange 2007 where there is more control over the feature.

You can get some reporting by querying the IIS logs using Log Parser. The MS Exchange team have posted some scripts etc on this:
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2006/02/14/419562.aspx
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2006/03/03/421149.aspx

Simon.

_____________________________

Simon Butler,
Exchange MVP
Blog: http://www.sembee.co.uk/
Web: http://www.amset.info/
In the UK? Hire me: http://www.amset.co.uk/

(in reply to jcooper)

Post #: 2

RE: Who's connected? Mobile Access question - 25.Aug.2008 5:09:32 PM

jcooper

Posts: 14
Joined: 7.Nov.2003
From: United States
Status: offline

Thanks Simon...

I had already started looking for some scripts that would help me with this situation, so your reply came at the right time. Saved me some work and I appreciate that.

Kinda sucks that Microsoft didnt think that users would actually like to know who is connecting to their servers and the means in which they are connecting. I am wanting to move forward to Exchange 2007, but replacing our current servers is just not in our budget at the time. Just what kind of improvements in the form of Mobile Access administration can I expect with 2007? Something good I hope.

Justin

(in reply to jcooper)

Post #: 3

RE: Who's connected? Mobile Access question - 25.Aug.2008 6:48:54 PM

Sembee

Posts: 3577
Joined: 17.Jan.2008
From: Somewhere near London, UK
Status: offline

Unfortunately Microsoft were caught out by the mobile boom. That is what happens when you are so US centric. The US mobile phone market is about two years, if not more, behind the rest of the industry (look at the iPhone compared to what is available from others). Blackberry started to take off, so Microsoft had to cram something in.

Exchange 2007 mobile admin still isn't up there like Blackberry. It is getting better. Microsoft have done more with admin control over the devices. To get the real benefits you have to use their System Centre product (or whatever it is called). I haven't used that myself, so you will need to look on the Microsoft web site or blogs.

Simon.

_____________________________

Simon Butler,
Exchange MVP
Blog: http://www.sembee.co.uk/
Web: http://www.amset.info/
In the UK? Hire me: http://www.amset.co.uk/

(in reply to jcooper)

Post #: 4