Configuring Exchange Server 2007 for Windows Mobile Devices

Mobile access to Exchange Server is supported on any device running Windows Mobile software including Pocket PC version 2002/2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0/6.0 with Messaging & Security Feature Pack (MSFP). Windows Mobile edition from 6.0 onwards also provide use of additional features like Autodiscovery

 Direct Push

 Exchange ActiveSync Mailbox Policy

 Remote Device Wipe

 Password Recovery

 Direct File Access

 Remote File Access

 WebReady Document Viewing

These features are enabled by default on Exchange Server.

Autodiscovery & Windows Mobile services

Autodiscovery is one of best features of Exchange Server 2007, it returns all the required settings of Exchange Server 2007 to Windows Mobile Device once we enter Email address and password. Unlike the previous versions of exchange where we need to install the carriers list and configure carriers settings on the exchange server.
Autodiscovery is enabled by default, and the Default Web Site associated with a particular Web site has an associated Autodiscover virtual directory through which devices are provisioned. We can also manage Autodiscovery through Exchange management Shell.

Here are few examples

Disable Autodiscover

Syntax
Remove-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory -Identity 'DirectoryIdentity'
Usage
Remove-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory -Server 'ServerName\Secondary Site'

Enable Autodiscover

Syntax
New-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory [-Server 'ServerIdentity']
[-WebSiteName 'WebSiteName']
[-BasicAuthentication <$true | $false>]
[-DigestAuthentication <$true | $false>]
[-WindowsAuthentication <$true | $false>]
Usage
New-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory -Server 'ServerName'
-WebSiteName 'Secondary Site' -BasicAuthentication $true
-DigestAuthentication $false -WindowsAuthentication $true
Where ServerName is the Exchange Server 2007 with CAS Role on which this feature should be enabled for the Default Web Site.

Direct Push
Direct Push automates the synchronization process, enabling a mobile device to make requests to keep itself up-to-date. When the HTTP virtual server used with ActiveSync has SSL enabled, Direct Push allows a mobile device to issue long-lived Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) monitoring requests to Exchange Server. Exchange Server monitors activity in the related user's mailbox. If new mail arrives or other changes are made to the mailbox-such as modifications to calendar or contact items, Exchange sends a response to the mobile device, stating that changes have occurred and that the device should initiate synchronization with Exchange Server. The device then issues a synchronization request. When synchronization is complete, the device issues another long-lived HTTPS monitoring request.
Port 443 is the default TCP port used with SSL. For Direct Push to work, port 443 must be opened between the Internet and the organization's Internet-facing Client Access server or servers. You do not need to open port 443 to all of your Client Access servers- only those to which users can establish connections. The Client Access server receiving the request automatically proxies the request so that it can be handled appropriately. If necessary, this may also mean proxying requests between the mobile device and the Client Access server in the user's home site. A user's home site is the Active Directory site where the mailbox server hosting his or her mailbox is located. For good performance increase the maximum timeout values for connections to 30 min. If there is a firewall between CAS & Mailbox Server then TCP port 135 should be open on the firewall.

Other configuration will follow in part -2