JoelC707
join:2002-07-09
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| reply to DavidL555
Re: VPN to Map Network Drive over Internet
What is the need for OWA? To put it simply, if Outlook on your Citrix server will not connect to the hosted Exchange server then your local desktop will not either. It sounds like you are stuck using OWA either way. In case you do not know how Exhcnage and Outlook communicate, let me explain. Exchange uses RPC to communicate with Outlook, something that every firewall will block and rightfully so.
There is a feature in Exchange called RPC over HTTP(s) which will essentially tunnel the needed RPC communication over HTTP(s). I'm sure EVERY hosted Exchange provider has this in place because they know that not everyone is going to like OWA and allowing RPC through each firewall is not an option. With this Outlook functions normally, just as if the Exchange server were local.
One other method for solving this issue is a VPN tunnel to the Exchange host. They may not allow this but it will give you the RPC level access needed to let Outlook work properly. If they do not allow VPN tunnels and do not support RPC over HTTP(s) I would honestly suggest the decision makers look for a different host because then your only option is OWA and you've already said you don't like that option (and I'd be willing to bet others in the company don't either). Even if I was fine with OWA, I still wouldn't want to do business with a provider like that.
And now, in the event OWA is your only option, here is something you can do. You could use OWA on the Citrix server and be right back working like you were. If the Citrix and file servers are at your office and you're trying to connect from home, a VPN will give you what you want. You can do a PPTP VPN or an IPSEC VPN. IPSEC is the better option and is built in to 2000 pro, which I do not believe a PPTP server is. The benefit of IPSEC is that you don't need a specific "server" like you do with PPTP, you're just encapsulating packets from one host to another. This requires support from your IT department who for one reason or another may not be able to help you. But it still goes back to my original point, you would still be stuck using OWA on the local desktop so why not use it on the Citrix server and not have to go through all this? |
