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The current article, is the third article of four articles series, on the subject of:
Exchange 2013/2007 coexistence environment and mail client protocol
connectivity flow.
In this article, we will review the client protocol connectivity flow of:
OWA Exchange 2007 clients in an Exchange 2013/2007 coexistence environment.
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The current section, is dedicated to the description of the OWA client protocol
connectivity flow in Exchange 2013/2007 coexistence environment.
When reading the description of the different OWA client protocol connectivity
scenarios and the details of each scenario, you might experience a slight headache.
Its ok, despite the risk of the slight headache, I think that its worth putting in the
effort, to be able to understand the concept and the logic of the OWA client
protocol connectivity flow in Exchange 2013/2007 coexistence environment.
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Note the scenario of: regional OWA mail client and the redirection process is not
unique or related only to Exchange 2007 OWA client, but instead, to any Exchange
OWA client that is involved in a scenario of multiple Public facing Exchange site and
regional namespace.
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Former version of Exchange CAS server and the OWA redirection method
Although the Exchange 2013 CU2 server version implements the OWA redirection
process in an improved way, its important to emphasize that the OWA redirection
method, is not a new Exchange method and that the OWA redirection method was
included in former versions of Exchange server (as far as I know since the Exchange
2007 server version).
In a former version of Exchange server, the OWA redirection method that was
implemented by the Exchange server for redirecting OWA client to their Exchange
server, could be described as passive.
The OWA redirection was implemented by displaying a message window, which
was sent by the Exchange server to the OWA client.
The redirection information was presented to the OWA user as a click able link.
I describe this method as: passive redirection, because the only responsibility of
the Exchange server was to display a message with the link to the OWA client.
The users responsibility is to:
Understand that the link that was presented in the message, is the link to the
right Exchange server
That he needs to click on the link that will redirect him to his Exchange CAS
server.
Additionally to the user requirement to understand that he needs to click on the
link, OWA users, had an experience that can be described as: double login.
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The meaning is that: OWA users, had to re provide their user credentials again, to
the new destination Exchange server (the destination Exchange 2007 CAS).
Exchange 2013 CAS server version CU2 and the OWA redirection method
Exchange 2013 CAS server version CU2, includes two major features that
significantly improve the Exchange OWA client experience:
A silent redirection (active redirection) The Exchange 2013 CAS server knows
how to send a redirection command to the Exchange 2007 OWA browser, that
will redirect the OWA session to the new URL address (the legacy URL address
of the Exchange 2007 CAS server).
SSO Exchange 2013 CAS server knows how to transfer or forward (Proxy) the
OWA user credentials to the destination Exchange 2007 CAS server.
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The method which Exchange CAS 2013 use for redirecting OWA client described as:
silent because, the OWA user is not involved throughout the process. The only
thing that the OWA user see is a short flush on his browsers (the redirection
process from the Exchange 2013 CAS OWA login page in the OWA login page from
the destination Exchange server).
The Exchange 2007 OWA client is not aware of the complicated redirection
process. From the Exchange 2007 OWA client point of view, this process is
transparent.
Note although we mention the Exchange 2013 CAS method of: silent redirection +
SSO in the context of the Exchange 2007 OWA client, this method is implemented in
any type of Exchange OWA client in a scenario of multiple Public facing Exchange
sites.
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Q1: How actually the OWA client silent redirection process is implemented?
A1: The OWA redirection process, is implemented by cooperation of the
Exchange CAS 2013 and the client browser. Exchange CAS 2013 sends an HTTP
redirection command that includes the new URL address. The client browser
accepts the redirection command and addresses the destination URL address
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Exchange user type: Exchange 2007 client (Exchange user whom his mailbox is
hosted on the Exchange 2007 mailbox server).
Exchange mailbox server location: the Exchange 2007 Mailbox server who hosts
the user mailbox, is located on the New York site.
The New York site includes two public Exchange CAS servers: Exchange 2013 CAS
and Exchange 2007 CAS.
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Scenario 2: Exchange 2007 OWA client | User mailbox located at the Los
Angles site.
Scenario charters: an external Exchange 2007 Outlook client, need to access his
mailbox.
Note To simplify the steps description, we will relate only to the external OWA
2007 client but the same logic and flow are implemented also to the internal OWA
client.
Exchange user type: Exchange 2007 client (Exchange user whom his mailbox is
hosted on the Exchange 2007 mailbox server).
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The Exchange 2007 user mailbox, is hosted on the Los Angles site (the Exchange
2007 Mailbox server located on the Los Angles site).
The Exchange 2007 Mailbox server who hosts the user mailbox and the Public
facing Exchange 2013 CAS server are not at the same Active Directory site.
The New York site, have a local Exchange 2007 CAS.
In this scenario, the same logic will be maintained. Exchange CAS 2013 server
redirects the Exchange 2007 OWA client to the Public facing Exchange 2007 CAS
server.
The New York Public facing Exchange 2007 CAS server authenticates the user,
performs an Active Directory lookup and determines that the user mailbox is
located at the Los Angles site.
The New York Public facing Exchange 2007 CAS server will proxy the request to
the internal Los Angles Exchange 2007 CAS server (Number 3).
Los Angles Exchange 2007 CAS server will proxy the request to the Los Angles
Exchange 2007 Mailbox server (Number 4).
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The public name of the New York Public facing Exchange CAS
is: mail.o365info.com
The public name of the Madrid Public facing Exchange CAS
is: europe.mail.o365info.com
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Regional OWA users (Madrid user in our scenario) can choose to use one of the
optional URL address.
The Madrid Public facing Exchange CAS server is represented by a dedicated
namespace (regional namespace): europe.mail.o365info.com
In case that external OWA Madrid user is familiar with the Madrid regional
namespace, he can use the URL address: https://europe.mail.o365info.com/owa
The additional option that the OWA Madrid user can use is: using the primary
namespace which will lead him to the New York Public facing Exchange CAS.
In this case the OWA Madrid user can use the URL
address: https://mail.o365info.com/owa
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When the New York Public facing Exchange CAS gets the connection request from
the OWA Madrid user, he will implement a method was described as: silent
redirection which will redirect the OWA Madrid user, to his Madrid Public facing
Exchange CAS server.
Scenario 3: OWA client | User mailbox located on the Madrid site | Regional
namespace |destination site = Public facing
Scenario charters: an external Exchange OWA 2007 client, need to access his
mailbox.
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The Exchange 2007 user mailbox, is hosted on the Madrid site (the Exchange
2007 Mailbox server located on the Madrid site).
The Madrid Exchange site considers as: Public facing Exchange site.
The external OWA user uses the primary namespace as the URL address of the
Exchange server (https://mail.o365info.com/owa).
The regional namespace that was allocated to the Madrid site
is: europe.mail.o365info.com
In the current scenario, an OWA Madrid user use the URL address:
https://mail.o365info.com/owa for access his mailbox.
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Additional reading
Proxying and Redirection
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