Outlook sync for remote users

[pelkin]

We are working with a client who has a requirement to use the Outlook sync plug-in for Project Server. They are on 2007 versions of Outook, MOPS, and Exchange.

Users connect their Outlook clients to Exchange via RPC over HTTP, and use PWA via extranet or, at times, vpn.

Given this scenario, can our client use the Outllok plug-in to sync their Outlook clients with Project Sever data?

A follow-up, regardless of the answer to the question above: How does the Outlook plug-in communicate w/ Project Server? Does it use the same connection as PWA, or the connection used by the Outlook client?

Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide!

[ssanderlin]

pelkin,

Originally Posted by pelkin

Users connect their Outlook clients to Exchange via RPC over HTTP, and use PWA via extranet or, at times, vpn.
Given this scenario, can our client use the Outllok plug-in to sync their Outlook clients with Project Sever data?

Depending on their configuration, yes, this would be possible -- however, you may have some difficulties getting everything to play nice depending on their security configuration.

One potential problem area is that the Outlook Plugin will only work with the default credentials context. This will be an issue if the users are logging into their laptops with non-Domain accounts because you cannot specify Windows credentials to use like you can in Pro. If the user account you are running Outlook under does not have permissions in Project Server, then the Plugin will recieve a 401 Unauthorized and simply fail (it will say the URL is invalid -- if you put an HTTP debugging proxy like Fiddler on, you will see the 401 errors).

See my answer to your next question for more information on how the connection works.

Originally Posted by pelkin

A follow-up, regardless of the answer to the question above: How does the Outlook plug-in communicate w/ Project Server? Does it use the same connection as PWA, or the connection used by the Outlook client?

The Outlook Plug-In uses various PSI web services to communicate with Project Server. Therefore, it will need either an HTTP or HTTPS connection to the server so that it can connect. One problem you may encounter is if users connect using HTTPS when on the Extranet and HTTP when connected through VPN -- depending on how things are set up, this could mean that users would have to change the URL configured in Outlook depending on how they are connecting.

Let us know if we can be of any more assistance!