In addition to the representation of a pure enterprise portal, the
requirement frequently comes about to integrate appointments, contacts,
tasks, and e-mails into the web interface of an Intrexx portal. For
this task, United Planet has developed the Business
Integration Adapter for Microsoft Exchange, the
most broadly used platform for messaging, for your use. The adapter has been integrated
completely into the Intrexx application framework. With it, new uses
for the software can be realized, such as integrating elements from the
Microsoft Exchange server with Intrexx processes.
Limitations
Although all elements on the Exchange server and the personal mailbox
can be accessed with the Business Integration Adapter for
Microsoft Exchange, the adapter should not be understood as
“a second Outlook WebAccess”. Similarily, the
adapter cannot be used to substitute for the use of Outlook itself.
Both of these products have been adjusted over decades for the
requirements of users, and their range of functions have been set up to
serve optimally as messaging clients.
However, the user can access nearly all information in her personal
mailbox, using handy applications that are provided as components of
the adapter kit.
Construction of the Business Integration Adapter
Implementation of the adapter
The Business Integration Adapter for Microsoft Exchange can
be implemented like an Intrexx foreign data source. The adapter puts you
in the position of being able to create almost any application you wish
with information from the Microsoft Exchange server. This allows you,
for example, to show a table in your customer management system that
accesses your personal mailbox, the Inbox
folder, or sent mails, listing all mails that have the customer number of the currently
selected customer in their subject line. You could also add a contact
to your personal address box with a mouse click.
With the Business Integration Adapter for Microsoft Exchange,
you will not work with copies of the data, but will rather access, in real
time, your mailbox or the mailboxes to which you have assigned rights
to the current user via Outlook.
Security
In order to use the MediaGateway with Microsoft Exchange Server 2000
– 2007 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, a functional
Outlook Web Access (OWA) is required. This is normally prepared and activated by Microsoft Exchange. The
security protocols in use (HTTPS, SSL) are also supported by
MediaGateway. The communication between the MediaGateway and the server
takes place via CORBA
and is encrypted with the use of a PKI
(Public Key Infrastructure)
called RSA. Supported logon processes are Basic,
Digest, and Kerberos. The security protocols in use in
these processes (HTTPS, SSL) are also supported by
MediaGateway, as long as these are installed.
Permissions
The access to data takes place exclusively using the permissions of the
user logged onto the Exchange server. This means that any data access that a
user executes using the MediaGateway can also be executed using OWA.
Via Microsoft Outlook, every user can make their mailbox accessible to
other users, as well as restrict this access in multiple levels, such
as only to read, or to read and write. In each case, this is enabled by
the user herself.
Setup and administration of the adapter
The adapter consists of two parts:
MediaGateway
MediaGateway offers secure access to the Microsoft Exchange server.
The MediaGateway can be installed on any server you wish and serves as
an intermediate between Intrexx and the Exchange server. All queries
will be forwarded from Intrexx to the Exchange server using the
MediaGateway. Intrexx can be run in this way on a Linux system, for
example, but still be able to access the Exchange server, which only supports
Windows platforms. Therefore, Intrexx remains platform independent.
The MediaGateway can only be implemented on a Windows system and runs
there as a regular Windows service. Using an easy-to-use setup,
MediaGateway will now be installed on this computer.
Installation
First install the MediaGateway. To do so, proceed as follows:
Open the adapter\microsoft_exchange\MediaGateway folder in the install directory.
Execute the file IntrexxMediaGateway.exe
and follow the instructions in the
installation routine.
After successful installation, the Intrexx MediaGateway
Server service will show up in the Windows services manager, which will then already
have started.
In the install directory adapter\microsoft_exchange, you will find the file exchange_applications.lax,
which contains ready-to-use Exchange applications for your Intrexx
portal. You can import this application package as usual.
Under programs in the program group Intrexx
MediaGateway you will find a link to the Intrexx online update. As a user of the
Business Integration Adapter for Microsoft Exchange you will be
informed about existing updates and you can update your system here
very comfortable.
Licensing
You need to purchase a license to use the Microsoft Exchange Adapter.
Request the license from your partner, or from United Planet by sending
an email toinfo@unitedplanet.de.
The license key will be sent to you by email. Please start the Intrexx
Portal Manager to unlock the Adapter. Open the License Manager from the
Extras menu, by selecting License Manager.
Intrexx data source
Exchange Account
In order to set up the Intrexx data source, an Exchange account will be
required. This must be an existing user account on the Microsoft
Exchange Server. It requires no special permissions. The Intrexx
Exchange Adapter will use this account to query meta-information from
the Exchange server, which will then be available when creating
applications and delivers information about data fields, field types,
and existing tables.
Creating a connection
The Business Integration
Adapter for Microsoft Exchange will
be set up in the Integration module
in Intrexx as a new data source
Create the new Microsoft Exchange data source via the
context menu.