Understanding Exchange ActiveSync Autodiscover

[This topic is in progress.]

Applies to: Exchange Server 2010

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 introduces a new service that makes it easier to provision mobile phones for end users. The Autodiscover service simplifies the provisioning of your mobile phone by returning the required system settings after you enter your e-mail address and password. By default, the Autodiscover service is enabled in Exchange 2010 .

Overview of Autodiscover with Exchange ActiveSync

If your mobile phone supports Autodiscover, you can configure your mobile phone to synchronize with Exchange 2010. The following figure shows this synchronization process.

Using Autodiscover with Exchange ActiveSync

1. The user enters their e-mail address and password on the mobile phone.

2. The mobile phone connects to a root DNS server to retrieve the URL for the Autodiscover service and the IP address for the user's domain.

3. The mobile phone uses a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection to connect through the firewall to the Autodiscover service virtual directory. The Autodiscover service assembles the XML response based on the server synchronization settings.

4. The Autodiscover service sends the XML response through the firewall over SSL. This XML response is interpreted by the mobile phone and synchronization settings are configured automatically on the mobile phone.

   Note

   The ability to use Autodiscover depends on the operating system of the mobile phone you're using. Not all mobile phone operating systems that support synchronization with Exchange 2010 support Autodiscover. For more information about operating systems that support Autodiscover, contact the manufacturer of your mobile phone.

   Note

   Windows Mobile 5.0 doesn't support Autodiscover.

For More Information

For more information about how to manage the Autodiscover service, see Managing the Autodiscover Service.