Configure Outlook Client Blocking
Applies to: Exchange Server 2010 SP3, Exchange Server 2010 SP2
In Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, you can use retention policies or managed folders for messaging records management (MRM). Only users running Microsoft Outlook 2010 have access to all client features for retention policies and managed folders. Users running Office Outlook 2007 have access only to managed folders. However, both retention policies and managed folder mailbox policies are applied on the Mailbox server by the Managed Folder Assistant, regardless of the Outlook client version used by the user. Older Outlook clients do not expose the MRM functionality of these features. For example, because Outlook 2007 does not support retention policies, users can't apply personal tags to items or folders.
You can block users who are running older versions of Outlook from accessing their Exchange mailboxes. You can also block access on a per-mailbox or on a per-Client Access server basis.
Looking for other management tasks related to MRM? Check out Deploying Messaging Records Management.
MRM Feature Availability by Client Application and Version
The following table lists the MRM features available in various client applications and versions.
MRM features
| Client application | Available MRM client features |
|---|---|
Outlook 2010 |
All |
Outlook 2007 |
Managed folders |
Outlook 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) while connected to an Exchange server and working in online mode |
The following applies:
|
Outlook 2003 SP2 while disconnected from an Exchange server and working in Cached Exchange Mode |
The following applies:
|
Outlook versions earlier than Outlook 2003 SP2 |
None |
Other e-mail client software |
None |
The following table shows version numbers for Outlook.
Outlook versions
| Outlook version | Version number |
|---|---|
Outlook 2010 |
14 |
Outlook 2007 |
12 |
Outlook 2003 |
11 |
Outlook 2002 |
10 |
Outlook 2000 |
9 |
Outlook 98 |
8.5 |
Outlook 97 |
8 |
Note
Before making any changes, note that hotfixes and service pack releases may affect the client version string. Be careful when you restrict client access because server-side Exchange components must also use MAPI to log on. Some components report their client version as the component name (such as SMTP or OLE DB), while others report the Exchange build number (such as 6.0.4712.0). For this reason, avoid restricting clients that have version numbers that start with 6.<x.x.>. For example, to prevent MAPI access completely, instead of specifying 0.0.0-6.5535.65535.65535, specify the two ranges so that the server components can log on. For example, specify the following: 0.0.0-5.9.9; 7.0.0-.
After you perform these procedures, be aware that when users are blocked from accessing their mailboxes, they will receive the following warning message.
Your Exchange Server administrator has blocked the version of Outlook that you are using. Contact your administrator for assistance. |
To bypass the warning that MRM features aren't supported for e-mail clients running versions of Outlook earlier than Outlook 2010, you can use the ManagedFolderMailboxPolicyAllowed parameter of the New-Mailbox, Enable-Mailbox, and Set-Mailbox cmdlets in the Shell. When a managed folder mailbox policy is assigned to a mailbox by using the ManagedFolderMailboxPolicy parameter, the warning appears by default unless you use the ManagedFolderMailboxPolicyAllowed parameter.
Use the Shell to block versions of Outlook on a per-mailbox basis
You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "User mailboxes" entry in the Mailbox Permissions topic.
Note
You can't use the EMC to block versions of Outlook on a per-mailbox basis.
This example blocks all Outlook versions earlier than 11.8010.8036.
Set-CASMailbox -Identity adam@contoso.com -MAPIBlockOutlookVersions "-11.8010.8036"
This example restores access to a mailbox that's blocked by a version of Outlook.
Set-CASMailbox -Identity adam@contoso.com -MAPIBlockOutlookVersion $null
For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Set-CASMailbox.
Use the Shell to block Outlook versions on a Client Access server
You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "RPC Client Access settings" entry in the Client Access Permissions topic.
This example blocks Outlook clients prior to version 12.0.0 from accessing the mailbox on an Exchange 2010 Client Access server.
Important
The value used for the Value parameter in this command is an example. You must determine the correct client version numbers. In Exchange 2010, you can use the Get-LogonStatistics cmdlet to retrieve the versions of MAPI clients that are connected to the mailbox database.
Set-RpcClientAccess -Server CAS01 -BlockedClientVersions "0.0.0-5.65535.65535;7.0.0;8.02.4-11.65535.65535"
For detailed syntax and parameter definition, see Set-RpcClientAccess.
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