Outlook Web App Customization Evaluation Criteria
Microsoft Office Outlook Web App provides a rich messaging environment for use with Exchange that can be accessed over the Internet. You can create custom display and data entry forms by means of the Outlook Web App forms registry, and add custom entries into the New drop-down menu and the right-click (context) menu. You can alter the default theme, and instant messaging (IM) server developers can implement custom IM server integration libraries.
Support and documentation for customizing Outlook Web App is available from Microsoft. Microsoft improves and adds features to Outlook Web App with new releases of Exchange, and the Outlook Web App internal workings and architecture may change without notice.
| Criteria | Outlook Web App |
|---|---|
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Application Domain |
Modifications to Outlook Web App are typically minor stylistic or graphical modifications to the display theme. Developers can register custom forms to handle custom content item types, add navigation bar icons to access custom applications, add items to the New Item drop-down and context menus. |
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Major Objects |
Outlook Web App does not expose COM objects, or provide an object hierarchy. You register forms and user interface extensions using XML configuration files. You integrate Outlook Web App with IM servers by implementing the IM provider API. |
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Data access model |
Outlook Web App returns data in various forms, including HTML and XML, depending on the capabilities of the client browser. |
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Threading Models |
Not Applicable. |
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Application Architectures |
Outlook Web App is a Web client application. |
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Remote Usage |
Outlook Web App configured to use SSL/TLS and basic authentication can be used on an intranet as well as over the Internet. |
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Transactions |
Outlook Web App does not support transactions. |
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Management Capabilities |
Outlook Web App as a development technology does not provide any management features to the application. The Exchange administration and the individual user can access Outlook Web App and other Outlook Web App configurations. |
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Availability |
Outlook Web App is a core component of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. The Exchange 2010 Outlook Web App architecture is significantly different from that provided in Exchange 2007. Future versions of Exchange will very likely include significant changes in Outlook Web App features and internal architecture. |
| Criteria | Outlook Web App |
|---|---|
|
Languages and Tools |
Outlook Web App customizations are made through XML CSS and PNG image files. |
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Managed Implementation |
Outlook Web App is not an API and does not provide components for use in a managed or unmanaged development environment. |
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Scriptable |
It is not possible to directly access Outlook Web App components by using a script or HTTP requests |
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Test/Debug Tools |
No tools are available for debugging customizations you make to Outlook Web App, because the internal architecture is not available for debugging. |
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Expert Availability |
Outlook Web App customization and component reuse is not supported by Microsoft. |
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Available Information |
Little or no information is available about customizing Outlook Web from publishers outside Microsoft. |
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Developer / Deployment Licensing |
Outlook Web App customization is supported by Microsoft. Outlook Web App component reuse is not supported. |
| Criteria | Outlook Web App |
|---|---|
|
Design-Time Permissions |
Developers must have administrative rights on the computer where they are making Outlook Web App customization changes. |
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Setup Permissions |
Deploying Outlook Web App customization changes requires administrative rights on the server running Outlook Web App. |
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Run-Time Permissions |
Users with permissions sufficient to access their mailbox information using Outlook Web App will have sufficient rights to use the customizations. Specific item-level and application-access rights may be needed depending on the customization and integration in place. |
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Built-in Security Features |
Outlook Web App by default uses SSL/TLS and basic authentication. |
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Security Monitoring Features |
None. |
| Criteria | Outlook Web App |
|---|---|
|
Server Platform Requirements |
Customizations can only be deployed on servers that are compatible with Exchange Server 2010. |
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Client Platform Requirements |
Customizations to Outlook Web App are available to all client platforms that can use the premium experience mode of Outlook Web App. Specific platform requirements for custom forms, custom applications, and instant messaging applications depend on the nature of those customizations. |
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Deployment Methods |
Most customizations are accomplished by copying the files onto the Exchange server that has the Client Access server role installed. |
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Deployment Notes |
When you deploy Outlook Web App customizations, ensure that all Client Access servers that are available to your users have the same customizations. In addition, note that changes you make directly to the operating Outlook Web App files can be overwritten by installing an Exchange 2010 update or service pack. |
