Planning an Outlook Deployment
Every organization's messaging environment is unique. For example, one organization might be upgrading to Microsoft Outlook® 2002 messaging and collaboration client, while another might be installing Outlook for the first time; one needs services for roaming users, another needs support for different languages. A close review of your organization's messaging needs will help you plan the optimal Outlook 2002 deployment.
Determining your organization's needs
Your organization's messaging environment will help shape your Outlook 2002 deployment. Factors to consider include whether you are upgrading Outlook, installing the application for the first time, planning for roaming or remote users, or choosing a combination of these and other factors.
Upgrade or initial installation
If you are upgrading to Outlook 2002 from an earlier version of Outlook, consider whether you will migrate previous settings, modify user profiles, and use new customization options.
If you are deploying Outlook on client computers for the first time, each user will need an Outlook profile to store information about e-mail messaging server connections and other important Outlook settings. You can define profile settings for your users by using the Custom Installation Wizard.
If you need to migrate data from another messaging application, importers are provided in Outlook (for example, for Eudora Lite) that might be helpful.
Collaboration Data Objects dependencies
If you use Collaboration Data Objects, this feature must be installed to run locally, not on demand. Use the Set Feature Installation States page in the Custom Installation Wizard to specify the install state as Run from My Computer.
Remote and roaming users
Special customizations are required if you are deploying Outlook to remote users or roaming users, and setting up Outlook for multiple users on the same computer.
When you are deploying to remote users, ensure that features are not set to install over the network as they are needed, since users may be using slow access lines. Use the Set Feature Installation States Tree page in the Custom Installation Wizard to specify the installation state for Outlook features as Run from My ComputerFor features that you are not deploying, you can set the feature state to Not Available, Hidden, Locked.
Roaming users should have the same messaging environment on each computer to which they roam. This includes the type and version of operating system, version of Outlook, and the Outlook installation location on the computer.
For multiple users sharing the same computer, use the Windows logon features on the computer's operating system to manage user logon verification. Also, make sure that each user runs the same version of Outlook so that shared file conflicts do not arise. This conflict can happen when one version of Outlook attempts to write a file to a file folder location that is shared by other versions of Outlook also used on the computer.
Multilingual requirements
Office XP provides broad support for deploying in international or multilingual environments. Office products such as the Office XP Multilingual User Interface Pack and Office XP Proofing Tools help multilingual groups work with and edit files in a variety of languages and provide support for localized Help and user interfaces.
Outlook 2002 includes enhanced Unicode® support to help multilingual organizations seamlessly exchange messages and other information across languages in local areas.
Outlook 2002 and Terminal Services
With Microsoft Terminal Services, you install a single copy of Microsoft Outlook 2002 on a Terminal Services computer. Then, instead of running Outlook locally, multiple users connect to the server and run Outlook from there.
To achieve the best results when you use Outlook with Terminal Services, pay close attention to how you customize your Outlook configuration. Note that Outlook may be part of an environment that includes other applications provided on the same Terminal Services computer.
Client and messaging server platforms
Some deployment customization decisions for Outlook 2002 depend on which version of Microsoft Exchange Server you are using. If you currently use Exchange Server as your messaging server and have not upgraded to Exchange 2000, consider timing your Exchange Server upgrade with your deployment timing for Outlook 2002. While Outlook 2002 works with earlier versions of Exchange, you may gaiin the greatest benefit by combining Outlook 2002 with Exchange 2000.
Choosing when and how to install Outlook 2002
You have options for when and how you install Outlook 2002. For example, consider whether it would be best for your organization to:
- Install or upgrade Outlook in stages (for
different groups of users) or at one time.
- Install Outlook as a stand-alone
application.
- Install Outlook before, with, or after Office XP.
Each organization has a different environment and might make different choices about timing Outlook 2002 upgrades. For example, you might have a messaging group that is responsible for upgrading Outlook and a separate group that plans deployment for other Office applications. In this case, it might be simpler to upgrade Outlook separately from the rest of Office, rather than attempting to coordinate deployment between the two groups.
Customizing Outlook settings and profiles
You can customize your Outlook installation to handle Outlook user settings and profiles in several ways. For instance, you can:
- Capture Outlook settings in an Office
profile settings file (OPS file), then include the OPS file in a
transform (MST file) that is applied during Setup.
- Specify Outlook user settings in the
Custom Installation Wizard.
- Specify options for managing new and existing Outlook profiles in the Custom Installation Wizard.
For example, you can allow Outlook users to migrate their current profiles and settings while defining default profiles and settings for new Outlook users. Or you can modify existing profiles as well as establishing new default profiles for new Outlook users.
After you customize Outlook using these options, you save your choices — along with other installation preferences — in a transform (MST file) that is applied during Setup. Later, you can update settings and profile information by using the Custom Maintenance Wizard.
Migrating data
In your Outlook deployment, you might choose to migrate data from other mail clients to Outlook.
If your organization currently uses a different mail client, you might need to migrate data from that program to Outlook 2002. If you need to migrate data from another messaging application, importers are provided in the product (for example, for Eudora Lite) that might be helpful in your situation.
Assessing your organization's security needs
Outlook 2002 provides enhanced security features for sending and receiving secure e-mail messages over the Internet or local intranet. You can customize features in your Outlook 2002 deployment to set security options appropriate for your organization.
You can also implement additional security features. For example, you can provide security labels that match your organization's security policy. An Internal Use Only label might be implemented as a security label to apply to mail that should not be sent or forwarded outside of your company.
See also
You can configure a number of options when
deploying Outlook 2002. For more information about Outlook
configuration choices, see Options
for Installing Outlook.
The Office Customization Wizard provides a
straightforward way to configure and install Outlook 2002. For more
information about Outlook configuration choices, see Customizing an Outlook
Installation.
You can stage your Outlook 2002 deployment to
install Outlook with Office, before Office, or after Office,
depending on the needs of your organization. For more information
about staging an Outlook deployment, see Installing Before or After
Office.
Careful planning can help your upgrade to a
new release of Outlook go smoothly. For more information about
planning an Outlook upgrade, see Planning
an Upgrade.
Planning and implementing an appropriate security plan for your organization is key to a successful Outlook installation. For more information about security in Outlook 2002, see Chapter 22, Administering Outlook Security.
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