How to Enable Outlook Anywhere on Exchange Server 2010: A Step-by-Step Guide 

Outlook Anywhere enables organizations that have either Exchange Server 2010 SP2 or SP3 to provide users with secure connections to their Exchange mailboxes from anywhere without using a VPN. It securely enables RPC over HTTP for remote access to Exchange, which is so important with the mobile and dispersed workforce of today. This tutorial is designed to walk you through, in a step-by-step process, how to configure Outlook Anywhere. 

Prerequisites

Before you enable Outlook Anywhere, make sure of the following:

• SSL Certificate: A valid SSL certificate has been installed from a trusted certification authority (CA). 

• RPC over HTTP Proxy Component: Microsoft Windows RPC over HTTP Proxy component installed – is not installed by default in Windows Server 2008. Carefully follow instructions with the official Windows RPC Over HTTP Proxy Component installation guide. 

• Permissions: This should be done by a person who has been assigned the correct permissions. For more information about permissions, see the Outlook Anywhere configuration settings topic in the Client Access Permissions section of the documentation. 

How to Enable Outlook Anywhere Step-by-Step

1. Using the EMC (Exchange Management Console)

• Access the EMC: 
  In the Exchange Management Console, locate Server Configuration > Client Access. 

• Enable Outlook Anywhere: 
  In the action pane, click Enable Outlook Anywhere. 

• Specify the External Host Name: 
  Type the external host name or URL for your organization, for example, site.medhacloud.com, that clients will use to connect to Outlook Anywhere using a single URL address. 

• Select Authentication Method: 
  From Authentication Method: select from the following: Basic and NTLM authentication. You can choose only one authentication method 

• Basic Authentication: For every connection, the user is prompted for domain, user name, and password. 

• NTLM Authentication: Users will be logged on seamlessly with their Windows credentials-no passwords are sent. 

• SSL Offloading (Optional): 
  If you are using an SSL accelerator, select the box to enable Allow secure channel (SSL) offloading. 
  Do not select this check box unless you are certain that your SSL accelerator can handle the offloading. 

• Enable and Finish: 
  When you have set the properties that you want, click Enable to activate Outlook Anywhere, and then click Finish to close the wizard. 

2. From the Shell (PowerShell)

For administrators who prefer to use PowerShell, Outlook Anywhere can be enabled using cmdlets passed directly:

Basic Authentication with no SSL Offloading:

Powershell Code
Enable-OutlookAnywhere -Server <ServerName> -ExternalHostname <ExternalURL> -InternalHostname <InternalURL> -DefaultAuthenticationMethod <Method> -SSLOffloading $false

NTLM Authentication with SSL Offloading:

Powershell code

Enable-OutlookAnywhere -Server <ServerName> -ExternalHostname <ExternalURL> -InternalHostname <InternalURL> -DefaultAuthenticationMethod <Method> -SSLOffloading $true

•  

For more syntax and parameter information, see Enable-OutlookAnywhere on Microsoft learn.

Testing Configuration

Outlook Anywhere will not be enabled for approximately 15 minutes. After which time, verify the configuration:

• Check the application event log on the Client Access server to see whether the configuration settings have taken effect. 

Summary and Conclusion

By following this guide, it will greatly enhance the flexibility with Exchange Server 2010 by allowing access over the Internet to the mail server without having to implement a VPN. With the right configuration of SSL settings, Outlook Anywhere not only enhances internal communication within an organization but also facilitates the mobility of the modern workforce. Optimum levels of security and ease for the user can be guaranteed depending on the kind of authentication and SSL settings chosen.

With Outlook Anywhere, if your organization leverages remote or mobile teams, it provides seamless connectivity to abruptly improve productivity and end-user satisfaction.

At Medha Cloud, we specialize in helping organizations implement solutions like Outlook Anywhere and other advanced tools to ensure secure, efficient, and flexible communication systems. Whether you're optimizing your current setup or planning a migration, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to enhance your IT infrastructure and support your workforce's mobility needs!