The option in the Authentication dialog box to connect to the Exchange server by using a smart card is not supported in Outlook 2003 (817971)

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Cached Exchange Mode

The Cached Exchange Mode feature requires that you use an Exchange Server e-mail account in Cached Exchange Mode.

The Cached Exchange Mode feature can give you a better experience when you use an Exchange Server e-mail account. A copy of your mailbox is stored on your computer. This copy provides quick access to your data, and it is frequently updated with the mail server.

If you work offline, whether by choice or because of a connection problem, your data is still available to you instantly wherever you are. If a connection from your computer to the computer that is running Exchange Server is not available, Outlook switches to Trying to connect or Disconnected. If the connection is restored, Outlook automatically switches back to Connected or Connected (Headers). Any changes that you made while a connection to the Exchange Server was not available are synchronized automatically when a connection is available. You can continue to work while changes are synchronized.

How to Connect to Microsoft Exchange Server over the Internet

The Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) feature requires that you use an Exchange Server 2003 e-mail account. If you do not know what version of Exchange Server your e-mail account is using, contact your Exchange Server administrator.

In a local area network (LAN) environment, Outlook communicates with the Exchange Server by using remote procedure call (RPC) with TCP/IP. This method provides quick, efficient access for a corporate network. However, in previous versions of Exchange Server and Outlook, access to an Exchange Server by remote users required a virtual private network (VPN) connection to the corporate network. A VPN provides a remote user with a connection in an organization's corporate network and in its firewall. A VPN enables access to more network services than is required for just e-mail access.

For remote connections, Outlook now offers an alternative to VPN connections. Outlook can connect to an Exchange Server through the Internet by using RPC over HTTP. With the RPC over HTTP feature, you can access your Exchange Server account remotely from the Internet when you are working outside your organization's firewall without any special connections or hardware, such as smart cards and security tokens.

The following are the minimum requirements to use this feature:

• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) with the updates that are included in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article installed, or a later service pack:

  331320 Outlook 2003 Performs Slowly or Stops Responding When Connected to Exchange Server 2003 Through HTTP

  
  
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• Exchange Server 2003 that is running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003.
  
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• Your Exchange Server administrator must have configured the server to permit connections through HTTP.

For more information about how to configure the RPC over HTTP feature, see the Microsoft Office Resource Kit and the Microsoft Exchange Server documentation.