For almost all HWS network account users, there will be no action required. The e-mail upgrade will occur in the background on the servers. Users should not notice any change if accessing mail through software such as Outlook*, Entourage or Mac Mail. These client software products will not require any configuration changes. The address for accessing Webmail will continue to be http://webmail.hws.edu.

*Special note for Outlook 2003 users: Outlook 2003 users will need to make one small configuration change. Please ensure “Encrypt data between Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Exchange Server” is enabled in your client configuration. Instructions are available. If you require assistance in making this change, please contact the Help Desk at 315-781-4357 or helpdesk@hws.edu.

This upgrade continues in the commitment to provide all users with the most current and up-to-date version of our e-mail system. It also provides a number of new features and enhancements, and improves our overall e-mail infrastructure security.

This upgrade also provides a major improvement to the Webmail interface. The new Webmail interface provides users with a richer experience that is comparable - and in many ways identical - to using software products like Outlook, Mac Mail, or Entourage, but through their Web browser. A quick start guide (PDF) is available. The new Webmail interface is a cross-platform solution that works identically on HWS-supported browsers (Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox). Other browsers may work but are not fully supported and have not been tested.

The new Webmail interface works identically on HWS-supported browsers. To take advantage of the full functionality, we recommend the following browser versions: Firefox 3.x, IE7+, and Safari 3+. Please feel free to contact the Help Desk if you need help determining which browser version you are using or would like to request an upgrade of your browser. You may find you need to clear your browser's cache to take advantage of Webmail 2010; instructions for this are available (PDF).

The biggest change is the conversation view, in which e-mails are grouped according to subject. If you find you don't like this setting, you may turn it off. A quick start guide (PDF) to navigating the new features of Webmail is also available.

No. When mailboxes are migrated, everything will move including contacts and calendar entries.

The upgrade will occur on a rolling basis, in small groups, beginning on May 31st, and is planned for completion by June 25th. Users will receive an e-mail from the Help Desk prior to their account being upgraded.

The true test to determine if an account has been updated is to log into Webmail. When logged into Webmail, if you notice the color is different, then you are on the new Webmail. You may also notice the feature rich experience in the new Webmail interface. Outlook, Entourage and Mac Mail users will not notice any visual changes. Users will receive an e-mail from the Help Desk after their account has been upgraded.

If a mailbox is in use or logged in at the moment the mailbox is moved there will be a message provided to the effect, “an administrator has made a change to your account, you must restart” or the client may just close. Simply logging back in to Webmail or restarting the client will complete the upgrade.

Over the past couple of months, we have had groups of early adopters pilot Exchange 2010. These early adopters have used the system without any major issues. We are confident that the transition will be a smooth; however, if there are questions, please contact the Help Desk at 315-781-4357 or helpdesk@hws.edu for assistance.

For the most part, no, there are no changes needed. However, clients must be configured to use SSL. It’s as simple opening the client’s configuration and making sure the SSL option is on. IMAP/POP clients will continue to use webmail.hws.edu as the mail server in their configuration. For Mac Mail users, in the Incoming Mail Security window, the authentication must be set to Password. There are a small number of users connecting in this way. Anyone who is unsure if this affects them should contact the Help Desk at 315-781-4357 or helpdesk@hws.edu.

Mobile device users will not need to make any changes to the device’s configuration; devices will adjust automatically to the upgrade. Mobile devices will continue to use webmail.hws.edu as the mail server in their configuration.

Instructions to configure our supported e-mail clients (Outlook, Mac Mail, and Entourage) can be found on the E-mail Client Access page.

Other information regarding setup and configuration of supported HWS e-mail clients can be found on the Instructions, Training Programs, and Guides page.

There is no requirement to use an e-mail client. Webmail provides a fully functional e-mail experience anywhere and anytime you have Internet access by visiting http://webmail.hws.edu. Webmail users will have the same full-featured experience regardless of which supported browser they use on both Mac and Windows computers.

No, the changes that are being implemented only affect HWS e-mail accounts ending in @hws.edu.