Outlook BCM in an Exchange environment

[Richard Tate]

Can you advise the suitability of using BCM or not in this situation. I
have a customer with a server running Exchange - all the client computers -
desktops and laptops use Outlook as Exchange clients - typical installation.
The point is they also want to be able to use BCM - but my understanding is
that BCM does not run on the server but on a single client - so I am not
sure how appropriate BCM is for them. Appreciate your thoughts and
suggestions please.

Thanks

Richard Tate

 

[Oliver Vukovics]

Dear Richard,

did you install the actual update of the BCM:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...42-6dc5-4922-9dfb-1c82237d6b62&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft write on the website:

"Use with Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Microsoft Exchange
Server 2003, and hosted Exchange Server 2003"

 

[Larry L.]

We are trying to deploy the same concept. We are experimenting between using
BCM in the same method you are considering, versus CRM. BCM appears to have
more functionality at present (and considerably less expensive). But, it is
not designed for multi-users, let alone client-server.

CRM is designed to do exactly what you are desiring, but it appears to be
both a work in progress as well as a psuedo-developer's platform.

Ideally, a more robust version of BCM would be ideal, with some of the
functionality employed by CRM. But if you have noticed, there are no recent
books published for either product. So, I suspect the jury is still out.

I am considering installing Outlook on the Exchange Server in question along
with the latest BCM, to "fool" the system, hopefully. Then on each
workstation that has BCM, have Outlook point to the BCM database on the
Exchange Server. I am not sure how this will work. BCM, though it is an SQL
2000 database, relies on MSDE, and must have an instance run in Services of
the computer in use. So, simply attaching a database in SQL will not
suffice. I know SQL, but MSDE has some new aspects that I am still learning
-- such as how to have a database run as a service on startup, and how to get
it installed as a service.

Once I find out the feasibility of all of this, I will reply again.

Larry L.

 

[Richard Tate]

What Microsoft say is that BCM works with Server products - but as yet I
have not found evidence as to HOW this can happen. There seems to be a
logical disconnect - how can you have a database that is relevant to an
organisation residing on a client computer that may or may not be online.
Has anyone tried this - if so please do reply to this thread.
Rich