Exchange ActiveSync (commonly known as EAS ) is proprietary protocol designed to sync email, contacts, calendar, tasks and notes from a messaging server to a smartphone or other mobile device. The protocol also provides mobile device management and policy control. This protocol is based on XML. Mobile devices communicate over HTTP or HTTPS.
Video Exchange ActiveSync
Usage
Microsoft licensed the technology. Originally branded as AirSync and only supporting Microsoft Exchange Server and Pocket PC devices, according to some retailers, the protocol has become the de facto standard for synchronization between groupware and mobile devices.
Support for EAS is now implemented across a number of competing collaboration platforms, including GroupWise with Novell GroupWise Mobility Services and Lotus Notes software with IBM Notes Traveler. Previously, Google offered support for the protocol for personal Gmail and free Google Apps accounts, but began removing support from all paid Google Apps for Work subscriptions in 2013. Outside of the on-site installation of Exchange, various personal services and hosted companies from Microsoft also utilizing EAS, including Outlook.com and Office 365.
In addition to support for Windows Phone, EAS client support is included on Android, iOS, BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computers. The built-in email app for Windows 8 desktop, Mail app , also supports protocol.
Maps Exchange ActiveSync
History
1.0
The first version of EAS (called AirSync at the time) is part of the Mobile Information Server (MIS) 2002. This EAS version communicates through Web-Based Distribution and Creation (WebDAV) to Exchange 2000 servers that synchronize Email, contacts and calendars and allows users to select a list of folders to sync but this is only for email folders (not contacts or calendars). Early versions of this EAS have user devices "pulling" data down rather than having the server "push" new information as soon as it's available.
2.0
EAS 2.0 is sent in Exchange Server 2003. This protocol version was developed by the Microsoft Windows Mobile team and sent as a binary drop (massync.dll) to the Exchange Server team. EAS uses WebDAV to connect to user mailboxes and add the ability to sync non-default calendars and contacts folders. Always Up To Date (AUTD) is implemented as a way to notify the device if there is new information for it and Short Message Service (SMS) is the technology used to transmit this information to the device. Because of the use of SMS as a notification, SMS gateway configuration is required and each account must be configured with a user's mobile number.
2.1
In Exchange Server 2003 SP1 ghosting support is added to EAS 2.1. Ghosting tells the server what they can sync and then all is sent down but when changes are sent, only certain fields are changed (others are not deleted). The EAS protocol is also moved from the Unique Global Identifier (GUID) to a short 1: X ID for all items that reduce the amount of data sent over the wireless network.
2.5
EAS 2.5 (Part of Exchange Server 2003 SP2) is the first version of EAS written by the Exchange Server team. This version also introduces Direct Push, a real-time push email solution that lets the server say "I have new items for you" and then tells the client device to sync. (This is called "Ping Sync"). Global Address List Search (GAL) is added to allow people to search for other coworkers in their company directory to find their email address. The ability to remotely wipe the device is also added so that administrators can wipe company data from a lost, stolen device, or after an employee leaves the company. Task sync is added such as S/MIME email encryption and the following policies are added:
- Minimum password length
- Timeout without user input
- Need a password
- Require an alphanumeric password
- Number of failed attempts
- Policy refresh interval
- Allow devices that can not be set
12.0
EAS 12.0 comes with Exchange Server 2007. EAS 12.0 is a complete rewrite of the protocol (in managed code) of the previous version. New features include password reset that allows users to reset forgotten PIN keylocks, message tagging that gives users the ability to mark messages so they can remember to follow up when they return to their computer, outside of Office settings so that users can set the message " away "from their phones, SharePoint (and UNC share files) access from links in emails (traffic files proxied through EAS), Deleted items to allow people to shrink their mailboxes so as not to exceed their mailbox size limits, retrieval that allows users to get only part of the message and then choose later to get the rest of the messages (or attachments) later, device info that allows users and administrators to see which phones are connected to their account, and the AutoDiscover (although not part of the EAS protocol) phone for on automatically configure EAS connections only with user logins and passwords (rather than requiring people to know the name of their Exchange Server computer). The ability to see who's invited to the meeting is also added and the ability to search the server for emails that are not synced to the device. The new policies introduced are:
- Allow attachment downloads
- Maximum attachment size
- Enable password recovery
- Allow simple passwords
- Password expiration (Day)
- Enforce password history
- Windows file sharing access
- Windows SharePoint Access
- Encrypt storage card
12.1
EAS 12.1 comes in Exchange Server 2007 SP1. This protocol version is one of the biggest changes since version 2.5 and feature header compression (Base Base encoding of binary structure) to reduce the amount of data sent wirelessly, synchronize multiple collections (bundling of all synchronization requests together than ever how to sync to each folder separately), a hanging sync that allows the server to keep the communication channel open to the client at any time so that the battery life and data will not be consumed constantly turn on the radio and ask the server and is a "push sync" solution (which has message delivery latency much lower, compared to previous ping-based "push to pull" solutions), a comprehensive takedown removal confirmation, as well as the following 30 new policies:
- Disable ActiveSync desktop
- Disable moveable storage
- Turn off camera
- Disable SMS text messages
- Disable Wi-Fi
- Disable Bluetooth
- Disable IrDA
- Allow internet sharing from devices
- Allow desktop sharing from device
- Disable POP3/IMAP4 email
- Allow consumer email
- Allow web browsers
- Allow unsigned apps
- Allow unsigned CABs
- The app allows lists
- Application block list
- Request signed S/MIME message
- Request an encrypted S/MIME message
- Requires the signed S/MIME algorithm
- Requires encrypted S/MIME algorithm
- Allow negotiation of the S/MIME encrypted algorithm
- Allow S/MIME SoftCerts
- Device encryption
- Number of minimum complex characters
- Configure message format (HTML or plain text)
- Include old (duration) email items
- Email truncation size
- HTML body truncation size
- Include old calendar items (duration)
- Request manual synchronization while roaming
14.0
EAS 14.0 was introduced as part of Exchange Server 2010. This new version adds a new conversation view that puts email messages in view linked by several attributes including Message ID and email subject, sync record, ability to search availability (free/busy status) from contacts (from their calendars), Call Name Cache that shares commonly used contact names between Outlook Web App (OWA) and EAS, the ability to set server-side rules to always move messages in a conversation, lunar calendar support, sync reply status (which allows devices and servers to know whether any messages have been forwarded or replied to from other sources), a new way to identify integrated messaging messages (UM) so that the voice messages that appear in the user's inbox can be handled differently, SMS Sync (allowing users to view their SMS messages in their email inbox and reply a from their inbox not on their phone), and the following two new policies:
- Allow Mobile OTA Updates
- OTA Mobile Update Mode
This is also the first version of EAS that identifies clients who use older EAS versions and warns them if there is an updated version of the client that will enable new features.
14.1
EAS 14.1 comes as part of Exchange Server 2010 SP1. This protocol version adds GAL photos (images stored on the Active Directory server of users who send emails), Message Diffs (means of sending only new sections of email and avoid redundant information), add device/user information to the provision command so that the Allow/Block/New quarantines can more easily enable administrators to control which devices are connected to their organizations, and the management of information rights (IRMs) through EAS (a method for implementing digital rights management and encryption controls for email messages sent and received). EAS 14.1 allows IRM over EAS.
16.0
EAS 16.0 was announced in June 2015 and deployed in Office 365 first, followed by Exchange Server 2016.
This new protocol version adds 3 additional tools: a redesigned calendar sync to avoid the most common EAS calendar sync issues, add calendar attachments and synchronize email drafts folders.
16.1
EAS 16.1 was announced in June 2016 and deployed in the first Office 365, followed by Exchange Server 2016.
This protocol version contains three key capabilities: improved keyword searches, proposed new times and account-specific remote deletions.
License
Beginning in early 2000, EAS became available for licensing. At that time it is a client protocol license only. Motorola is the first license holder and started with a license from version 2.1 EAS. Other organizations licensed the EAS from time to time and Microsoft eventually began licensing the EAS server side in 2007. The licensing protocol continued until 2008.
In December 2008, Microsoft redirected EAS permissions from protocol licenses, to license EAS patents and provide full protocol documentation. Because EAS is licensed as a set of patents (and not provided as computer code for other companies), different clients and servers implement a subset of all protocol features and their implementation is written by each licensed company. Google uses the implementation of EAS for its G Suite customers. Likewise, IBM and Novell have implemented technologies to enable their groupware servers to compete (Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise) to support smartphones and other devices, through IBM Notes Traveler and Novell Data Synchronizer Pack, respectively.
Program logo
In April 2011, Microsoft launched the EAS logo program, which tests third-party EAS clients on mobile email devices. Manufacturers of handsets licensed by the EAS protocol from Microsoft are eligible to join the program. To be appropriate, EAS clients must use EAS v14.0 or later and enable the following management features and policies:
- Push direct emails, contacts, and calendars
- Accept, decline, and tentatively accept meetings
- Rich formatted email (HTML)
- Answer/forward status on email
- GAL Search
- Automatic Search
- Allow-Quarantine String for device type and device model
- Remote wipe
- Password required
- Minimum password length
- Timeout without user input
- Number of failed attempts
See also
- the MAPI/RPC protocol ("Messaging Application Programming Interface"), also called sometimes "Exchange RPC" and "Outlook-Exchange Transport Protocol".
- SyncML
- Push-IMAP
- CalDAV
- CardDAV
References
Further reading
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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