Exchange ActiveSync is a communications protocol that enables mobile access, over the air, to e-mail messages, scheduling data, contacts, and tasks. Exchange ActiveSync is available on Windows Mobile powered devices and third-party devices that are enabled for Exchange ActiveSync.

Exchange ActiveSync offers Direct Push technology. Direct Push uses an encrypted HTTPS connection that is established and maintained between the device and the server to push new e-mail messages and other Exchange data to the device.

To use Direct Push with Exchange 2007, your users must have a mobile device that is running Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging & Security Feature Pack or another mobile operating system that is designed to support Direct Push.

Note:
The Messaging & Security Feature Pack includes support for Direct Push, server-based security policies, remote device wipe, Task synchronization, global address book lookup, and many other features.

Exchange ActiveSync Features

Exchange ActiveSync provides access to a variety of features. These features enable you to enforce device security policies. By using Exchange 2007, you can configure multiple Exchange ActiveSync policies and control which devices can synchronize with your Exchange server. Exchange ActiveSync enables you to send a remote device wipe command that wipes all data from an existing device in case that device is lost or stolen. Users can also initiate a remote device wipe from Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access.

For more information about Exchange ActiveSync, see Overview of Exchange ActiveSync.

Note:
Access to some of the features described in this topic require either Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Messaging & Security Feature Pack or the next version of Windows Mobile software that is currently in development. For more information, see your device documentation.

Users can take advantage of Exchange ActiveSync by selecting mobile devices that are compatible with Exchange ActiveSync. These devices are available from a variety of manufacturers. Most of these devices do not support Direct Push. However, they do support synchronization with Microsoft Exchange. For more information, see the device documentation.

Some of the devices that are compatible with Microsoft Exchange include the following:

• Nokia   Nokia offers Mail for Exchange on their Eseries mobile devices. E-mail, calendar, and contact data can be synchronized over a cellular network or a wireless LAN.
  
  
• Sony Ericsson   Sony Ericsson offers Exchange ActiveSync support on several of their newer smartphone devices. They also support Direct Push through a third-party program.
  
  
• Palm   Palm offers two smartphones that have the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. These devices support Direct Push. Palm also supports Exchange ActiveSync on the Treo 650 and 680 series smartphones. These devices do not support Direct Push.
  
  
• Motorola   Motorola has its own synchronization framework that enables over-the-air synchronization through Exchange ActiveSync on a variety of its devices.
  
  
• Symbian   Symbian Limited licenses Exchange ActiveSync for use in the Symbian operating system. This operating system is an open standard operating system for mobile telephones.
  
  

Windows Mobile Software Feature Matrix