Restricting WebReady Document Viewing

by Scott Lowe MCSE | Feb 01, 2007 12:00:00 AM

Tags: Microsoft Outlook Web Access, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office, Scott Lowe MCSE, PRODUCTIVITY, WebReady Document Viewing, private computer, Exchange Management Console, E-mail Administration Tips Newsletter, Office Suites, Software

Takeaway: We explain how to manage this feature.

In a previous tip, I explained the details behind WebReady Document Viewing, a new feature in Exchange 2007 that allows users to view supported document types from within the Outlook Web Access (OWA) window. In this tip, I'll explain how you can manage the use of this feature.

There's a lot to consider if you decide to restrict WebReady Document Viewing. First off, WebReady Document Viewing, by default, is enabled only if a user logs in from a private computer. Of course, the exercise to determine what is a public and what is a private computer is left solely to the user, who has but to select a different radio button on the login window to make this determination.

You can use either the GUI-based Exchange Management Console or the command line-based Exchange Management Shell to make your configuration changes. I'll go over the Exchange Management Console method here.

In the Exchange Management Console, expand the Server Configuration option and choose Client Access. In the work pane, choose the server that houses the OWA instance you want to configure and then, in the lower half of the work pane, select "owa (Default Web Site)." In the Actions pane, under "owa (Default Web Site)," choose Properties, as shown in Figure A.

Figure A

The Properties page for the OWA service in Exchange 2007.

On the Properties page are two tabs--one is labeled Public Computer File Access and the other Private Computer File Access. Each tab corresponds to the selection a user makes--public or private computer--upon logging in to OWA, and each tab contains the same options. Note that you can completely disable WebReady Document Viewing, and can even force its use when a supported document is being viewed. This can be useful to prevent users from saving sensitive information on a public computer, but still allow them to view the document’s contents. You can also change the supported files list--for example, you can allow the user to view Word documents, but not Excel documents, by clicking the Supported button and manipulating the extension list. This window is shown in Figure B.

Figure B

You can make changes to the supported file types, as needed.