WebVPN & Outlook Web Access

[dheinen]

This is likely covered here elsewhere, but I could not locate any references to it.

I have just configured WebVPN on a 3005 running 4.1.3. I have configured two links on the WebVPN page. An inside intranet server, and the Exchange (Outlook Web Access) server. My intranet server works nicely. When I use the WebVPN page to connect to the 2003 Exchange server for Outlook Web Access, the exchange server requests authentication, then loads the OWA page after a correct user/pass. However, the inbox fails to load, then appears to time out.

Anybody seen this partial loading issue?

Dean

[owensgl]

you need to upgrade to 4.7

[stuart-anderson]

I'm experiencing exactly the same problem but with Exchange 2000 OWA. Our VPN3005 is running 4.7.2B. Has anyone found a cause for and/or resolution to this behaviour?

Regards,

Stuart

[mabaker1962]

We experienced similar problems, either excessive time to load or timeouts. We ended up switching from teh ActiveX version of OWA to the "light" version, which has far less overhead, and would load in a fraction of the time without any problems. This lighter version was also compatible with any browser, not just IE.

[embrex]

I also have slowness issues when using the WEBVPN to access OWA. How do you turn OWA into the light version?

[baudhayan]

I dont know whether it has sumthing 2 do with d known bug in Exchange 2003 OWA. Try this link:-

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=841561&SD=tech

[tkropp]

I've seen this problem several times now. The problem is related to the synch of Exchange-FE server (OWA) with Exchange-BE. In this scenario the OWA server cannot synch correctly through the PIX.

=================

EXCHANGE SERVER -> PIX Inside- > PixDmz ---- OWA SERVER - > PIX Outside-->internet&user https accessing OWA.

The OWA server needs to synchronize on several ports to the EXBE:

object-group service AD-SYNC tcp & udp

port-object eq 88

port-object eq 389

port-object eq 135

port-object eq 10123

port-object eq 1025

port-object eq 8000

port-object eq 139

!

====================

now you think that opening up the denied ports would work correct? Try- NO. The only thing that worked was OWA server having "ip any host any host" (includes netbios-dbm, netbios-ns) access to the EXBE, after rebooting the server, it synchronized, and then we closed down based on the above object-grouping.

Now - - if you are running OWA directly off of the EXBE server (not sure this is recommended setup), I'm not sure if this will help you, as you are using VPN to allow WebVPN access, and the Exchange Server itself.

Gotta love Microsloth networking.

-Tim

[anthonypriore]

I had a similar problem with Webvpn on the ASA 5520. After typing in the webpage it would appear that the OWA login box was going to pop up but then would time out or something. What I did was create a link on the home page of Webvpn and pointied it to my internal server\exchange. When I tried pointing it to the external address that is when it would fail. Now all my users have to do is click the link nstead of typing in the address.

Hope this helps

Anthony

[vllcomputer]

This may not be firewall/vpn related it may have to do with your router configs.

Are any of you using a MLPPP connection between wan links or to your WWW? If so You may just be exceeding the default packet fragmentation threshold during the trascactions. I experienced similar issues and found that increasing that threshold on my mlppp t1 bundle I was able to acheive good results.