1. anon(2729369)'s Avatar
    I've had the same problems with ActiveSync and replaced its email sync feature with IMAP sync via a 2nd account. Doesn't work for all use cases, but at least I get all emails, including attachment, the second they land on the server and I still have access to tasks and events.

    I'm wondering if this has to do with the fact that we're using an ActiveSync clone. Is the OP using M$ software?
    05-05-13 06:37 AM
  2. HotFix's Avatar
    The much more polished instructions on how to use Exchange's ActiveSync device communications diagnostics is detailed here:
    HOWTO: Visual guide to turn on Exchange ActiveSync mailbox logging through OWA - mstehle: The CDOs and CDONTS of Messaging Development - Site Home - MSDN Blogs
    Definitely worth checking out if your email server is Exchange 2010 or 2013.

    @ReneSc - I believe this is what Omnitech was referring to in regards to what Apple was paying for above and beyond the license for the ActiveSync protocol itself:
    Mobile Device Management Just Got Easier -- Announcing the Exchange ActiveSync Logo Program - The Microsoft Lync Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs
    reneSc likes this.
    05-05-13 10:06 AM
  3. reneSc's Avatar
    @ReneSc - I believe this is what Omnitech was referring to in regards to what Apple was paying for above and beyond the license for the ActiveSync protocol itself:
    Mobile Device Management Just Got Easier -- Announcing the Exchange ActiveSync Logo Program - The Microsoft Lync Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs
    Thank you very much, also fo the link to Wikipedia in your other post.

    When I understand this right, we don't have the full Exchange experience because BBRY doesn't pay the full license fee?!
    05-05-13 12:36 PM
  4. YekiTek's Avatar
    I am having issues with my Microsoft Exchange account on the leak .1627 that I installed on my Verizon BB.

    I get this error that can not connect to the internet.

    I downgraded to .1483 and then it worked, so it gotta be an issue with the leak (or at least when installed on a Verizon BB)

    I went back to .1627 cuz me back up wasn't able to be restored onto the .1483 and I liked that Whatsapp is in the hub.

    I hope a working update or leak will come out soon.

    Posted via CB10
    05-05-13 03:07 PM
  5. Omnitech's Avatar
    But what is the point of missing features like marking answered or forwarded emails? Is this only, because BlackBerry has this bad implemented in OS10 or is it, because they're using an older version of EAS (that's what I think).

    Actually, Blackberry's EAS implementation is one of the most complete of any smartphone platform. The fact that their stated compatibility-level is 14.1 instead of the most recent possible (14.2) is likely immaterial for 99.9% of use cases. I can't even find a list of any changes made from 14.1 to 14.2 anywhere I've looked.

    It is always possible that this issue has to do with some sort of flaw in the BB10 implementation, but I haven't seen enough complaints of this to make it seem like there is any sort of pattern.

    Given that the OP has now got it working just by cutting down on the number of objects synced, I'm guessing that it may have been either a server load issue, or his device was getting throttled by a policy on the server side for consuming more than their configured resource-limit during sync attempts.

    Like any geek I prefer more data when given the choice. Thus I would prefer to see a detailed error-message or log on the client if there was some sort of sync failure or partial failure. BB10 doesn't seem to be designed to give error messages about much of anything, and the logs that do exist are sort-of pointless in their lack of detail.


    @ReneSc - I believe this is what Omnitech was referring to in regards to what Apple was paying for above and beyond the license for the ActiveSync protocol itself:
    Mobile Device Management Just Got Easier -- Announcing the Exchange ActiveSync Logo Program - The Microsoft Lync Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

    Correct.
    05-05-13 05:58 PM
  6. Omnitech's Avatar
    When I understand this right, we don't have the full Exchange experience because BBRY doesn't pay the full license fee?!

    No. Anyone that markets a commercial implementation of Exchange ActiveSync is supposed to pay Microsoft a license fee.

    But Microsoft doesn't license implementations, it just licenses their patents, and perhaps some implementation assistance. (That changed recently, they used to license access to the protocol documentation. Probably as a result of antitrust rulings in Europe which required Microsoft to publish API and protocol documentation.)

    This logo program that HotFix posted a link to is a relatively new thing. It's a certification program for the actual implementation. Apple is the only non-Windows smartphone platform vendor that currently participates in that program.

    Exchange ActiveSync Logo Program - list of certified devices/platforms

    RIM/Blackberry is definitely on the list of EAS licensees:

    EAS licensee list
    Last edited by Omnitech; 05-05-13 at 06:31 PM. Reason: Clarification wording
    reneSc likes this.
    05-05-13 06:08 PM
  7. Omnitech's Avatar
    Article discussing the throttling issue I mentioned earlier, the following excerpt is from a larger general document under section named "Issue 2.9":

    When a mobile device acts in a manner that can adversely affect Microsoft Exchange Online service performance, such as when a device sends too many identical Sync commands to the service for a particular folder in a very short period, the device is put into an Access Denied state for a short time.

    Microsoft Exchange Online has implemented Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) Throttling to manage and maintain the optimal performance of the Office365 Exchange Online environment.
    General article
    Specific article


    More on resource consumption causing issues with syncing:

    Unable to connect using Exchange ActiveSync due to Exchange resource consumption

    There are cases where the device is at fault for causing excess resource consumption, a classic example of that was a bug in Apple's iOS 6.1 that caused Exchange servers to generate ~50GB log files due to continuously looping requests from those devices, which resulted in many Exchange admins locking iOS 6.1 users out of their system until the Apple bug was fixed.
    reneSc likes this.
    05-05-13 06:19 PM
  8. HotFix's Avatar
    Thank you very much, also fo the link to Wikipedia in your other post.

    When I understand this right, we don't have the full Exchange experience because BBRY doesn't pay the full license fee?!
    As Omnitech pointed out later in this thread it has nothing to do with licensing, although they are required to pay a licensing fee to use "ActiveSync" as their published connection mechanism. My understanding from when I used to work at Microsoft is this isn't a lot because Microsoft wants people to really use the protocol because unlike IMAP it is designed for this type of work (insert golden halo here).

    More specifically to your question, what each vendor chooses to implement is what they choose to implement. That's why I stayed on Windows Mobile 6.5 for so long because it had the best ActiveSync implementation and arguably still does. It frustrated me to no end to work for Microsoft but not be in a position to promote or use Windows Phone. I'm still waiting to see what additional ActiveSync features Windows Phone 8 added, because for the longest time I was holding out for that.

    But I digress (and often do). BlackBerry will most likely follow in Apples foot steps and add new ActiveSync features as their OS progresses since nothing is standing in their way but themselves.

    If there is a particular feature you are looking for that they have not currently implemented, I suggest you start asking for it and explaining why in the forums. Hopefully they will take notice.

    Posted via CB10
    reneSc likes this.
    05-05-13 06:56 PM
  9. reneSc's Avatar
    @Omnitech & @Hotfix
    Thank you very much for your explanations!

    Posted via CB10
    05-06-13 01:10 AM
  10. kill_9's Avatar
    Actually all I'm entering to set it up is login, password and server, everything else is there by default. It works seamlessly for a few hours or minutes and then starts lagging. Sincerely hope it will be fixed with a 10.1 but also want to get it fixed before it comes out. I'm a bit scared to install leaks at the moment. What version of OS are you running?
    BlackBerry Z10 and Microsoft Exchange via Microsoft Active Sync works instaneously. My organization has been using BlackBerry Z10s and Microsoft Exchange Server since the release of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

    Posted via CB10 from the BlackBerry Z10
    05-06-13 02:31 AM
  11. fortox's Avatar
    Some of you seem to have some expertise with EAS and BB10. Perhaps you can offer an explanation for my issue. I have set up my Z10 with may agenciy's EAS email service and receive email, calendar, and tasks with no problem. Syncing my contacts, however, fails. It will only happen if I delete and setup the account again. It will sync for a short time (less than a hour) and stop. It seems as if the EAS server and my Z10 stop connecting. My agency is using the 2003 version. Unfortunately my problem is not worthy of their time so dealing with them is useless. Any explanations for this issue? Is it the BZOS or settings with the EAS server?

    Posted via CB10
    05-06-13 06:36 AM
  12. DetritalGeo's Avatar
    I have multiple work MS Exchange accounts and all push email through very quickly.

    It almost sounds like the account is set to only sync intermittently.. check the advanced settings on the account.



    Posted via CB10
    05-06-13 06:48 AM
  13. fortox's Avatar
    I have tried every way possible in setting up the account (advanced and standard) with no improvement with contact syncing. Emails, calendar and tasks are almost instantaneous, syncing as they appear on my work PC. It is just contacts that don't sync. Not a huge problem but it works very well on the PB. Why not the Z10?

    Posted via CB10
    05-06-13 07:01 AM
  14. HotFix's Avatar
    Some of you seem to have some expertise with EAS and BB10. Perhaps you can offer an explanation for my issue. I have set up my Z10 with may agenciy's EAS email service and receive email, calendar, and tasks with no problem. Syncing my contacts, however, fails. It will only happen if I delete and setup the account again. It will sync for a short time (less than a hour) and stop. It seems as if the EAS server and my Z10 stop connecting. My agency is using the 2003 version. Unfortunately my problem is not worthy of their time so dealing with them is useless. Any explanations for this issue? Is it the BZOS or settings with the EAS server?

    Posted via CB10
    My experience is that it all works or it all doesn't, but to be honest I haven't used Exchange 2003 for quite some time. I did some looking around and you aren't the only one having this issue:
    Exchange 2003 Active Sync - Contacts not showing u... - BlackBerry Support Community Forums

    This one seems to indicate the back-end provider needed to upgrade a service pack but honestly if your admins haven't already done that they should probably be shot :
    Exchange activesync account no longer synchronized with Z10 device | BlackBerry Z10 case

    There is even a case where an Adroid person had to pull their battery to make it work:
    http://www.justanswer.com/cell-phone...-contacts.html

    Sorry I can't provide more assistance, there are too many variables especially if your IT folks don't want to get engaged.
    05-06-13 10:14 AM
  15. Omnitech's Avatar
    My understanding from when I used to work at Microsoft is this isn't a lot because Microsoft wants people to really use the protocol because unlike IMAP it is designed for this type of work (insert golden halo here).

    The figure I saw recently was $100,000, or royalties on the first year (of retail user fees, I presume), whichever is greater. I guess if the royalties were 50%, that could be a lot of money in some cases.


    More specifically to your question, what each vendor chooses to implement is what they choose to implement. That's why I stayed on Windows Mobile 6.5 for so long because it had the best ActiveSync implementation and arguably still does. It frustrated me to no end to work for Microsoft but not be in a position to promote or use Windows Phone. I'm still waiting to see what additional ActiveSync features Windows Phone 8 added, because for the longest time I was holding out for that.

    That's interesting because I always wondered about that when looking at the EAS client comparison chart from Microsoft. (Which was eventually copied by Wikipedia and kept much more up to date, to the point that Microsoft itself now links both its original chart and Wikipedia's in their documentation.. Fun fact: I added the Blackberry 10 parts on the wiki version. )

    The weird thing is I can't find almost any document that goes into detail about the WinPho 8 EAS implementation. I started just assuming that it was identical to 7. You would think at least someone at Microsoft would have added it to at least one of those charts, if they had something to crow about. Weird.

    Re: fortox's issue with the Z10 and W2K3, that was one of the earliest implementations of EAS, and interestingly (at least according to publicly available docs), the EAS implementation on BB10 for Exchange 2003 may be more comprehensive than even Microsoft's Windows Phone devices.

    Of course, stating compatibility with a feature doesn't necessarily mean you've implemented the feature without any bugs.

    From what I can tell, there are possibly some glitches with the BB10 EAS implementation, but I think it's awfully hard to pin down stuff like that because EAS (especially newer versions) is pretty friggin complex, and there are so many variables on both sides of the link that a simple conclusion of "it doesn't work" really needs to be way better fleshed-out and investigated before you can point fingers at where the source of problem is with any authority.

    HotFix seems to have found one potential issue re: sync timeframe, but it clearly doesn't affect everyone because lots of people don't see it. Variables variables variables, gotta love 'em...
    Last edited by Omnitech; 05-06-13 at 11:07 PM. Reason: single char typo
    05-06-13 12:42 PM
  16. HotFix's Avatar
    How do you check server info on your Z10?
    Anton,
    Were you ever able to determine what version of Exchange your organization is running?
    05-06-13 07:47 PM
  17. Omnitech's Avatar
    Anton,
    Were you ever able to determine what version of Exchange your organization is running?

    FWIW: Here is a link to a handy tool for Windows or iOS you can use that will not only do a basic test of ActiveSync to check if it's working properly (given a valid EAS-enabled account on the system), but it will also read-out the version numbers of EAS that the server supports:

    https://store.accessmylan.com/main/diagnostic-tools
    05-10-13 11:11 PM
  18. HotFix's Avatar
    FWIW: Here is a link to a handy tool for Windows or iOS you can use that will not only do a basic test of ActiveSync to check if it's working properly (given a valid EAS-enabled account on the system), but it will also read-out the version numbers of EAS that the server supports:

    https://store.accessmylan.com/main/diagnostic-tools
    I am always suspect of free 3rd party "we need your logon information to test this thing for you" programs, and luckily you get that information form the Microsoft provided and controlled tool mkelley65 posted. Here is an excerpt of the results from a test of Microsoft's tool with an Exchange 2010 SP2 system:
    An ActiveSync session is being attempted with the server.
    Testing of an Exchange ActiveSync session completed successfully.

    Test Steps

    Attempting to send the OPTIONS command to the server.
    The OPTIONS response was successfully received and is valid.

    Additional Details
    Headers received: Allow: OPTIONS,POST
    MS-Server-ActiveSync: 14.2
    MS-ASProtocolVersions: 2.0,2.1,2.5,12.0,12.1,14.0,14.1
    MS-ASProtocolCommands: Sync,SendMail,SmartForward,SmartReply,GetAttachmen t,GetHierarchy,CreateCollection,DeleteCollection,M oveCollection,FolderSync,FolderCreate,FolderDelete ,FolderUpdate,MoveItems,GetItemEstimate,MeetingRes ponse,Search,Settings,Ping,ItemOperations,Provisio n,ResolveRecipients,ValidateCert
    Public: OPTIONS,POST
    Content-Length: 0
    Cache-Control: private
    Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 16:01:16 GMT
    Server: Microsoft-IIS/7.5
    X-AspNet-Version: 2.0.50727
    X-Powered-By: ASP.NET
    mkelley65 likes this.
    05-11-13 11:06 AM
  19. Omnitech's Avatar
    I am always suspect of free 3rd party "we need your logon information to test this thing for you" programs, and luckily you get that information form the Microsoft provided and controlled tool mkelley65 posted. Here is an excerpt of the results from a test of Microsoft's tool with an Exchange 2010 SP2 system:

    I generally agree about small vendor tools that ask for credentials but among other things, Apple approved that thing for their app store and the vendor seems pretty legit, so I'm not as concerned as I might be about some other things.

    I had problems getting the MS tool to give me useful and user-friendly diagnostic info, maybe the problem is I was testing it on a non-standard system or not using it right or something. I'll try it again soon.
    05-11-13 12:25 PM
  20. Anton Kravtsov's Avatar
    Anton,
    Were you ever able to determine what version of Exchange your organization is running?
    Microsoft Exchange 2010 14.2
    05-15-13 12:45 PM
  21. HotFix's Avatar
    Microsoft Exchange 2010 14.2
    I re-read over all of your posts to make sure I had your issue fresh in my head (versus the comments of other users).
    Just to recap you notice that after a few hours the email starts to arrive intermittently, and eventually the ActiveSync connection would stop working altogether.
    You dropped the activities ActiveSync was doing down to just email and calendar, and things seem to stabilize for you.

    The reason I asked what version of Exchange you were running is because the Notes synchronization wasn't introduced until Exchange 2010 (ActiveSync 14) and I wanted to make sure your device wasn't trying to use it and getting confused.

    You asked at one point how could the issue be something server side if it worked fine on an Android device and not the BlackBerry Z10. There very well could be a difference in how the devices are reacting to the server's ActiveSync policy since they are from different product lines and support different features:
    Comparison of Exchange ActiveSync clients - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    That being said I tend to think the issue is most likely with your device or the connection to the server since I have my Z10 hooked up to my Exchange 2010 SP2 (ActiveSync 14.2) server in my lab with 0 issues (and it is running in a resource limited VM).

    If it is connection related, it could be something like a firewall in between your device and the server is timing out the connection before the BB thinks it should be, and the BB gets confused whereas the Android implementation on your other phone could potentially handle a situation like that better. This is pure conjecture, I have no idea if you are having a connection issue, if BB doesn't handle those well, if Android handles them better, just throwing out how this could be a "server" issue in the form of a connection to the server and how the devices might react differently.

    That being said, my suggestion to you to troubleshoot the issue further is to turn on diagnostic logging on your ActiveSync connection when you see issues, and then try to get the device to update. The best instructions I have found for this so far are:
    HOWTO: Visual guide to turn on Exchange ActiveSync mailbox logging through OWA - mstehle: The CDOs and CDONTS of Messaging Development - Site Home - MSDN Blogs
    Hopefully that will show you if the requests are even making it to the server. If they are and your BB isn't handling them, then you should definitely open a ticket with BlackBerry as they will want to know and help troubleshoot the issue. If you device's refresh requests (and I would even go so far as to reboot it) aren't making it to the server, then I would look to see what might be in the path between your device and the Exchange server that could be impeding connection attempts after a period of time.

    Sorry there is no magic bullet here.
    05-15-13 09:00 PM
  22. jonty12's Avatar
    I re-read over all of your posts to make sure I had your issue fresh in my head (versus the comments of other users).
    Just to recap you notice that after a few hours the email starts to arrive intermittently, and eventually the ActiveSync connection would stop working altogether.
    You dropped the activities ActiveSync was doing down to just email and calendar, and things seem to stabilize for you.

    The reason I asked what version of Exchange you were running is because the Notes synchronization wasn't introduced until Exchange 2010 (ActiveSync 14) and I wanted to make sure your device wasn't trying to use it and getting confused.

    You asked at one point how could the issue be something server side if it worked fine on an Android device and not the BlackBerry Z10. There very well could be a difference in how the devices are reacting to the server's ActiveSync policy since they are from different product lines and support different features:
    Comparison of Exchange ActiveSync clients - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    That being said I tend to think the issue is most likely with your device or the connection to the server since I have my Z10 hooked up to my Exchange 2010 SP2 (ActiveSync 14.2) server in my lab with 0 issues (and it is running in a resource limited VM).

    If it is connection related, it could be something like a firewall in between your device and the server is timing out the connection before the BB thinks it should be, and the BB gets confused whereas the Android implementation on your other phone could potentially handle a situation like that better. This is pure conjecture, I have no idea if you are having a connection issue, if BB doesn't handle those well, if Android handles them better, just throwing out how this could be a "server" issue in the form of a connection to the server and how the devices might react differently.

    That being said, my suggestion to you to troubleshoot the issue further is to turn on diagnostic logging on your ActiveSync connection when you see issues, and then try to get the device to update. The best instructions I have found for this so far are:
    HOWTO: Visual guide to turn on Exchange ActiveSync mailbox logging through OWA - mstehle: The CDOs and CDONTS of Messaging Development - Site Home - MSDN Blogs
    Hopefully that will show you if the requests are even making it to the server. If they are and your BB isn't handling them, then you should definitely open a ticket with BlackBerry as they will want to know and help troubleshoot the issue. If you device's refresh requests (and I would even go so far as to reboot it) aren't making it to the server, then I would look to see what might be in the path between your device and the Exchange server that could be impeding connection attempts after a period of time.

    Sorry there is no magic bullet here.
    Thanks for this. I started losing my EAS connection a couple days ago - day 4 after upgrading to. 1756. Since then I keep losing my connection. I've deleted and re added my account. I've reinstalled the OS. I've wiped and re added the account. It works for a short time then stops.

    I had no issues with 10.0.9 or 10.0.10.

    Posted via CB10
    05-15-13 09:23 PM
  23. HotFix's Avatar
    Thanks for this. I started losing my EAS connection a couple days ago - day 4 after upgrading to. 1756. Since then I keep losing my connection. I've deleted and re added my account. I've reinstalled the OS. I've wiped and re added the account. It works for a short time then stops.

    I had no issues with 10.0.9 or 10.0.10.

    Posted via CB10
    Let us know if the client side ActiveSync logging shows you anything, one way or another.
    05-16-13 06:54 AM
  24. jonty12's Avatar
    Let us know if the client side ActiveSync logging shows you anything, one way or another.
    Didn't really show anything. There were no entries for the period of time the account wasn't working on the phone, and standard entries for when it was working.

    I've rolled back to factory VZ. All working fine again.

    Posted via CB10
    05-17-13 09:42 AM
  25. HotFix's Avatar
    Didn't really show anything. There were no entries for the period of time the account wasn't working on the phone, and standard entries for when it was working.

    I've rolled back to factory VZ. All working fine again.

    Posted via CB10
    Huh... interesting that the leaked firmware caused this issue for you. Glad to hear though it was fixed, and at least you were able to determine the connections weren't making it to the Exchange server.
    05-17-13 10:03 AM
132 1234 ...

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-03-13, 03:51 AM
  2. Email and Microsoft Exchange
    By Hulk_Heroes in forum BlackBerry Pearl Series
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-13-09, 02:10 PM
  3. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-24-09, 04:24 PM
  4. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-15-09, 02:45 AM
  5. Blackberry and Microsoft Exchange
    By dsg29 in forum BlackBerry Storm Series
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-14-08, 11:37 AM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD