help me justify a new powerbook

C

clc2112

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I have been a faithfull powerbook user for three yrs. I now have a new job that requires extensive travel always on a customer site.

My company gave me a POS dell 600. Although it will be unsupported internally I'd live to be able to use a powerbook. Here are the issues I NEED to be able to work through relatively easily prior to ditching the dell.

* I will have to connect to an Exchange Server.
* Blackberry connection
* VPN. I will have to connect to our vpn for exchange and network drives. This is the most important! I am currently using Net6 and cisco vpn software on the dell.

I'm hoping the PB gets a 1.8ghz speedbump in Jan. If it does thats when I hope to make the plunge. But I cant be stranded on my job because I chose a mac.

Thanks,
Calvin
 
ive been really happy with my PB since i bought it a few months ago. first things first: i have not found one single thing that i could not do on my apple(s) that i could do on a windoze machine. but to answer your questions, i looked around a bit:

1. Exchange server: i found this article, apparently Entourage is able to sync with the exchange server in the latest revision. i could be wrong, but this looks like a solution:
http://www.winnetmag.com/Windows/Article/ArticleID/264/264.html

2. Blackberry: upon the first search, i got a lot of Pie recipes, need to be more descriptive i guess! hah! but then i found that PocketMac synchronizes with blackberry. I have used this product in the past, though the version i used was the first iteration and was very buggy, im sure they've ironed out the kinks by now. It also synchronizes with Entourage as well, making it a viable solution for question 1 and 2!
http://www.pocketmac.net/products/pmblackberry/indexg.html

3. Net6 and Cisco: again, did some research and found that there are a few companies that have created or are creating clients and solutions for macintosh users. (evidence that the corporate world is recognizing apples!)
http://napps.nwfusion.com/news/2004/0315vpn.html

http://www.oit.umass.edu/network/wireless/vpn/macx.html

thanks for the question, it made me do a little research and furthered my belief that the mac can do anything the PC can do!

i hope this helps! if i have made an error or wrong assumption here, please let me know!
 
If you are using a Cisco PIX firewall, the Cisco VPN Client for OS X works beautifully; and yes, your IT guys will have access to this software (no such thing as only having access to Windows-only downloads) if you have a current maintenance contract with Cisco.
 
For Exchange, in a pinch, you can use the Outlook Web Access client assuming your IT guys have enabled it; with Exchange 2003, the OWA client has been vastly improved and can replace most of your daily Exchange needs.
 
* I will have to connect to an Exchange Server.
I know it can be done. I have tried to do it where I work because we use exchange. The exchange admin says they would have to enable imap in the exchange server for me to access the mail on my mac. They are not willing to do that. It's a we hate macintosh thing.

* Blackberry connection - don't have one can not help

* VPN. I will have to connect to our vpn for exchange and network drives.
Connectin to vpn with OSX's buit in client work well from me. I do all my Oracle and Unix admin with it. Connecting to drives isn't as easy. We use novell here and so far I can not mount non samba drives.


Calliex
 
Thanks all. Was hoping the solutions were a little cut and dry. But you have provided much information ponder. I guess i need to contact the IT guys to get the mac vpn software first as I couldnt find it free on line.

thanks again..
calvin
 
Try the built in vpn clinet. I do not have my mac with me here at work but you need a little instruction I could provide it. It is was very easy to setup and works fine for me. There was I think three pieces of info needed.
vpn server ip
userid and passwd
 
Looking at the Account Settings for Entourage, it seems to work with Exchange servers. You would have to be logged in through the VPN, of course.

I also use the built-in VPN client. It works for me as well. You set it up through Internet Connect.
 
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