Syncing Teem & Exchange
Syncing Teem & Exchange What You Need to Know
Teem Technology Overview Teem’s conference room display and visitor registration apps run on iOS. The software connects via the EventBoard API for app configurations, as well as transmitting calendar data to our servers. The software is considered a “dumb UI” because all transactions and settings are handled via the server – the app is simply a beautiful UI.
Calendar Data The EventBoard servers ingest calendar data for display on the conference room display app. We accept data from Google Apps, Office 365 and most flavors of Exchange – including on premise instances. (Learn more about what data we retain.)
Calendar Data There are two choices for syncing your company’s calendar data with EventBoard: 1.
2.
Directly syncing your Exchange server with the EventBoard server via our Exchange adapter. This is the approach we recommend. We call it Cloud Syncing. It also works with other cloudbased calendar services, such as Google Calendar. The company calendar can be hosted locally on the iPad running EventBoard’s room display software (ActiveSync). But there are many drawbacks to this approach, so we suggest customers avoid it when possible.
How CloudSync Works
Data Flow Between EventBoard and Exchange Let’s dig a little deeper. There are actually several steps to the data flow between the customer’s Exchange server and EventBoard’s servers.
It starts when a new Event is added: 1.
An end user schedules an event on their own, individual calendar and invites (or adds) the room as a participant.
2.
The Exchange server sends the event to the room resource for approval.
3.
The room resource accepts the event and notifies the Exchange server.
Then the Exchange server communicates with EventBoard: 4.
Once the room resource has accepted the event, the Exchange server tells EventBoard that there’s an update. This communication happens via Exchange Web Services (EWS) Push Notifications.
5.
EventBoard reaches out to our Exchange Adapter to start the event retrieval process.
6.
The Exchange Adapter reaches out to the Exchange server to get an updated list of events, which is then processed and saved as appropriate.
EventBoard tells the Displays to update: 7.
EventBoard uses Apple’s Push Notification Service (APNS) to tell the room display device that there’s a calendar update.
8.
The device reaches out to our service to get the event and then updates the display with the new information.
For a Successful and Secure Setup For all of the above steps to go smoothly, EventBoard needs to access a particular point in your Exchange server. We’ll need an exception through the firewall for this purpose, with the end result of your calendars and the EventBoard platform working together to make your office more productive. To be more specific – for those members of your InfoSec team who might be wondering – we need one port (443) of your Exchange Adapter to be open for a single IP address (54.244.248.254).
For a Successful and Secure Setup In order for EventBoard to effectively leverage EWS to communicate with your room calendars, there needs to be a regular Exchange user mailbox set up for EventBoard. (NOTE: All customer data in the EventBoard databases is encrypted, both at rest and when transferred. Read more about EventBoard security here.) For your company’s safety, we recommend setting up this user mailbox as a limited access account. Ideally, the mailbox should be: 1.
Used just for EventBoard
2.
Have permissions for room calendars
3.
Allow access only to EWS – POP/SMTP or IMAP/SMTP is unnecessary. OWA access also can be removed.
Troubleshooting: Data Flow Breakdowns During Exchange Sync
Breakdowns in the syncing processes between Exchange and EventBoard can lead to delays in updates to the conference room display calendars, which is frustrating for end users and administrators alike. That’s why EventBoard offers an extensive library of support documentation, as well as a team of customer support experts who are available by phone, email or chat.
Ready to learn more? Click here to set up a free consultation with an EventBoard expert.
The EventBoard platform simplifies meeting scheduling, streamlines conference room and resource booking, and improves overall meeting effectiveness – all aspects of business that have long been recognized as hurdles to productivity. Our cloud-based platform has two core feature sets: employee-focused meeting tools and activity-driven insights. Together, they add up to one powerful solution that improves how meetings are planned and executed, while also revealing trends and patterns about how individual companies meet and collaborate. Try EventBoard for free.
Teem Technology Overview Teem’s conference room display and visitor registration apps run on iOS. The software connects via the EventBoard API for app configurations, as well as transmitting calendar data to our servers. The software is considered a “dumb UI” because all transactions and settings are handled via the server – the app is simply a beautiful UI.
Calendar Data The EventBoard servers ingest calendar data for display on the conference room display app. We accept data from Google Apps, Office 365 and most flavors of Exchange – including on premise instances. (Learn more about what data we retain.)
Calendar Data There are two choices for syncing your company’s calendar data with EventBoard: 1.
2.
Directly syncing your Exchange server with the EventBoard server via our Exchange adapter. This is the approach we recommend. We call it Cloud Syncing. It also works with other cloudbased calendar services, such as Google Calendar. The company calendar can be hosted locally on the iPad running EventBoard’s room display software (ActiveSync). But there are many drawbacks to this approach, so we suggest customers avoid it when possible.
How CloudSync Works
Data Flow Between EventBoard and Exchange Let’s dig a little deeper. There are actually several steps to the data flow between the customer’s Exchange server and EventBoard’s servers.
It starts when a new Event is added: 1.
An end user schedules an event on their own, individual calendar and invites (or adds) the room as a participant.
2.
The Exchange server sends the event to the room resource for approval.
3.
The room resource accepts the event and notifies the Exchange server.
Then the Exchange server communicates with EventBoard: 4.
Once the room resource has accepted the event, the Exchange server tells EventBoard that there’s an update. This communication happens via Exchange Web Services (EWS) Push Notifications.
5.
EventBoard reaches out to our Exchange Adapter to start the event retrieval process.
6.
The Exchange Adapter reaches out to the Exchange server to get an updated list of events, which is then processed and saved as appropriate.
EventBoard tells the Displays to update: 7.
EventBoard uses Apple’s Push Notification Service (APNS) to tell the room display device that there’s a calendar update.
8.
The device reaches out to our service to get the event and then updates the display with the new information.
For a Successful and Secure Setup For all of the above steps to go smoothly, EventBoard needs to access a particular point in your Exchange server. We’ll need an exception through the firewall for this purpose, with the end result of your calendars and the EventBoard platform working together to make your office more productive. To be more specific – for those members of your InfoSec team who might be wondering – we need one port (443) of your Exchange Adapter to be open for a single IP address (54.244.248.254).
For a Successful and Secure Setup In order for EventBoard to effectively leverage EWS to communicate with your room calendars, there needs to be a regular Exchange user mailbox set up for EventBoard. (NOTE: All customer data in the EventBoard databases is encrypted, both at rest and when transferred. Read more about EventBoard security here.) For your company’s safety, we recommend setting up this user mailbox as a limited access account. Ideally, the mailbox should be: 1.
Used just for EventBoard
2.
Have permissions for room calendars
3.
Allow access only to EWS – POP/SMTP or IMAP/SMTP is unnecessary. OWA access also can be removed.
Troubleshooting: Data Flow Breakdowns During Exchange Sync
Breakdowns in the syncing processes between Exchange and EventBoard can lead to delays in updates to the conference room display calendars, which is frustrating for end users and administrators alike. That’s why EventBoard offers an extensive library of support documentation, as well as a team of customer support experts who are available by phone, email or chat.
Ready to learn more? Click here to set up a free consultation with an EventBoard expert.
The EventBoard platform simplifies meeting scheduling, streamlines conference room and resource booking, and improves overall meeting effectiveness – all aspects of business that have long been recognized as hurdles to productivity. Our cloud-based platform has two core feature sets: employee-focused meeting tools and activity-driven insights. Together, they add up to one powerful solution that improves how meetings are planned and executed, while also revealing trends and patterns about how individual companies meet and collaborate. Try EventBoard for free.
