What Is Outlook Cache Mode?

Using Exchange Mode to Connect Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook can connect with Exchange in two different modes. When an Exchange account is configured in Outlook, it connects to the Exchange server in Offline mode with the option to use cached exchange mode. Outlook 2003 has a cached exchange mode.

It is supported by Outlook 2007, 2010, 2016, and 2019. The preferred mode is the cached exchange mode. Outlook does not show an error if the system experiences network issues.

Users can work when online or offline. It is advisable to use the mode for high network connection times. If Outlook doesn't get a response from the server within 100 ms, it will display error messages.

You can use cached exchange mode to overcome these issues. You can use an OST to PST software to extract mail items from an inaccessible OST file and save them to Outlook importable PST format. When you add an Exchange or Microsoft Office365 account to Microsoft Outlook, you'll be able to use the cached Exchange Mode.

You can enable or disabling the mode based on your current needs. Outlook users use the mode to get a seamless experience. Outlook has a default mode called Cached Exchange Mode.

Using Caching Mode in Outlook to Connect with Exchange Server

The Exchange server needs a special connection mode to make it easier to manage the content in the mailbox and make the sync between the two applications. There are two scenarios in Outlook that can be used to connect to Exchange server. The first and second modes are online and cached.

The Online Mode does not provide an offline copy of your mailbox. The active user will benefit from the cached mode. When Outlook is not connected with Exchange, you can access your data through the OST file, but you can't work on your mailbox.

If you have all the basic information about the mode, then you should make sure that the caching mode is enabled in your account as it will accommodate all the information all the time. Exchange server is a large application, so there are chances of delays. The data can be accessed without interruption if the data is in the cache mode.

Outlook v1.0: A new mode for offline work

Outlook has a mode that allows users to work with mailbox data while offline. Users can read and compose emails on the go. When they return to a network, they receive their emails and any new ones are downloaded for them to read.

Large files are prone to corruption. Recovering from OST file corruption requires deletion of the file and allowing Outlook to download the mailbox contents to a new file. The user has a degraded experience when the rebuild is happening because it takes a long time.

Group Policy can be used to set the slider. You will need to download the Group Policy administrative templates. The Office 2016 administrative templates are available here.

Online Mode and Exchange-Mode Configuration in Outlook 2016

Online Mode requires a connection to work, and uses information directly from the server. Mailbox data is never written to disk. Delivery options are in the online mode or in the client side.

Outlook must be connected and open at the assigned delivery time for delayed delivery messages to be sent. When using the mode, be aware of the users' local location. The mailbox size reported in Exchange server is not accurate.

The server data file format is more space- efficient than the local format used by Outlook. The maximum size for a toy. The files are changeable.

50 gigabyte of data storage is the default. Make sure that users are on the site. The files are located in a folder that has enough disk space to hold mailboxes.

The majority of users find that the online mode performs better than the cached exchange mode. The factors that can affect a user's perception of Exchange Mode performance are hard disk size and speed, and the amount of time spent on the computer. The expected level of performance is related to the file size.

The Offline Global Address Book

The Offline Global Address Book is a local copy of the GAL that clients keep in cache. When the network connection to Exchange is down, a user can still access mail even if they are on an airplane or theWAN is down. The local cache is very useful for users with high latency connections to Exchange, as it allows them to avoid delays in connection to the server.

The searches done against the local OST are more efficient than the searches done against the client. You should use caching mode whenever a user needs to access their mail without a network. It's a good idea to use it for users in an office with intermittent network connections, or for users with high network latency, like those with satellite or radio-based connections.

The online mode maintains a connection to the Exchange server for all access to the mailbox. Outlook is not usable until the connection is restored. It requires a better connection to the server.

The online mode is ideal for clients with limited or no persistent storage because it does not require any disk space for a local file. When users have no persistent storage to which they can store their OST, you should use online mode. You can use online mode for large mailboxes to improve performance, or you can not have a local copy of the OST for compliance reasons.