Microsoft Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool:

Microsoft Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool:

Author,

Arun Chaudhary

MCP, MCTS, MCITP

(Exchange 2010)

Exchange Administrator, Book writer,

 Freelancer trainer of Exchange Server

Mail me: arunkalagarh@gmail.com

Visit me: http://exchangeby-arun.blogspot.com

About me: I am working as an Exchange Administrator & also a freelancer trainer of Exchange & other Microsoft Servers; I have 6+ years experience in Microsoft servers. I have written many articles on different – different topics & given Exchange Server training for more than 250 Indian & Inter national clients.

Hi friends,

As per my promise to you, I am again coming with a brand new article of my Exchange Server & Outlook series.

May be you are aware of lot’s of tool in Exchange Server & working on them. Outlook always have some issue, because most of the time user raise the issue that their Outlook profile is corrupt or have problems in configuration settings.

So a good Exchange Administrator never goes to the user desk to fix them they are very advanced & use Microsoft or any other third party tools to fix the problem.

In this article I am gonna discuss with you a very nice tool of Microsoft, called Outlook Configuration Analyzer Tool (CAT).

Introduction to OCAT:

OCAT basically design by Microsoft to scan, detection of known issues and reporting of problems or Outlook configuration settings.

Microsoft has two version of OCAT, V 1 & V 2.

In This article I am gonna discuss with you on what’s new in OCAT v2.

New Features of OCAT v2

Ø      Automatic downloading of new detection rules: Microsoft create new rules to detect issues or to collect additional information about user Outlook profile, they post a new updated rule file on the internet. Using the OCAT v2 configuration, OCAT will automatically check for a new rule & prompt you to update it.

Ø      Automatically download of OCAT installation files: If Microsoft post any new update or fix in a .msi file to the internet, OCAT v2 automatically check it & prompt to you to install it. So like this it also provide you less headache to check the latest updates.

Ø      CalCheck Tool: Now with the OCAT v2, Microsoft add CalCheck tool with v2. CalCheck is basically used to scan & report any known issue of your primary calendar.

Ø      Add more rules in OCAT v2: Microsoft add approx. 75 new rules in OCAT v2.

Ø      OCAT v2 scan the outlook 2003 now in online time, not like offline time in V1.

Ø      Cmdlets add: OCAT v3 support cmdlets (OCATcmd.exe) to run from the command line.

Installation requirements for installing the OCAT

·        OS should be Win XP SP3, Vista SP2 or Win7.

·        MS outlook 2003, 2007 & 2010.

·        .Net framework 2.0 required.

Arun Special Note: If you have OCAT v1 installed, the installation of OCAT v2 will automatically remove v1 for you.

                                                                                    Thanks,

                                                                                 Arun Chaudhary