Microsoft Exchange clients, including Outlook 98, can connect to the Exchange server in two ways. The Connect option lets users automatically connect to the Exchange server at startup, and the Work Offline option lets them connect to the Exchange Server on demand. Both options are available when you configure either personal folders or offline folders as part of the Exchange Server service in a user's Exchange mail profile. When a user chooses Connect, the client assumes that a fast network connection to the Exchange server exists. When a user initiates Send and Receive after choosing Work Offline, the client connects to the Exchange server in a manner optimized for a slow connection. The downside to the Work Offline option is that because the connection exists only to transfer mail, the Exchange Server Information Store (IS), which includes mailboxes and public folders, isn't available. Many remote Exchange users always choose Connect because they don't know that a difference exists between the connection modes; consequently, these users unknowingly accept slower mail delivery.
