Look at peoples email?

[chazzy2501]

I need to look into certain pupils accounts for a very nasty email. The usual way would be for me to change the account password and use webmail.

 

Unfortunately I need to look into 20 user accounts! Is there a better way?

 

I'm running exchange 2007sp1 on a 64bit w2k3 box.

[jsnetman]

We use exmerge for this type of thing on exchange 2003, or you could add the administrator account into all users accounts then you won't be prompted for a password.

[witch]

Before you even start this make sure you have the WRITTEN authority from the head teacher with a brief explanation of why you are doing this.

Would be best to have someone with you as well - maybe a member of SMT who can corroborate what you have done

[mrmontymick]

Before you even start this make sure you have the WRITTEN authority from the head teacher with a brief explanation of why you are doing this.

Would be best to have someone with you as well - maybe a member of SMT who can corroborate what you have done

 

Extremely solid advice.

[mb2k01]

Before you even start this make sure you have the WRITTEN authority from the head teacher with a brief explanation of why you are doing this.

Would be best to have someone with you as well - maybe a member of SMT who can corroborate what you have done

 

I would say that is a bit over the top for pupil email - and much depends on the quality of your AUP.

 

To answer the original question - probably the easiest option to read all inbox folders is to give yourself admin rights so you can open their folders inside your outloook client. Failing that, reset passwords and log in to OWA....

 

It seems long-winded, but i've resorted to it before when I needed to fully investigate (i.e. look through sub-folders and sent / deleted items etc) You can also print and gather decent evidence that way etc.

[mrmontymick]

I would say that is a bit over the top for pupil email - and much depends on the quality of your AUP.

 

To answer the original question - probably the easiest option to read all inbox folders is to give yourself admin rights so you can open their folders inside your outloook client. Failing that, reset passwords and log in to OWA....

 

It seems long-winded, but i've resorted to it before when I needed to fully investigate (i.e. look through sub-folders and sent / deleted items etc) You can also print and gather decent evidence that way etc.

 

If you give yourself full access permission on an Exchange account you can open their account in OWA and see everything without having to reset a password.

 

If you use https:///owa/ it will normally open their entire mailbox in the browser window.

 

As for the AUP, yes does depend on that - as long as the Headmaster has agreed the AUP in place that is your written authority.

 

I would still have someone else present when opening another persons email account. Depending on the nature of what you're looking for it's your call as to whether that's Senior Leadership or just another staff member.

[mb2k01]

If you give yourself full access permission on an Exchange account you can open their account in OWA and see everything without having to reset a password.

 

If you use https:///owa/ it will normally open their entire mailbox in the browser window

 

If that works when I get back in the office I'll come back and hit the thanks button! I have gone years no knowing that!

[Cools]

to save time.. if you have the storage on the server to keep a copy of all email's as you need to for 6 years at a time have a look at this.. you only need to watch the first 3min 30sec of it to create a archive account.

 

MailArchiva Enterprise Edition Technical Training Video

 

1 account to login to and see all emails.

[TechMonkey]

If that works when I get back in the office I'll come back and hit the thanks button! I have gone years no knowing that!

 

Yep if you are an admin for exchange log in to OWA and then add the username you want to look at to the end of the URL. Straight in, no added login.

[chazzy2501]

Thanks for the tips, how do I give myself permissions through the exchange management console... I couldn't find the security options.

[EduTech]

Thanks for the tips, how do I give myself permissions through the exchange management console... I couldn't find the security options.

 

Right Click on the Users Mailbox, Select Manage Full Access Permissions and then add the user whom wishes to view the mailboxes.

 

Then you can view the mailbox by browsing to https://servername/owa/username (or using an external address)

 

James.

[ZeroHour]

Thanks for the tips, how do I give myself permissions through the exchange management console... I couldn't find the security options.

 

You dont do it in the exchange manager as such, run ad users and computers on the box with the exchange manager and you should see extra tabs for exchange permissions.

[chazzy2501]

Ummm, I don't have ad installed on the exchange server:(

 

I'll have to do it one buy one by right clicking on the users mailbox.

[ZeroHour]

You dont need ad install, just the admin pack for 2003 which is small:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c16ae515-c8f4-47ef-a1e4-a8dcbacff8e3

[EduTech]

You could also install the exchange managment console on your own machine to access the exchange server save having to go on the server i have this to save some time.

[bossman]

Before you even start this make sure you have the WRITTEN authority from the head teacher with a brief explanation of why you are doing this.

Would be best to have someone with you as well - maybe a member of SMT who can corroborate what you have done

 

Totally agree with witch on this:

[witch]

I understand that to some extent it does depend on the AUP but if the brown stuff hits the fan, and perhaps irate parents get involved - the IT tech, who of course can access everything, can get into real problems. It happened to someone I know so I do think it is better to be safe than sorry

 

* Bossman - I thought we agreed on EVERYTHING!!

[dgsmith]

We can login to our administrator email account, then just change the admin username in the address bar to "..//Inbox" which loads their Inbox, not needing any of their credentials at all (this doesn't work for staff and we purposely haven't set up this capability for staff as we would never have any need to). We're obviously trusted to use this capability when absolutely necessary and when we can justify the reason.

 

In the AUP, it clearly states may login to student email accounts in persuit of a crime/other activities (with permission or supervision from a senior staff member). Students agree that we can do this by signing the AUP. They do, of course, have the option to simply say "no" and therefore they won't get an email account (afterall, we can't exactly force them to have one), though noone yet has declined this.

 

As for irate parents - well, I am sure they would be very irate if their child was being bullied internally, on the school system, and there was nothing the school could do to see what is going on (hotmail etc is a different matter).

Edited March 19, 2010 by dgsmith

[chazzy2501]

Thanks for everyones advice!

 

Can I add my administrators account to everypupils mail box in an automated way?

[mb2k01]

Thanks for everyones advice!

 

Can I add my administrators account to everypupils mail box in an automated way?

 

Use ADModify to make bulk changes to user properties.

 

More info: Introduction to ADModify.net

To download: ADModify.NET

[ICT_GUY]

And you simply have to buy this and wear it around school

[CyberDrac]

We tend to make it very clear to staff and students that if they use the establishment's accounts then they have no expectation of privacy, they aren't the pupils' accounts nor are they staff accounts, they are all the property of the establishment and as such are controlled and accessed at our discretion.

 

If they want privacy they use their own personal accounts from home and not using our equipment.

[SpuffMonkey]

We turned "journaling" on for students, then had a specific journaling account set up so we could track its usage.