Microsoft Outlook has many advantages over other personal management software that aim to provide the same kind of functionality. For one, it has the standard Microsoft Windows interface that ensures the users do not spend too much in understanding the interface and can get started with it right away. Next, it offers a large number of features that make it easy to separate and store the messages, appointments, notes, etc. Finally, while using Outlook with an email account stored on the Microsoft Exchange Server, you can configure it to work in the Cached Exchange Mode giving you the freedom to work with data offline and then synchronize it later with the online mailbox.
This ability to work offline gives great flexibility to the user but also means that if the OST file storing all the offline data were to get damaged, we look to lose an enormous amount of crucial data. To recover exchange data, we can use the OST Integrity Check Tool or else, if the OST file is damaged considerably, we could turn to more powerful software to repair the file.
In order to ensure that the files, both offline and online, stay protected as long as possible, you should ensure that there is proper synchronization of both sets of data. If you have made any changes in the data offline, the next time you set up connection to the Exchange server, you have to see to it that the OST file updates the mailbox online. Sometimes, the synchronization does not complete successfully and you may notice missing items such as missing mails or appointments. If you are confident that the synchronization process is being conducted without any problem but there are still errors in the OST file, you may have to look into whether the file is damaged and if you need to recover exchange data as much as possible.
Sometimes, the synchronization fails because there has been an accidental deletion of your account from the Exchange server. Though rare, this has been known to happen and in such a case, your current OST file becomes an orphan and can no longer be used.
If the synchronization process is working smoothly, you can keep both sets of data updated regularly and will be able to work without interruptions. However, if errors in the file continue or there is a problem with the synchronization process, you should check if the OST file has a problem. As mentioned above, it may either become an orphan or simply inaccessible.
