In a post to its support webpage on Tuesday, Microsoft addressed a mailbox syncing issue some users are seeing with Exchange Server 2010, suggesting that administrators block or throttle devices running iOS 6.1 until the problem is fixed.
According to the online document, the issue arises when Exchange clients attempt to sync a device running Apple's latest iOS 6.1 mobile operating system with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, causing excessive log growth that affects the server's performance. Microsoft notes that it is currently working with Apple to fix the problem.
Users of the latest Office 365 Online Exchange were also affected, and began receiving error messages reading "Cannot Get Mail" and "The connection to the server failed" when attempting to access the service from an iOS 6.1-based device.
As a temporary workaround, Microsoft suggests admins configure Exchange Server to refuse Calendar item updates, remove and recreate the device partnership, and throttle or block iOS 6.1 device users completely.
The apparent bug could prove to be troublesome for Apple as the company makes a push into enterprise, a market where Exchange is a major palyer. Recent reports point to strong growth for Apple's iOS devices in corporate and government initiatives, a sector previously dominated by BlackBerry.