Microsoft details band-aid fixes for iOS 6.1 Exchange bug

ios 6 exchange

Apple yesterday fixed 3G and reliability issues with the iOS 6.1.1 firmware update for iPhone 4S users, but a bug with Microsoft’s Exchange email service persists. First noticed in the iOS 6.1 software update, it kills your battery and AOL thought it was sever enough to temporarily disable the ability to manage meetings on company-issued devices. Theories abound that an Exchange server glitch is causing poor device performance and battery life and Microsoft just issued a support document providing workarounds for the bug…

The doc, first discovered by 9to5Mac, reads:

When a user syncs a mailbox by using an iOS 6.1-based device, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Client Access server (CAS) and Mailbox (MBX) server resources are consumed, log growth becomes excessive, memory and CPU use may increase significantly, and server performance is affected.

Acknowledging that it’s working with Apple to correct the problem, Microsoft is advising affected users first restart the iOS 6.1 device. Should the bug persist, people should avoid processing Calendar items such as meeting requests on iOS 6.1 devices, the Windows maker writes.

Removing and re-creating the device partnership could help, as might creating a custom throttling policy for iOS 6.1 users. The support document provides instructions and handy links to tutorials detailing each of the proposed band-aid solutions.

The affected users should also open an Enterprise Support case with Apple, the advisory reads.

If all of the above fails, Microsoft recommends a thermonuclear method which involves blocking iOS 6.1 users by using the Exchange Server 2010 Allow/Block/Quarantine feature on the server side.