[MS-ASCMD]: ActiveSync Command Reference Protocol Specification

3 Protocol Details
3.1 Common Details
3.1.1 Abstract Data Model
None.
3.1.2 Timers
None.
3.1.3 Initialization
None.
3.1.4 Higher-Layer Triggered Events
None.
3.1.5 Message Processing Events and Sequencing Rules
The client creates request messages consisting of an HTTP header, as specified in [MS-ASHTTP], and
the XML command to be performed on the server, as specified in [MS-ASHTTP] section 2.2.1. The
request message is sent to the server by the client and a response message is received back from
the server.
3.1.5.1 Downloading Policy Settings
This section specifies how the client downloads policy settings from the server by using the
Provision command (section 2.2.2.12).
The first command the client issues to the server SHOULD be a Provision command, as specified in
[MS-ASPROV]. The client can send the HTTP OPTIONS command to the server before sending the
Provision command, to retrieve server settings, but the HTTP OPTIONS command is optional. If
the client sends other commands to the server before sending the Provision command, the server
will return a Status element (as specified in [MS-ASPROV] section 2.2.2.53) value of 142 to the
client.
The initial Provision command request MUST contain the provision:PolicyType element (as
specified in [MS-ASPROV] section 2.2.2.42), which specifies the format in which the policy settings
are provided. If the provision:PolicyType element is not included in the initial Provision
command request, the server responds with a provision:Status element value of 2. The server
then responds with the provision:PolicyType, provision:PolicyKey (as specified in [MS-ASPROV]
section 2.2.2.41), and provision:Data ([MS-ASPROV] section 2.2.2.23) elements. The
provision:PolicyKey element is used by the server to mark the state of policy settings on the
client device. The policy settings, in the format specified in the provision:PolicyType element, are
contained in the provision:Data element.
The client device then applies the policy settings that were received from the server and sends an
acknowledgement back to the server in another Provision command request. The
acknowledgement from the client device contains provision:PolicyType, provision:PolicyKey,
and provision:Status elements. The provision:Status element indicates whether the policy
[MS-ASCMD] — v20110315
ActiveSync Command Reference Protocol Specification
Copyright © 2011 Microsoft Corporation.
Release: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
265 / 369