Office 365 Borderless FAQs

1. What is this Access Denied error?

This error is being shown because access to Email, Sharepoint and OneDrive is currently only allowed from Cisco managed devices. We think you may be trying to connect from an unmanaged / personal device. If you don’t think this is the case, please continue reading the FAQs.

Please note that Firefox browser does not support borderless access to Office365. Please use Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer

2. What does borderless access mean?

Borderless access allows your computer to connect to Office 365 Email, OneDrive, and Sharepoint even when you are not on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO) - without needing to use VPN. To provide this capability, we use other measures to ensure that your computer is secure.

Please note that this capability and the rest of these FAQs are only applicable to Windows and MacOS laptops / desktops.

3. How do I get borderless access to O365?

As long as you are using a Cisco-managed device, you will get borderless access to O365 automatically. There is no action required on your part.

Please note that Firefox browser does not support borderless access to Office365. Please use Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer

If you don’t use your device for over 30 consecutive days, your borderless access will be temporarily disabled. This can be enabled again by using your computer for a few hours. Please wait an additional 1 to 2 days for your access to be restored.

Please note that even if your borderless access to Office 365 gets temporarily disabled, you can still always use VPN

4. How can I check if my device is Cisco-managed?

Go to OnTrack . You should see the laptop/desktop you are trying to use listed here.

Note: You must be on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) to access OnTrack.

5. Why did my borderless access stop working?

Please note that Firefox browser does not support borderless access to Office365. Please use Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer

This could be caused by your device not checking-in regularly with Cisco’s device management systems.

The easiest way to verify this is by going to OnTrack, clicking on the Health Score for the device in question, and looking for the Last Device Check-in date. If thisLast Device Check-in date is older than 30 days, then your borderless access would have been disabled.

Note: You must be on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) to access OnTrack.

Your device must be connected to the internet and in-use for at least a few hours every day for it to check-in with the device management systems. If the device goes completely offline for over 30 days, you will temporarily lose borderless access on it till it checks-in again. Also, your device must connect to the corporate network at least once a year for it to be managed correctly

6. It looks like my device has been checking-in regularly, and yet I am being told that my borderless access has been disabled. Why?

If OnTrack shows your laptop/desktop has been checking-in regularly, and yet you’ve seen an Access Denied error telling you to use VPN when trying to log in to Office 365 Email, OneDrive, or Sharepoint, please contact IT support.

Note: You must be on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) to access OnTrack.

7. Looks like my device is not checking-in. Can I do something to fix it?

You must be connected to Cisco’s corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) before performing the steps listed below

Windows
  1. Go to estore.cisco.com
  2. Search for SCCM
  3. Download and Install the SCCM client. Please note that you need be connected to VPN or Blizzard to be able to do this
MacOS
  1. Go to https://casper.cisco.com
  2. Follow the instructions to enrol

Please wait at least a day after following the above instructions and then verify if your device has started checking in by going to OnTrack and looking at the Last Device Check-in date for the laptop.

Note: You must be on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) to access OnTrack.

If your device has successfully started checking-in now, please wait an addition 1 to 2 days for your Borderless access to be restored.

8. I tried everything but my Cisco laptop is still not checking in

If you have a Cisco-managed laptop but it is not checking in (please confirm this by going to OnTrack and looking at the Last Device Check-in date for your laptop), please contact IT support

Note: You must be on the corporate network (Blizzard / CVO / VPN) to access OnTrack.

9. What about Linux devices?

If you are using Cisco IT Linux builds, please continue to use VPN for off premise access. Linux devices are not in the current scope of this program.

10. A note on Virtual machines

Even if the host machine is enabled for borderless access, this capability is not automatically transferred to Guest VMs. These guest VMs will themselves have to become Cisco managed for them to get borderless access.

11. Which applications does the Borderless experience work with?

Compatible applications are:

  1. Outlook on Mac and Windows
  2. Safari on Mac and IE on Windows
  3. Chrome on Mac and Windows
  4. Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive sync agent etc