The N97 has the Nokia Mail For Exchange client built in, so there is no need to download it from the Nokia web site (indeed at the time of writing the N97 is not listed because of this).

The client is the same as that used by the E71, providing the ability to synchronise your Inbox, Contacts, Calendar and Tasks folders as well as setting your out of office status.

Prerequisites

If your Exchange server uses a self-issued SSL certificate rather than a 'root-trusted' certificate, then the root certificate of the CA (Certification Authority) that issued the certificate to the Exchange server will need to be installed on the Nokia N97 before the client will be able to connect to the Exchange server successfully.
For information on how to configure Exchange and export the certificate, read this article - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/configuring-exchange-2003-activesync-usi.... Note, this guide applies to Exchange 2003 only.

Configuring the Exchange account on the N97

Launch the Messaging application from the main menu:

Open the Settings menu and select Email Settings:

If no mailbox is defined, you will be prompted to create one automatically:

Select Yes. The Email Wizard will launch automatically:

Select Start. You will be prompted to sign up for a Nokia OVI email account:

Select the option to use your own email address and click OK:

Enter your email address and click OK:

Enter your password and click OK. The wizard will now attempt to determine the type of email account based on the email address entered. If it cannot determine the settings automatically, you will be prompted to define the account type:

Select Mail For Exchange and click Select:

Enter your username (the same username that you use to log into your Windows PC) and click OK:

Enter your Domain - this will be the same information that you use to log into your PC, if you don't know this information you will need to contact your network administrator. Click OK:

Enter the address of the email server - this is normally the same address that you use to access your webmail. Again, if you do not know this information, you will need to speak to your network administrator. Click OK:

You will then be prompted to confirm the installation of the Mail For Exchange software. Select OK. The application will now be installed. Once complete, the client will automatically connect to the Exchange server and download your email messages:

By default, only email is synchronised. You can now edit the MfE profile and optionally select Contacts, Calendar and Tasks folders.

NOTE - on my N97 the handset automatically configured two 'Internet' access points: one for my provider's Internet service and one for the WAP service. The WAP service was set as the default service and this caused the Mail for Exchange connection to the Exchange server to fail. I therefore had to set the Internet service as the default connection. It is not possible to do this within the MfE client, as this version of Symbian groups access points by 'Destination' rather than by specific access point. Instead, within the Settings menu browse to Settings --> Connectivity --> Destinations:

Select Internet:

Select the access point, then browse to Options --> Organise --> Change Priority and move the re-order the access points as required so that the Internet access point is set to a higher priority than the WAP service.