Email tracking with Server-side synchronization - exchange 2010 on premise with CRM 2013 on premise

Hi, Can anyone share some experience of Server-side synchronization of exchange on-premise to CRM on-premise environment? We are planning to move to Dynamics 365 online next year. In the mean time, we'd like to use server-side synchronization for emails, appointments....for our CRM 2013 on Premise 

To track emails, appointments 

  CRM -> Exchange: does it mean we need to create emails, appointments, etc from CRM and then it will synchronize to Exchange? 

  Exchange -> CRM: how to track emails from Outlook if no Outlook client is installed? I understand Outlook App is not available for CRM 2013.  

Thanks.