Clarification about NetworkManager:
Evolution used to depend on NetworkManager for network status. It
doesn't anymore. Network monitoring is now built directly into GLib,
and that's what Evolution/EDS has been using since (I think) 3.6.
I'm not exactly sure how GLib's network monitoring works. The docs only
state it's based on the kernel's netlink interface, but I think it works
with or without NetworkManager installed.
GLib also lets us test reachability of specific host names, so we can
more gracefully handle scenarios like a disconnected VPN or switching
WiFi networks. Evolution 3.12 will take full advantage of this.