Messaging Gateway

Hi. Currently we run a Exchange 2003 mail server with Symantec Mail Security 5. We are about to start the process of transitioning to Exchange 2007. In the process we will be upgrading mail security. I am a little confused about the roles of SMSME and the product Brightmail. Are these two seperate products that do the same thing at a different point? SMSME on the mail server on Brightmail on another server between the mail server and the outside Internet? Does one replace the need for the other?

Hello,

The easiest way to answer your questions would be such:

Brightmail would need to be on its own server since it is not a supported platform, with installing it to a system with Exchange 2K7.  Then once email is filtered here it would pass back to Exchange. 

Symantec Information Foundation (SIFMSMSE) previously known as Symantec Mail Security 6.0.x would install on the Exchange itself.  This would assist in protecting the mail store during scheduled scans, and can eliminate spam like the Brightmail.

Premium Anti Spam (PAS) within the SIFMSMSE is based on the Brightmail technology, and removes unwanted spam.

Brightmail with the Anit Virus add-on when installed on a front server would act as a SMTP gateway, and remove unwanted spam, viruses, and allow for rejection or quarantine of suspected spam, or other content policies that have been implemented.  In this setup, it would greatly reduce the impact of unwanted mail flow / processing on your Exchange server.  The drawback of Brightmail is that it is unable to scan the message store.

SIFMSMSE with the PAS add-on will scan email incoming into the Exchange for Viruses and Spam.  It can perform scheduled scans on the servers’ mail store for unwanted viruses or files, where the Brightmail is unable to perform this.

You would be able to run either one, but a good practice is to have a multi tier protection.  Brightmail with spam removal, and virus scanning, and then SIFMSMSE to assist in virus removal.  Not recommended to run PAS on Exchange when Brightmail is up front, as more false positives have been seen. 

With either route: (Brightmail as an SMTP Gateway, in front of the Exchange, or SIFMSMSE on the Exchange server, or both you will find yourself spam and virus free.)

Hope this information helps.

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