Exchange SPAM filtering, SMB?

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sdotbrucato

[H]ard|Gawd
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Oct 7, 2005
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As title says, looking for a good SPAM filter to integrate into a future server I'm going to be releasing soon.

Any suggestions? Personal preference? Why?

Thanks!
 
I've actually had good luck with the integrated filter included with exchange. For a SMB I can't see some of the filtering options justified in the cost. Someone else with more experience in this particular method may chime in and point out why so many people choose stand-alone solutions. But until then my vote goes to the integrated filter.
 
I've used both Symantec & GFI with mixed results. I'd give Symantec an overall "poor" score and GFI an overall "good" score. Neither of them "Great".

At a large customer, we are soon going to be tearing out Symantec AV and Mail Security (which includes the spam filtering).

The replacement products look to be NOD32 AV and Spam Fighter (Exchange) so far.
 
All we use is Barracuda Spam Firewall's. However, they are not software based, its an appliance.
 
Perhaps I shoud have listed a little more information about this deployment.

It's probably only going to have 15 email addresses hosted on it.

Two which will be posted on the internet (e-scheduling and a contact)

THe rest of them willl be personal addresses. This is a small plumbing shop so not too much email comming in. Probably 20-30 a day per box.

Wil the built in fiilter be suitable for this? Or should I look into some other filtering software.

As for AV I think I'm going to be going with ESET Nod32, or maybe the package.
 
Wow.. only 15 email addresses? Is it really worth buying or building a server for 15 email addresses? It might be easier and cheaper to go with a hosted solution.

Use the built in filter in exchange.
 
Not fond of 3rd party software on an Exchange Server. We've had good success with the IMF built right into Exchange....and sticking a *nix distro such as Endian...and I recently deployed Untangle...in front of Exchange. So there's 2x methods which cost you NOTHING.
 
We're using Postini right now, which is decent. Still some spam gets through.

I like the barracuda appliances, but for such a small amount of mailboxes I dont think it's justifiable in terms of cost.
 
WesM63 said:
Wow.. only 15 email addresses? Is it really worth buying or building a server for 15 email addresses? It might be easier and cheaper to go with a hosted solution.

Use the built in filter in exchange.
Click to expand...


This isnt a server JUST for exchange. It's a Windows Small Business Server 2003 deployment that will be utilizing Exchange.

I just wanted to see if the built in filtering was on par, or if it was worth the extra cash to get more features.

Thanks to all with opinion, keep them coming.

YeOldeStonecat said:
Not fond of 3rd party software on an Exchange Server. We've had good success with the IMF built right into Exchange....and sticking a *nix distro such as Endian...and I recently deployed Untangle...in front of Exchange. So there's 2x methods which cost you NOTHING.
Click to expand...

And yeah, I'm looking at putting an Untangle box in the mix for firewall and router duties.
 
I can't constitute $800+ for a project so small. There isn't going to be that much traffic. I've heard good things about ORF and its about $250 per server which is doable.

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about ORF?
 
d3c1us said:
I can't constitute $800+ for a project so small. There isn't going to be that much traffic. I've heard good things about ORF and its about $250 per server which is doable.

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about ORF?
Click to expand...


Yeah 800 is a bit steap for 8 users. However i dont remember it being that much. I belive that price is the entire suite they offer including AV and some other crap i dont use. Our license is only for 12 accounts and is only for spam filtering and i think it was around the price you are looking at. Now it has been some time since i initially bought the product so things could have changed but you might give sunbelt a call or email and see what a package for your enviorment would run you. I think it would be well worth the phone call or email you send them.
 
NOD32's Exchange for Antivirus

Vamsoft ORF for spam filtering. For paid software, can't beat this product for the capabilites you receive at such a low cost. Currently it is $239 no matter how many mailboxes you have.
 
I like GFI, been working good for me.

Also with the UTM firewall i have they have a nice spam package.
 
Alright, throwing my 2cents in here.

Our IT shop (about 11 people) has an Untangle box setup just before the mail server setup as a transparent SMTP SPAM filter. It's free and you need a box that has at least a 1.5Ghz cpu, 1-2gig of ram (the more the better) and about 30 gig of HDD space. Oh yeah and two NICs.

Check it out, http://www.untangle.com

Very nice utility, set it like a barracuda and it doesn't cost you and arm and a leg. (example, we have stopped about 20k spam/week for about 4 of the users here).
 
Karandras69 said:
Alright, throwing my 2cents in here.

Our IT shop (about 11 people) has an Untangle box setup just before the mail server setup as a transparent SMTP SPAM filter. It's free and you need a box that has at least a 1.5Ghz cpu, 1-2gig of ram (the more the better) and about 30 gig of HDD space. Oh yeah and two NICs.

Check it out, http://www.untangle.com

Very nice utility, set it like a barracuda and it doesn't cost you and arm and a leg. (example, we have stopped about 20k spam/week for about 4 of the users here).
Click to expand...

If you're just running it bridged as a transparent gateway...you don't need all the rack components installed..you can remove a lot of other ones which are really only needed for full router/firewall duties. For a network of barely a dozen PCs...just under a gigahertz for a CPU and only 512 megs of RAM will do fine..esp if you unload un-used rack components.
 
we used to use a barracuda server, now we use the software based messaging ninja by sunbelt.. works great, no problems
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
If you're just running it bridged as a transparent gateway...you don't need all the rack components installed..you can remove a lot of other ones which are really only needed for full router/firewall duties. For a network of barely a dozen PCs...just under a gigahertz for a CPU and only 512 megs of RAM will do fine..esp if you unload un-used rack components.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but since the application is written in java it is a bit of a memory whore and the last thing you want it to do is run outta memory (and since it's cheap as dirt (possibly cheaper) then might as well throw in 1-2 gig. But yes, a dual p3-800 or something like that would be able to handle 10-12 users no problem just for email scanning.
 
Karandras69 said:
Agreed, but since the application is written in java it is a bit of a memory whore and the last thing you want it to do is run outta memory (and since it's cheap as dirt (possibly cheaper) then might as well throw in 1-2 gig. But yes, a dual p3-800 or something like that would be able to handle 10-12 users no problem just for email scanning.
Click to expand...

Yeah RAM is cheap..it's just, even if you read Untangles website..and forums, you'll see 512 megs if fine for smaller networks is accepted and fine. Smaller being something like a dozen nodes or less. I've built in on a box with 512 megs, yeah it takes a minute longer to boot up and log into the client...but once it's up and running...even with all components 512 works OK for small lighter use networks. Right now I'm typing from behind an Untangle box I deployed for a client..an internet pipe that bursts up to 20 megs and Untangle doesn't slow it down, 75 nodes, 6x servers including Exchange...it's on a 2.4GHz with a gig of RAM, purrs like a kitten.
 
So what I'm gathering is, I should be pretty good with an Untangle box setup behind the server and then use the build in filtering on Exchange?

And Stonecat, can I PM you when it's time to config the Untangle box? :D
 
d3c1us said:
So what I'm gathering is, I should be pretty good with an Untangle box setup behind the server and then use the build in filtering on Exchange?

And Stonecat, can I PM you when it's time to config the Untangle box? :D
Click to expand...

Unless I'm not understanding your setup properly, the Untangle box would do all the filtering before the email gets to the server.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Not fond of 3rd party software on an Exchange Server. We've had good success with the IMF built right into Exchange....and sticking a *nix distro such as Endian...and I recently deployed Untangle...in front of Exchange. So there's 2x methods which cost you NOTHING.
Click to expand...

Stonecat,

How would you rate the effectiveness of the spam blocking in Untangle?

And secondary to the effectiveness, does it require lots of manual tweaking?

I have one customer with Exchange/BES and 23 handhelds, they hate any spam at all. They are on Symantec Mail Security, but I am dumping that. I would love to do an Untangle box for them, they'd be very happy with the no fee aspect, but it has to be very effective.

For that type of customer, would you still use Untangle?
 
Paging Mr. Stonecat to the white courtesy phone.......

(You never hear that in the airports any more with cell phones and all) :p
 
Spartacus said:
Stonecat,

How would you rate the effectiveness of the spam blocking in Untangle?

And secondary to the effectiveness, does it require lots of manual tweaking?
Click to expand...

Between that, and the IMF....doing quite well.
http://www.untangle.com/
Click on Demos and Screenshots link
Click on "Live GUI Preview" link...accept the Java runner....and you can navigate through the management GUI and see everything on it.
Configuration...you have a drop down menu for various levels of scanning from low to extreme, and you have a drop down menu for options of what to do with it.
Are you using Exchanges IMF? What settings?
 
Yep, I've been to the site.

Thanks for the feedback on the personal experience, that's what I needed. :)
 
SJConsultant said:
NOD32's Exchange for Antivirus

Vamsoft ORF for spam filtering. For paid software, can't beat this product for the capabilites you receive at such a low cost. Currently it is $239 no matter how many mailboxes you have.
Click to expand...

Yea I have ORF on maybe 20 small business servers and it does a very good job for what it is.

Others are running GFI which also works well and has some features orf doesn't. ORF is cheap and works well though.

If you are running a unix firewall like untangle in front I would try it by itself first and see how well it works.
 
d3c1us said:
I can't constitute $800+ for a project so small. There isn't going to be that much traffic. I've heard good things about ORF and its about $250 per server which is doable.

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about ORF?
Click to expand...

I had to dig up this thread since this is what turned me on to ORF.

ORF is outstanding, absolutely love it!

For my largest customer, I did a trial of SpamFighter (for Exchange) and it lasted three weeks before I pulled it due to excessive spam, no keyword filter, and general lack of features. The SpamFighter Outlook client seems to work well for other customers, but the Exchange version is not as good.

Anyway, dumped SpamFighter and installed the ORF trial. I'm already getting glowing e-mails from the customer on how quiet things are now. I looked in the ORF logs and it's filtering out a metric crapload of spam. That was even before I turned on Greylisting and did some other tweaking.

I have experience with both Symantec and GFI, but ORF is better by far IMHO.

+100 for ORF!
 
Spartacus said:
I had to dig up this thread since this is what turned me on to ORF.

ORF is outstanding, absolutely love it!

For my largest customer, I did a trial of SpamFighter (for Exchange) and it lasted three weeks before I pulled it due to excessive spam, no keyword filter, and general lack of features. The SpamFighter Outlook client seems to work well for other customers, but the Exchange version is not as good.

Anyway, dumped SpamFighter and installed the ORF trial. I'm already getting glowing e-mails from the customer on how quiet things are now. I looked in the ORF logs and it's filtering out a metric crapload of spam. That was even before I turned on Greylisting and did some other tweaking.

I have experience with both Symantec and GFI, but ORF is better by far IMHO.

+100 for ORF!
Click to expand...

Glad to hear your happy with it. We have had very good luck with it.
 
Postini works well as a smart host, not terribly expensive for SMBs. There spam filtering is awesome and it will keep your mails from bouncing when your ISP/Server goes down.

If you don't want the recurring fee then I would suggest going with a Linux UTM like Untangle or Endian.

 
Captain Colonoscopy said:
Postini works well as a smart host, not terribly expensive for SMBs. There spam filtering is awesome and it will keep your mails from bouncing when your ISP/Server goes down.

If you don't want the recurring fee then I would suggest going with a Linux UTM like Untangle or Endian.

Click to expand...

We have been using no-ip's mx backup for some clients. So far it has been working pretty good. Had a non-profit clients server go down wednesday morning due to a bad raid card which was nice enough to take the os array with it. Was able to get the server repaired and back in place by around 5 pm(went down at 10 am) and within minutes it started to get all of the mail they missed. Funny thing is we just setup the mail backup for them a few months ago. Needless to say they got their 30 bucks worth. No-IP can do some spam filtering with it as well but we have it turned off. We just let orf or gfi do it.
 
im gonna look into that no-ip's mx backup. what kind of services are like this for static wan ip setups?

i just switched from GFI to the spam protection in the Freedom9 Freeguard 100. much happier with the results, less false positives =)
 
oooh that backup-mx thingy looks nice for $30. I might try that for a client of ours that is stuck on dynamic IP from cable provider, they had to change their "sticky" three times in the last two years.
 
You have a bunch of companies doing the mx backup services. In our case we had been using no-ip anyway at a lot of clients that did not have static ips(almost all do now) and for the 30 bucks we figured why not. Big thing is to kill their spam protection if you have your own. I'd much rather have 1 place to look for stuck messages then 2.

We have seen it work a few times fine. Can't really complain for the price.
 
yeah i googleed backup mx exchange and a few popped up www.mxsave.com just curious what people were using.

right now we have it setup so on our webserver it goes to the static ip of the exhange server, and then at a lower priorirty it will go to gmail emails. so if our exchange server is off it dumps the email to gmail.
 
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