ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server
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ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 2.Jul.2009 11:51:58 AM
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schapman43
Posts: 13
Joined: 17.Jun.2009
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I've been looking at the advantages and disadvantages to running ME on an Exchange Server instead of on a Standalone Server (our current setup). Thus far it looks like the main advantage to having it on an Exchange server is that it allows you to tag email and put it in a specific folder in the users Inbox. Are there any other big advantages?
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RE: ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 3.Jul.2009 8:06:10 AM
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RSP
Posts: 1447
Joined: 31.Oct.2006
From: The East Riding of Yorkshire, UK
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What are you trying to achieve by this question?
If you've got multiple Exchange servers, then you won't be able to use some of the options in the Actions tab, as ME will only act on mailboxes that are on that server for some of the options. You can get around it by tagging email and using the Rules Manager to move it into a folder. I use this method on all my installations, incidentally, which works whether ME is on the Exchange server or on a Standalone server (I don't use any standalone ME installations though).
Main advantage is that you can use Exchange's Intelligent Message Filtering to filter email and reduce load on MailEssentials. Sender filtering also works better than ME in my opinion, and won't upset your backup MX servers if you have any out there.
2nd advantage I can see is a reduction in hardware and (MS) licensing costs, and therefore a reduction in power consumption.
3rd advantage (assuming your standalone server was in the DMZ) is that the user-count for its licensing can be based on active directory accounts instead of smtp addresses that pass through the standalone server. I haven't seen any viruses creating hundreds ofactive directory accounts, but I have seen them send from random addresses in the domain, which could stop your ME Standalone from filtering spam (the smtp user count rockets, so you exceed your licence count).
Hope this helps.
< Message edited by RSP -- 3.Jul.2009 8:18:23 AM >
_____________________________
Disclaimer: I don't work for GFI, I just use their products.
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RE: ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 3.Jul.2009 9:09:41 AM
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schapman43
Posts: 13
Joined: 17.Jun.2009
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Trying to figure out if it would be advantageous to install the ME software onto my Exchange Servers. As always, I appreciate the information you provide.
--Scott
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RE: ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 3.Jul.2009 9:33:16 AM
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RSP
Posts: 1447
Joined: 31.Oct.2006
From: The East Riding of Yorkshire, UK
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I'd say yes to installing on Exchange, but that's because most of my clients are small businesses with one or possibly two servers and not much cash for extra servers! And besides, I think the advantages outweigh having a relay too.
Ok, you say "servers", suggesting you've got more than one Exchange. The actions labelled (Exchange server only) don't work in multiple Exchange server environments.
Do you have more than one server accepting email from the internet? If so, you'll need multiple installations of ME. Licensing allows this, but you'll need to set up the antispam synchronisation. It's a pain, and in my opinion a kludge.
If not, then install ME on your "bridgehead". If you want to tag emails, look into the rules manager. You'll need to get this installed on every exchange server (along with bayeswiz.exe) to make use of it. It generates a rule for each mailbox that looks for a specific keyword in the subject. If you tag emails with, say, [SPAM], then you can set up a rule for this to move the email to, say, Junk E-Mail. For troubleshooting, I find it better to tag emails with [SPAM-BA] [SPAM-SPF] etc, and set the rule up as [SPAM-.
Consider using IMF's functionality, as this certainly seems to complement ME's filtering. It's also done at the SMTP level, so spam emails don't make it into the organisation, reducing the bandwidth requirement and your storage requirements.
_____________________________
Disclaimer: I don't work for GFI, I just use their products.
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RE: ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 3.Jul.2009 9:52:37 AM
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schapman43
Posts: 13
Joined: 17.Jun.2009
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We currently have two ME Servers on the internet receiving email. Neither of these is running Exchange. One is primarily outbound email and other inbound. However they can play backup for each other if needed. These servers forward to a Exchange Gateway server who in turn relays to our 5 Exchange servers that house the mailboxes. I'm highly interested in the rules manager and bayeswiz and will look into these today.
Thanks!
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RE: ME on Exchange Server VS Standalone Server - 3.Jul.2009 12:17:56 PM
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RSP
Posts: 1447
Joined: 31.Oct.2006
From: The East Riding of Yorkshire, UK
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: schapman43
We currently have two ME Servers on the internet receiving email. Neither of these is running Exchange. One is primarily outbound email and other inbound. However they can play backup for each other if needed. These servers forward to a Exchange Gateway server who in turn relays to our 5 Exchange servers that house the mailboxes. I'm highly interested in the rules manager and bayeswiz and will look into these today.
Thanks!
Sounds like your gateway is a single-point of failure, so removing the two ME servers and putting ME on the gateway won't have a resilience impact. You'll need to ascertain that you have sufficient hardware capacity though of course.
Bayeswiz.exe installation is required to make the rules manager work on non-ME servers.
Here are a few links for you to look at:
http://forums.gfi.com/fb.aspx?m=900755383
http://forums.gfi.com/fb.aspx?m=900752704
http://kbase.gfi.com/showarticle.asp?id=KBID002551
http://support.gfi.com/manuals/en/me14/me14acmanual-1-25.html
_____________________________
Disclaimer: I don't work for GFI, I just use their products.
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