Spam Problem

yimpster

yimpster

yimpster

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Joined
9 Dec 2002
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in a hole in the ground
SPAM Server Software

Good morning,

I am an IT manager struggling with spam. We have GFI server installed and have had it running for 2 years. During this time, we have had bad and worse times but never good. It has required two rebuilds and blocked all email flow on a number of occassions due to corruption.

So I'm wondering if there's any point in carrying on with this software or if anyone can recommend an alternative server side product to work with Exchange 2003 or black box solution. I am aware that message labs are the market leaders and are a serious consideration. However, i have been asked to try to keep spam filitering in house on either our servers or a black box hardware solution.

If you could let me know of your good and bad experiences i would be grateful as i'm reluctant to go on one sales pitch at InfoSec later in the month.

Thanks in advance.

Yimpy
 
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TBH, server side spam blocking is not the best way of doing this, as you are still using up bandwidth and storage space on the server which are directly costing the company money.
I have used a Company called Softscan, which are similar in service to Messagelabs, but cost a lot less. A years sub is around the £500 mark for 10 users, and will scan both incoming and outgoing mail. You also get Store and forward incase the Exchange server goes down. Excellent service and good support as well.
They do not sell direct, so contact the company and ask for a reseller.

No I do not work for Softscan, but I have put this into a lot of my clients and they are all very happy with the service.
 
thanks for the feedback, I'm pretty much sold on the idea of MessageLabs (or alike), however i am being pushed to find an server side product that we can filter messages in house.

I am trialling something called Cloudmark today which is picking up the spam that GFI is missing. It's improved things substantially, though i don't think it's gonna be a permanent solution.
 
Trust me it is an easy sell to management. You can work out the cost of storing spam, and also the benefits of not having to download it in the first place. Plus the cost of having a machine dedicated to scanning for spam.
If they insist on having a server side spam server, then they need their heads examining!

Good luck!
 
I used Advanced Email Protection (depend which broadband server you use) that stop from spam and junk mail through to inbox -- it seem much better than waste of junk/spam into inbox (you can check on your broadband account and see blacklist email message)

also you may try iHateSpam software from Sunbelt which own CounterSpy V2 software...
 
in my last job, Logica managed our emails etc for us, and they used a service called blackspider

i think in two years i had to contact them 3 times to pass on emails that weren't spam. (we covered 300 users)

don't know how much it cost etc
 
I used to use GFI MailEssentials but never found it to be very good.

I have swapped over to Exclaimer Mail Utilites for about a year now, this is a much better product stops at least 99% of all our spam.
 
thanks for all you feedback. i went to infosec yesterday and had chat's with Clearswift, Sophos and MessageLabs.

Does anyone have any experience with Clearswift or Sophos anti spam products? We are looking at the appliances rather than managed services.

I have just read a review that did not favour clearswift. I also have an engineer that has had bad experience with Sophos antispam software.

Would love to have some more broad opinions of good and bad :)

Yimpy
 
Sophos Pure Message is installed on a client server i look after and it seems be doing a good job, you do get a couple of funny error messages in the event viewer but i think thats more to do with not being able to update.
 
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