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Block & Tackle 1.3 provides a solid line of defense
against unsolicited / bulk email (aka Spam) by deleting
messages based on subject line, body content, sender address, domain and/or
server IP. Block & Tackle
also provides defense against unwanted types of files such as EXEs,
PIFs, etc. by removing these attachments from incoming messages.
B&T's ability to block messages based on phrases in their subject
line or body allows you to filter out spam based on phrases such as
"New Investment Opportunity!" or "Feel Younger Now!". And since most
spam is trying to push you to particular web sites these messages can
be blocked by just adding the site to the list of over
29,000 that are included with Block & Tackle out of the box! Coupled
with over 5000 subject line phrases and 700 blacklisted domains, many
administrators find that Block & Tackle stops over 95% of spam to their
networks! The system administrator can, of course, add or remove
phrases from these lists as desired.
New in 1.3 are Whitelisting and Blacklisting capabilities. Incoming mail can
be whitelisted (always allowed through) or Blacklisted (always blocked) based
on the sender's exact email address, the sender's domain
or the sender's email server's public IP address. This provides the benefit of
ensuring you don't ever reject mail or attachments from key business partners
and that insistent spammers are blocked automatically.
Also new in 1.3 is the ability to customize the optional response message that
you can send when a spam or attachment is blocked.
B&T can be configured to block attachments in one of two ways:
either choose the file types you DO want to allow, or choose the
file types you DON'T want. You can switch between the two modes
at will - the lists are kept in separate, easily editable text files.
Block & Tackle also rejects attachments with CLSID extensions -
registry level extensions that Windows normally hides and which some
programs miss entirely!
Block & Tackle also has the ability to send an unaltered copy of the
original message to a backup mailbox for later retrieval. This
mailbox can be part of the Exchange server or on a separate mail system.
This feature allows you to recover a legitimate message that was
considered spam or to recover an important attachment that was blocked.
Ready to buy? Just
CLICK HERE!
Want to try Block & Tackle before you buy?
Click here to go to our Downloads area.
How Block & Tackle Works
Block & Tackle is enhances the Windows / Exchange 2000 / 2003 SMTP
engine by analyzing messages that pass through it and deleting
unwanted messages and/or attachments. B&T analyzes messages based
on their body content and subject line by looking for phrases that
indicate the message is spam; in addition, B&T can block all messages from
unwanted senders, domains or IP addresses. Over 29,000 body phrases and 5000
subject line phrases are included in with Block & Tackle, and you
may of course add and remove phrases as you see fit (up to a maximum
of ~100 million phrases in each list). File attachments are checked
and those with prohibited extensions are deleted.
Block & Tackle also includes the ability to forward
unaltered versions of blocked or modified messages to a quarantine
mailbox or public folder for later analysis or recovery.
Message analysis and modification is performed prior the message
being passed to the Exchange Information Store or, if one is
using the IIS SMTP service as a front end gateway to another
email system, prior to the message being routed downstream.
Embedded messages (i.e., messages that are included in the
email as attachments) are also fully analzyed, so an unwanted
file buried several levels deep in an attached email message
is rooted out just as effectively as if it were directly attached
to the main message. This approach provides an effective and
low cost means of minimizing your network's exposure to viruses
contained in email attachments. While conventional email antivirus
is still desirable, Block & Tackle provides a "first line" of defense.
Remember - if a virus can't get in, it can't infect you!
By providing you with the ability to delete entire messages based
on prohibited phrases or body text, Block & Tackle decreases the
amount of spam your users receive. In addition, when an email
virus outbreak occurs and you are waiting for your antivirus vendor
to update their definition list, you can add the phrase or phrases
in the subject line of the infected message to your blocking list
without having to disconnect your email system from the Internet.
Block & Tackle 1.3 Pricing
Block & Tackle 1.3 is priced at $150 per server.
Unlike other products, licensing fees do not increase regardless
of the number of mailboxes, domains or email addresses that the server
receives mail for. In addition, if you have a "Front-end/Back-end" Exchange
system topology (where one or more servers are dedicated to processing
messages arriving from the Internet) note that only those servers that
receive Internet mail need to run Block & Tackle, so only those servers
need licenses.
To purchase B&T, please
click here or contact our sales department by phone at
214.324.1230 or by email at
Sales@TurboGeeks.Com.
Hardware & Software Requirements
Block & Tackle will run on Microsoft Windows Server
2000 Standard or Advanced Editions (Service Pack 4 or later) and on
Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise or Web Editions.
Exchange Server 2000 Standard or Enterprise (Service Pack 3 or later) and
Exchange 2003 Standard or Enterprise are all supported.
Block & Tackle may be run without Exchange on the operating systems
listed above providing that the Windows Server SMTP service is installed
and configured to accept and forward messages.
Any hardware that meets the minimum requirements for the above operating
systems and Exchange versions can be used to run Block & Tackle.
However, as with any software package, more powerful hardware will provide
better performance.
Please note that Block & Tackle requires that your server receive SMTP
mail directly; it is not compatible with any POP3 connectors or "mail
bagging" programs that we know of. These programs typically bypass the
SMTP service or alter the internal format of messages in such a way
that they cannot be processed by Block & Tackle. Several customers have
told us that the Microsoft POP3 connector (which is included with
Small Business Server 2000 / 2003 works with Block & Tackle, but at
this time have not tested it.
How to Purchase Block & Tackle
You may purchase Block & Tackle through our secure online store - just
click here to purchase.
You may also download a
fully functional 30 day evaluation version by
clicking here.
If you'd like more information about Block & Tackle, please email us
at Sales@TurboGeeks.Com.
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