Forefront Online Protection Updated

An update to Forefront Online Protection for Exchange (FOPE), released in Apr. 2011, improves e-mail routing flexibility and provides better control over spam filtering. The FOPE 11.1 update brings the online subscription service more in line with features of the on-premises Forefront Protection for Exchange. FOPE can reduce an organization’s need for infrastructure and staff, and can reduce the risk of malware entering the corporate network or information leaking from the corporate network. Microsoft also uses FOPE to add to its database of malware signatures and information about junk mail so the company can improve its security products.

Offloading E-Mail Protection

Forefront Online Protection for Exchange is a rebranded Microsoft-hosted online service formerly known as Forefront Online Security for Exchange (and previously as Exchange Hosted Filtering). It helps protect inbound and outbound e-mail from spam, viruses, phishing scams, and e-mail policy violations by filtering messages at a Microsoft data center before forwarding good messages through to the customer’s site. For example, FOPE can be used with an on-premises Exchange server to offload e-mail scanning and filtering. (See the illustration “How FOPE Works with Exchange Server“.)