MS charts July email security launch

Microsoft has set a date for the release of in-house versions of corporate email security products flowing out of last-year's acquisition of Sybari.

Microsoft Antigen email security products — including Antigen for Exchange, Antigen for SMTP Gateways, Antigen Spam Manager and Antigen Enterprise Manager — will become available to end-users and the channel at the start of next month. Beta versions were released in February.

MS Antigen uses multiple scan engines to keep end users one step ahead of viruses, spam and other security threats. In addition to anti-virus scanning engines from AhnLab, Authentium, CA, Kaspersky Lab, MailFilters.com, Norman Data Defense Systems, Sophos and VirusBuster the software incorporates Microsoft's own anti-virus engine for the first time. New features also include improved quarantine and log file management as well as enhanced cluster support for easier administration.

MS Antigen competes with online net security services from the likes of MessageLabs, appliance from firms such Trend Micro and single-engine email security products from Symantec and McAfee. It is available in three-month trial versions.

Other products inherited with the acquisition of Sybari - including Antigen for SharePoint and Antigen for Instant Messaging - will remain Sybari-branded products until the next release, due out in 1H07. ®