IT Spam Mitigation Solution: Deployment of Sophos PureMessage

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IT Spam Mitigation SolutionDeployment of Sophos
PureMessage

• IT Spam Mitigation Project Team
• April 13, 2005

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Agenda

• Overview of Spam Mitigation Project PureMessage
  Deployment
• PureMessage User Information
• Customer Support Information
• Overview of Web Resources
• Open Forum

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Current SpamAssassin

• Original spam flagging software implemented at UH
  still currently used
• Open-source
• Very limited user options
• Used to identify spam (by flagging) to allow
  users to configure desktop environment to better
  manage spam mail

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New Sophos PureMessage

• Provides high-degree of user flexibility
• User interface easy to use while still
  high in functionality
• Robust software with marked effectiveness
• Sophos has demonstrated ability to respond to
  unique academic issues
• PureMessage has already been implemented at UH
  Downtown and is currently being implemented UH
  ClearLake UH Victoria

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Sophos PureMessageSpam Flagging Quarantine

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Sophos PureMessage

• Installed on UH.EDU gateway
• All incoming mail is scanned for viruses
• Mail with destinations on IT-Managed servers
  (mail.uh.edu and Exchange) are scanned for spam
  and assigned score.
• Scoring probability that mail is spam
• lt50 - Good Mail delivered as usual
• 50-79 - Possibly Good Mail delivered to
  mailbox and flagged as spam
• 80-90 - Probably Unwanted Mail Quarantined
  not delivered to user mailbox (does not count
  against user mailbox quota!)
• 90-100 - Unwanted Mail Discarded not
  delivered, not quarantined

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Deployment - PureMessage

• Installation Wednesday, May 18th (after close
  of Spring Semester)
• Will be done in steps on production mail server
  cluster both server1 and server2 are running
  current SpamAssassin software
• Step 1 PureMessage will be installed on server
  1. Configuration will be verified before
  deployment on server 2
• Roll-back option Immediately to revert to server
  2 (current SpamAssassin server) for mail
  processing

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Software Implementation Scope

• Campus deployment
• Will only affect current users of IT-managed mail
  systems participating in the current
  spam-flagging system
• College/Division/Departments who manage their own
  mail servers are not affected by these changes
• Options are available for College/Division/Departm
  ents who would like to implement PureMessage in
  their environment. Mail administrators should
  contact Alan Pfeiffer-Traum to discuss possible
  arrangements

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Deployment - PureMessage

• What users will see
• Less spam in your mailbox !
• Daily Digest message reporting messages sent to
  your quarantine
• More room in your mailbox for legitimate mail -
  (note spam messages redirected to your
  quarantine do not count against your mailbox
  quota)
• More options available to you to individually
  configure how your mail is processed

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Deployment Awareness Efforts

• Communications Campaign (April 18- 29)
• Ads in Daily Cougar, UH Campus News, UH Today
• Email Announcements mail.uh.edu and
  central.uh.edu users
• Postcards direct mailed to all Faculty Staff
• Table tents in various campus locations
• Posters in campus computer labs and classroom
  buildings
• Awareness Presentations
• Key Faculty, Staff and Student Groups
• Campus Workshop

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User Resources Available

• Website www.uh.edu/infotech/spam
• User documentation
• Product guides
• Streamed end-user training
• UH support contact information
• Instructor-led training classes check IT
  Training calendar for dates
• Sophos PureMessage features
• User best-practices
• Classes also available by request for
  departmental groups contact information
  available on the IT Training web site

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Campus Workshop

• Thursday, April 21, 130-230pm -Farish Hall,
  KIVA Room
• All faculty, staff and students are invited no
  pre-registration necessary!
• Information will include
• Demonstration of Sophos PureMessage
• Best Practices for Mail Management
• Opportunity for answers to your spam management
  questions

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IT Spam Mitigation Project
Web Site http//www.uh.edu/infotech/spam Resource
s Available User Documentation, Instructor-Led
Training classes, Spam References, Project
News Project Manager Asst. Project
Manager Mary Dickerson Annette Stanfield Email
Mdickerson_at_uh.edu Email Astanfield_at_uh.edu