This popular simple mail transfer protocol mail server has been renamed the Gordano Messaging Suite (GMS).

Gone are the old NTMail and GLMail, replaced by a range of GMS modules for Windows and Unix/Linux platforms, managed from an improved web-based front end.

The functionality has been extended with an Short Message Service (SMS) gateway and support for instant messaging, plus shared calendaring and powerful anti-spam facilities in the optional browser-based client.

The main mail server component is unchanged, with versions for all 32bit Windows implementations together with AIX, Solaris and most Linux platforms.

These are based on the same core engine providing support for all the main mail standards, including the Extended Simple Mail Transfer Protocol for message sending and both the Post Office Protocol (Pop3) and Internet Messaging Access Protocol for retrieval.

The GMS mail server can be used with all the leading email clients, however, to take full advantage of the shared address book, calendaring and anti-spam features, the browser-based client (GMS Webmail) is required.

Prices start at £345 for 50 users and, as well as supporting the groupware options, allows users to send and receive mail using any system with browser access to the server.

Installation is easy, with a simple set-up routine for the mail server which asks for little more than a domain name and a password for the administrative (Postmaster) account. Day-to-day management can be done remotely from a browser.

Multiple mail domains can be configured and users authenticated against an internal database, Windows NT/2000 servers, Active Directory, SQL Server or any Lightweight Directory Access Protocol compatible system.

You can import and set up users from other mail servers, using profiles to assign default settings, such as disk space quotas, automatically.

Anti-spam facilities consist of an optional module costing from £169 for 50 users. This can filter messages using custom rules and by referral to commercial anti-spam services such as the Mail Abuse Prevention System. It can also 'tune back' or block messages if an unusual amount of traffic from a particular source is detected

Unfortunately a lot of junk mail will still get through, so now users of the Webmail client can opt also for confirmation of messages that fail to meet pre-set criteria.

A message from a sender not in a user's address book, for example, can be quarantined while a request is sent for confirmation from the address listed in the 'From' field. If no such confirmation is received the message is assumed to be junk and, eventually, deleted. Otherwise it will be delivered to the intended recipient(s).

Webmail users can also share address books and calendars. The latter, again, costs extra (from £169 for 50 users), but allows Webmail users to let others see their schedules, something Outlook users can only do when connected to an Exchange server.

Access can be set for each individual calendar and events marked as either public or private with two associated alarms, which can be delivered by pop-up display, email, or the SMS gateway.

This last option enables messages to be forwarded to mobile phone users using a commercial SMS service. Pager messaging is another option and there's also a Wap client.

Support has been added for instant messaging (IM) with an integrated IM client able to take full advantage of the antivirus, anti-spam and message filtering facilities provided by GMS. IM support, though, is another chargeable extra, starting at £345 for 50 users.

The management interface is a lot easier to navigate than before and the logging and reporting options have also been enhanced.

On the downside there's no fax support and no shared folders. And licensing all the optional modules can prove costly.

However GMS is still competitive and, overall, a comprehensive and very usable messaging solution.

DETAILS
Price: From £405.38 (£345 ex VAT) for 50 users
Contact: Gordano 01275 345 100
www.gordano.com

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Exact requirements depend on number of users.
Windows NT4, 2000 and XP, plus Red Hat, Mandrake and Suse Linux.
Versions also available for Sun Solaris and IBM AIX. Pentium II processor.
128MB of Ram and 100MB of free hard disk space.
TCP/IP connectivity required.