Imail Server is a very mature small-business email server that supports all the common messaging standards including Pop3 and Imap4. It can be used with Outlook and most other client software, with a web-based client also included as standard.

Several different versions are available including the Imail Server Plus product reviewed here, the Plus indicating the bundling of additional ‘premium’ anti-spam tools.

Support for multiple email domains comes as standard with Imail Plus with users authenticated locally, via Windows domains or against an external ODBC database. A list server is also built in as is support for shared calendars when using the Webmail client. However, if you want to share resources from Outlook you’ll need the full Ipswitch Collaboration Suite.

In its favour a lot of small companies don’t need collaboration features, just a reliable and secure SMTP mail server, which is what you get with Imail. Another advantage is that there’s no need for a powerful host server, although a server implementation of Windows is required and IIS if you want the web-based client.

Installation is quick and easy and once installed the server can be set up and managed remotely from any network PC via a straightforward browser front end.

We were most interested in the anti-spam features. The extensive basic protection is further enhanced by tools from Mail-Filters.com. These tools are activated by default and have automatic updates every 10 minutes.

There’s no anti-virus support, which is a major omission. An integrated Symantec anti-virus scanner is available in Imail Server Secure but that adds £305.50 inc Vat to the price. If you have an existing anti-virus solution you’re paying twice for the same functionality, which you need to bear in mind when evaluating this otherwise solid email product.