Microsoft Antigen: Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Antigen e-mail and collaboration security products help businesses protect their Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Windows-based Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Gateway, Microsoft Live Communications Server, and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services servers from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content. With a layered, multiple scan engine approach, Antigen security products help stop the latest threats before they impact businesses and users. Scanning and management innovations, along with tight Exchange, Windows SharePoint Services, and Live Communications Server integration, maximize administrator control and server availability. Content and file filtering technologies ensure that organizations can eliminate inappropriate language and dangerous attachments from internal and external communications.

Microsoft Antigen products include Microsoft Antigen for Exchange, Microsoft Antigen for SMTP Gateways, Microsoft Antigen Spam Manager, and Microsoft Antigen Enterprise Manager. These products are the first Microsoft-branded versions of the Sybari products acquired in 2005. These products will be generally available on July 1, 2006.

Antigen for Windows SharePoint Services and Antigen for Instant Messaging are part of the Antigen e-mail and collaboration security product line. Microsoft-branded versions of these products are scheduled to be available in the first half of 2007. Sybari-branded versions of these products will be available through the Microsoft channel and Microsoft volume licensing until that time.

Microsoft Antigen products are licensed through the Microsoft Online Services program on a per user subscription model, with the exception of Antigen Enterprise Manager, which is licensed as a per server subscription license. This license includes all antivirus and anti-spam scan engine updates, signatures, and product upgrades during the license period. Customers can license Antigen as part of the following Microsoft licensing programs:

Antigen antivirus and anti-spam products protect at the server to prevent viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content from reaching end users. This provides complementary protection to other Microsoft security products.

The security of our customers is a top priority for Microsoft, and we remain committed to delivering software, services, and best practices that together will help better protect our customers and the industry. We are working with the industry to build trust in computing so that all computer users can realize their potential. Our approach to security requires continued technology investment from the industry and customers, prescriptive guidance, and industry leadership through partnership, policy, and initiatives. Because e-mail and collaboration security threats like viruses, worms, and spam are a critical concern to our customers, Microsoft invested in the Antigen products, which helps build the foundation for our overall defense-in-depth security strategy.

The Microsoft-branded version of Antigen will include the Microsoft Antivirus scan engine, giving Antigen customers an additional “in-the-box” engine with which to protect their e-mail and collaboration environments. This release of Antigen will also have completed the Microsoft Security Design Lifecycle review, ensuring that Antigen meets Microsoft’s high standards for secure code development. Customers will also be able to take advantage of improved cluster support and enhanced anti-spam and antivirus signature update features.

All Registered, Certified, and Gold Certified partners are eligible to sell all Antigen products as of July 1, 2006.

Microsoft Antigen products support Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server.

Windows OneCare is a PC Health subscription service to help protect consumers and optimize their Windows computing experience. As Antigen is focused on server-level security for the business community, Antigen is not part of Windows OneCare.

No. It is Microsoft’s intention to continue to sell this technology as a stand-alone set of products.

Antigen products support multiple scan engines from industry-leading vendors. Below is a chart of what scan engines are available with each product.

Yes. The next versions of the Microsoft Antigen products will all be rebranded under the Forefront name. The first of these will be Forefront Security for Exchange Server (formerly Microsoft Antigen for Exchange and Microsoft Antigen for SMTP Gateways), Forefront Security for SharePoint (formerly Antigen for SharePoint), and Forefront Server Security Management Console (formerly Antigen Enterprise Manager). These changes will happen by the end of calendar year 2006. Find more information on Forefront security products at the Forefront Web site.

Microsoft Antigen 9.0 with SP1 provides customers with improved protection and flexibility in securing Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server messaging environments. The Antigen 9.0 SP1 release includes Antigen for Exchange, Antigen for SMTP Gateways and Antigen Spam Manager. Updates to these products include:

Microsoft Antigen 9.0 with SP1 can be accessed at http://www.microsoft.com/antigen/downloads/trial-software.mspx.

Customers should upgrade to SP1 if they require enhanced support for their clustered Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange 2000 Server environment, want to scan Office 2007 documents for viruses, or need to install Antigen (English-only) on non-English platforms.

No. Forefront Server Security Management Console now provides support for all Antigen 9.0 and Antigen 9.0 SP1 products. Antigen Enterprise Manager customers seeking to manage Antigen SP1 should upgrade to the Forefront Server Security Management Console.