Re: Exchange Server and External Access

[salgak () speakeasy net]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cherian M. Palayoor [mailto:cpalayoor () cwalkergroup com]
> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 11:53 PM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: FW: Exchange Server and External Access
>
>
>
> Thanks for the suggestions.
>
> Based on the feedback so far, there appears to 2 school of thought....
>
> Solution 1) Have Exchange setup in a FE/BE configuration with the FE in the
> DMZ and the BE in the internal LAN. Have the FE               poll the BE
> through a secure link using SSL.
>
> Problem : Too expensive, requires Exchange Enterprise and not to mention
> Windows Advanced Server.
>           Also it may not resolve the problem as what I am primarily hoping
> to achieve here is faster access time. We                 presently  have
> to traverse through  a WAN cloud and 2 firewalls to get to the Internet and
> the DMZ.
>
> Solution 2) Move the Exchange Server to the DMZ and set it up either as an
> OWA or POP3 Server. 
>
> Problem : This would affect internal user access speed and also the OWA
> option would negatively impact users fed on a diet of Outlook's convenience.
>
> Is it possible to run a third part Server like possibly Sendmail  to front
> end Exchange ?

Unless you know EXACTLY what you're doing, I'd stay FAR away from Sendmail.

The performance dropoff of a mail server in the DMZ is negligible, and OWA allows the same access as Outlook does with 
the exception of Personal File Folders.

Why not set it up as both OWA and POP3: that way, your users can use the mail client of their choice OR a WWW interface 
when their box is not nearby. . . 




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