Concepts And Flow

FortiMail operation modes

FortiMail units can run in one of three operation modes: gateway mode, transparent mode, and server mode.

 

Gateway mode

  • The FortiMail unit acts as a mail transfer agent (MTA), or email gateway, relaying email to and from the email servers that it protects.
  • Simple DNS MX record change redirects email to FortiMail for antispam and antivirus scanning.
  • FortiMail does not locally store email unless queued or quarantined.

Transparent mode

  • The FortiMail unit transparently proxies or relays email traffic to and from the email servers that it protects.
  • Eliminates the need to change existing mail server network configuration.
  • FortiMail does not locally store email unless queued or quarantined.

Server mode

  • The FortiMail unit operates as a standalone, full-featured email server and MTA.
  • The FortiMail unit locally stores email for delivery to its email users. Email users can access their email using FortiMail webmail, POP3, or IMAP.

All operation modes can scan email traffic for viruses and spam, and can quarantine suspicious email and attachments.


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This entry was posted in Administration Guides, FortiMail and tagged , on by .

About Mike

Michael Pruett, CISSP has a wide range of cyber-security and network engineering expertise. The plethora of vendors that resell hardware but have zero engineering knowledge resulting in the wrong hardware or configuration being deployed is a major pet peeve of Michael's. This site was started in an effort to spread information while providing the option of quality consulting services at a much lower price than Fortinet Professional Services. Owns PacketLlama.Com (Fortinet Hardware Sales) and Office Of The CISO, LLC (Cybersecurity consulting firm).

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