Fuel for the Windows Server 2003 Web edition debate. After several hours of phone calls, dozens of e-mails and a number of faxes over the last 2 weeks, here is the result of my conversations with a MS Gold Certified partner and a senior MS licensing manager who contacted and obtained a cursory review by a MS lawyer who stated that a company using Web edition as outlined below "would be in the last group looked at of those groups with other applications installed on Windows Server 2003 Web Edition for violations and which any final determination of legality would almost certainly have to be determined in a court of law":
1. No application can be installed on Web edition that will add features/functions beyond what MS has included. 2. AV software to protect the server and information flowing to it and out of it is allowed, as that is considered a part of securing the server. 3. Applications which enhance, but not extend, features included by MS are allowed. In relation to Imail and related add-ons and features, this is what was concluded: 1. Imail can be installed. 2. Only connections allowed to Imail is SMTP and POP3. Those functions are included by MS, and by installing Imail and using the SMTP and POP3 services of Imail, you are providing an enhanced version of what MS supplied. IMAP4, Web Messaging, Web Calendaring, Finger and WhoIS services can not be used, as there is no supplied equivalent MS service on the server. 3. Only database that can be used is the Imail database. An external ODBC database can not be used, as MS IIS POP3 users are local only. Yes, you can use an external ODBC data source Web Edition, but not for the SMTP or POP3 services, as there is no matching way that is possible with the MS SMTP or POP3 functions. Also, using an external ODBC data source would extend the POP3 feature, not just enhance. 4. Imail AV can be installed and used as that is part of securing the server and information flowing into and out of it. 5. Imail Anti-Spam can be used. In the IIS SMTP service, there is what is called Event Sinks. These are VBS scripts that can scan and take action on messages flowing through the SMTP service. 6. Declude Hi-Jack can be installed, as that is tracking IP addresses and that is possible in the MS SMTP service through Event Sinks and the IIS SMTPSVCx logs. 7. Declude Virus can be installed for the same reason in #5 above. 8. Declude JunkMail can be installed for the same reason in #6 above. MY CONCLUSION: If you are only using Imail for gateway service (Store and Forward) or only allowing users to connect via POP3 AND only using the Imail database (registry) then Imail is allowed and usable. BTW, all 4 persons I talked to or were involved in this discussion made it very clear their names were never to be mentioned. That was a solid statement that came directly from the lawyer. Figures. John Tolmachoff Engineer/Consultant/Owner eServices For You To Unsubscribe: http://www.ipswitch.com/support/mailing-lists.html List Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/ Knowledge Base/FAQ: http://www.ipswitch.com/support/IMail/
