As we created our user accounts, we witnessed several examples of the ISOCOR Management Center's ease of use and convenience. We created and altered the default mail domain using the interface and quickly removed it as we completed our tests. Users--including alias, robot and inactive--proved just as easy to manage. You can choose to maintain mailing lists using robot users, which handle all subscription commands for the particular list. Comparable to management interfaces from Ipswitch and Microsoft, the ISOCOR Management Center is extremely easy to use and can be installed on any machine on your network.

Perhaps the most unique Web-based user interface we tested is N-PLEX Enterprise's PAM Java applet. PAM lets users configure various e-mail settings, including autoreply messages that indicate a user is on an extended leave or vacation. So before taking off for Aruba, Joe Smith would be able to fire up his Web browser and configure his account via PAM to indicate his absence.

N-PLEX Enterprise also plugs into any LDAP-capable directory and publishes the information via its Web interface. After a simple visit to an N-PLEX Enterprise server configured to use any other LDAP directory, you can quickly and easily browse directory information.

Ipswitch Imail Server 4.0 for Windows NT

Ipswitch's Imail Server shares many similarities with N-PLEX, especially in terms of appearance and functionality. However, Imail's server layout and user information is slightly more difficult to use. Noteworthy features include SMTP delivery options, more Web-accessible information, and useful monitoring tools for both mail services and statistics. In the lab, we were able to configure user account settings, including their finger and .plan information (Unix-based user information retrieval mechanisms) via Imail's Web interface. In addition, the forthcoming version 4.1 will include a Web Messaging package, which enables user access to mail stores via the Web. (In version 4.0, this package is available as a separate option for an additional fee.) Imail includes new options not available in N-PLEX, such as NT User database integration and "anti-spam" measures, but these also bring increased user and administrator difficulty to the table.

Imail is configured and maintained via several administrative utilities and programs. Numerous utilities, which are installed by default, provide administrators and users with the proper rights to configure and maintain various aspects of the server. During testing, we used the control-panel applet, Web interface and Imail administrator to configure the Imail test server. Other command-line utilities include IMUTIL and IRADMIN for managing user accounts and remotely accessing the Imail server configuration. Although these tools are individually very easy to use, the sheer number of them detracts from overall ease of use.

Using the Imail administrator was as painless as using the ISOCOR Management Center. Offering an Explorer-like interface, the administrator displays all information, which is easy to modify. During testing, we swiftly changed user account information and edited it for each of our test sequences. This interface also lets you configure mail domains, user accounts, mailing lists and basic mail server options. You can even manage and configure the Imail server via its Web interface, as we did during testing.

Imail is the only product we tested that offers a worthwhile service-level monitoring tool. With it, we monitored all installed services on both the Web page and a separate standalone program on the mail server. A green light indicates that the service is running properly, while a red light flags a problem or notes that a service has not begun. Other products, such as Microsoft's Service Pack for Exchange, provide text-based service status programs.

Imail provides more services to complement your mail server, including finger, Whois and Pserv. Finger and Whois provide rudimentary directory services by relating user information when prompted by client programs. Using a finger client, you can instantly retrieve information about another user. Pserv provides support for mail clients that use the Passwords authentication mechanism. The Passwords support enables a level of encrypted authentication that surpasses clear text. In comparison, products such as N-PLEX and NTMail Office support more authentication standards, including APOP (Authenticated POP).