Anti-spam email systems - Which option is best for you?

Most end-users needing an anti-spam email system should select a client-based software package. Client-side options let users customize filter settings and review blocked messages. Most applications are priced reasonably, however many charge for updates. Updates to SpamButcher are always available to registered users for free.

Be sure to sample whichever spam filtering product you are considering by downloading its trial version. How well an anti-spam package will work for you can be difficult to determine via third-party reviews. If the vendor doesn't have a demo version available, consider another choice.

Server-side anti-spam email filtering software centralizes the filtration mechanism for many users onto a single server. This has the benefit of consolidating administration of the system to a single point. A downside is that many systems don't let end-users readily restore intercepted messages. Some allow for personalized spam control settings, while others don't.

Hardware appliances operate on the same premise as server-side anti-spam email systems do. In fact, most operate just like a standard SMTP email server or gateway with anti-spam software installed. Most commonly these appliances run some flavor of the Linux operating system on top of an Intel-based hardware platform. They share most of the benefits and problems associated with server based software. Their main advantage is that they commonly require less configuration than their software-only counterparts.

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