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GroupShield for Exchange attempts to detect both existing and new viruses in the Exchange environment by utilizing the VS-API from Microsoft. Functionality includes; Content Filtering - the ability to block or quarantine files based on the subject line as well as the file name, type and size, Multi-node Active-Active cluster support and integration with the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). Also included is McAfee Outbreak Manager, which looks for suspicious e-mail behavioral patterns to stop new e-mail borne threats.
"Groupshield 7 with SP1" - Matt Young [August 29, 2008]
After installing Groupshield 7 with SP1, we saw RPC latency on the outlook clients increase 3 fold. Consumation of memory on the servers was increased double and the new postgres.exe process occupied about 8 instances thus throttling down the performance and using much of the Quad core CPU's that we are utilizing. Our outlook 2003 and 2007 clients bore this burdeon for a while, but after clicking between messages (that were not in the outlook cache - and outlook popping up the connection bubbles, and responding with 3 second lags in between clicking on emails ) and each of our 20 exchange servers exhibited this problem. We quickly realized that Groupshield 7 was a dog. We sent various MER's and event logs and perfmon captures back to Mcafee - still waiting a response. I had no other choice but to remove version 7 and reinstall 6 again - because our backups were not completing in their scheduled window of time.
Be very cautious if you are going from groupshield 6 to 7. Even total rip out and replacement of 6 to 7 (not upgrade) still has the same issues. I surmise that their new scanning techniques using the new postgres database is causing them the slowness. Previously, they used a proprietary database for their scan engine.
Word to the wise, take a perfmon capture before you install version 7 and after, compare the 2. You'll see the proof plain and clear.
"Beware of uninformed comments!" - talmon [July 17, 2006] Product Rating: 4/5
The product works great if you do your research. I have run Groupshield for 5 years, upgrading cautiously (like with any software) and reading the instructions. Every product has issues, and I have had them with Groupshield too. There is a reason that they have support, and a reason you don't upgrade the day a product releases. With the above mentioned, Groupshield has been SOLID for my networks.
"I like it" - That Guy [May 6, 2005] Product Rating: 4/5
It is good software. Beats the heck out of 5.5. You just need to know how to use it.
"Not That Bad" - Bart [May 5, 2005] Product Rating: 3/5
I tried out mail security for my new cluster as i heard such bad things about Groupshield 6.0 and it killed my information store. I then installed Groupshield instead and everything is still working so far.
""Version 6.0 of GS STAY AWAY!!!!!!"" - "Version 6.0 of GS STAY AWAY!!!!!!" [March 22, 2005] Product Rating: 1/5
BEWARE!!!! folks.... I just install GS 6.0 in a MS Cluster W3K with E3K, everything seemed to be working great.... we then migrated all users mail boxes from a W2K Cluster over to the new W3K cluster and everything seem to merge perfectly!!! BUT!!!! when users accessed thier mailboxs all the Content and Attachement were missing.... the mail was there the sizes where correct but no content! We had to restore ALL 4 IS store back to the old cluster and lost 2 days worth of email. "BEWARE!!!"
"Very baaaaaddd software" - Bart [February 28, 2005]
I recently installed this product onto a test-server, with win2k3 and exchange 2003. Had many problems, one I describe below:
I want for example block the extension .com. I starts the Java gui of Groupshield. I go to "Anti-Virus and Content". There I go to "File Filtering". In this Group, I create a new "Rule" named "Forbidden Extensions". This newly created Rule is configured as follows: Enable file filtering is "active" Rule name: Forbidden Extensions: *.com *.exe *.bat and so on......
Furthermore: When the rule applies, take the following action: "Delete the message" And also: "Notify Administrator"
Now this is the problem.: I will use USER1 and USER2 USER1 is a member of our company. USER2 is a member of another company and uses a hotmail account.
When I send a message, with USER1, with an attachment *.exe in it, to USER2, the email message will NOT deleted, the administrator receives NO notification and the most important: the recipient (USER2) receives a mailmessage with the file *.exe attached. So this is not working!!
When I configure the On access scanner with "Replace the item with an alert message, Log the Item, notify the administrator"; I send a message, with USER1, with an attachment *.exe in it, to USER2, the attachment is NOT replaced, the administrator receives NO notification and the most important: the recipient (USER2) receives a mailmessage with the file *.exe attached. So this is not working either!!
When I send an email message, with USER2 to USER1, the deleting message won't work, but the replacment with an alert message works. So only from outside to inside it is working somewhat.
So what is up with this? I cannot use this product for our company, if it is working like this.
"GROUPSHIELD 6, ACTUALLY WORKS GREAT AS LONG AS YOU READ THE ADMIN GUIDE" - Chris [September 22, 2004] Product Rating: 4/5
Everybody these day's seem to be under the impression that GroupShield SUCKS, I'm here to tell you it works GREAT in the hands of a proper administrator. Yes instead of using a traditional interface they use a new Java based one. But other then that I've had nothing but a great experience with it and am running Exchange 2000 with GS6 WITH NOT A SINGLE STABILITY ISSUE... EVER and I've been running for over 6 months!! The only problem I had was with EPOLICY ORCHESTRATOR overriding setting I had put in place becuase I forgot to uncheck the inherit policy setting. Anti-Spam Addin is wonderful as well, and when coupled with Outlook 2003 filters 99% spam.
"Real headache" - devraj [July 6, 2004] Product Rating: 1/5
I installed gs 6 on our e3k server, first thing there is no proper GUI, then the help is horrible. for a few days it was detecting virus and deleting them and also send a notification to the end user, eventhough it is configured not to send it to users. A totally horrible experence.
"Groupshield 6" - Theo [June 24, 2004] Product Rating: 1/5
We have GS since we installed SBS 2003 January this year. The Java interface works clumsy. After installing SP1 a week ago GS stopped blocking messages. Instead GS blocks the attachment and lets the empty message through. Support claims that this is a change in functionality since SP1. You expect a service pack to fix functionality, not to to remove it. Overall, lost of bugs, bad support and high cost. Find another product!
"Groupshield is not a good solution for your Company" - Unhappy Groupshield User [June 11, 2004] Product Rating: 1/5
Exchange 5.5 with the old version of Groupshield worked O.K. upgrade to win3k exchange 2003 and groupshield 6. with sp1 has caused major problems. We have lots of hardware power but configuring more than 2 filters caused outlook clients to stop responding while waiting to contact the server. I have seen memory leaks, Event errors Scanning errors are constant. You have two options allow items that cannot be scanned through or have it delete all the emails it can't scan. Or you can foreward them all to a public folder. This is crazy and support case has dragged on for weeks and is up to Teir 3.
"Groupshield 6" - Peter Moss [May 28, 2004] Product Rating: 1/5
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. Interface sucks, has a memory leak that tops out your system memory, attachment blocking does not block a damn thing. This product does nothing but fill up your event log and crash your system.
"groupshield 6.0 is crap and 5.5 was not enough" - Karasardelis [May 28, 2004] Product Rating: 1/5
We were using Groupshield 5.5 on exchange 5.5 and now we are using Groupshield 6.0 on Exchange 2003. The old one was working ok but it was not enough (no smart file filtering and a lot of options missing). The upgrade to Groupshield 6.0 is something that we will remember for a long time. Support was awful, functionality is the worst ever, no stability at all, viruses pass by without warnings, error every second to the system and program log and a lot lot lot more. and we are talking about a fresh server installation - not an upgrade. Just Windows 2003, Exchange 2003 and Groupshield 6.0 - STAY AWAY (we warned you)
"Horrible" - itbod [April 15, 2004]
Just drove me mad, groupshield 6 with it's horrible Java interface, trying to save settings, it just crashes, so I loose all of them, this has happened to many times to mention, it's enough to make me cry..
"Total & utter crap" - SniperG [September 4, 2003]
We have had nothing but problems with this POS since it was installed, the smallest of which is 20-40 events in the Apllication log every second or so... Of course you can turn this off, but what's the point of it being there if all you do is *have* to turn it off?
Stay AWAY !!!!
"The company is the problem" - Cheops [May 20, 2003]
GroupShield does it basic job with Exchange 5.5 - blocks attachments and viruses - but as mentioned by someone else the scheduled scans fail. I don't like the company though - we also use WebShield, and it had numerous problems when unpatched, and with patches which are 2 years old we have more or less basic functionality. Support could be better, but there are no more updates released for example to fix attachment count.
"groupshield inactive" - baba [May 6, 2003]
i have groupshield installed for email protection for few month its works perfect but nowadays it is not working when i run on demand scan it terminates as soon as it starts in application log the error is record like internal error occrs in groupshield private message failed to be open etc.
"WOAH" - Korbyn [November 7, 2002]
I used to be pretty sold on GS, used it for years with many many problems... After using Antigen for the past 10 months, I wouldn't touch GS with a 10 foot scsi cable ever again. It costs more, and does less, not very stable in Exchange 2000, and the support (online and phone) are deplorable.
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