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Proofpoint, Inc.

Managing Connections

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Situation Archive Connections need to be created.
Solution Information steps on how to create archive connectors.


About connections

Connections are used to specify the source from which emails should be retrieved and archived. Proofpoint Essentials supports two connection methods:

  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
    • Allows journaling to be enabled to send archived email to an SMTP address.
    • Required for Office 365 systems, optional but recommended for local Exchange environments.

    • Only SMTP connections over TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.2 are supported.

  • IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)
    • Allows local journaling, with Essentials remotely accessing the mailbox in order to pull email for processing.
    • Only IMAP connections over TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.2 are supported. If SSL is not supported, use an SMTP connection instead.

Defining connections

SMTP connection for Office 365

To add an SMTP connection for Office 365:

  1. In the Email Archive sidebar, expand Data Management and click Connections.
  2. Click Add Connection. (in top right corner).
  3. Enter a Description for the connection (e.g. Sunnyvale Office).
  4. Select the Connection Type of SMTP (Office 365).
  5. Enter a mailbox for Undeliverable Journal Address. This mailbox will need to match the undeliverable journal address you define when you configure journaling for Office 365.
It is recommended that you use a dedicated mailbox as the Undeliverable Journal Address mailbox, as this type of mailbox will not have its email journaled. Any undeliverable journals (via SMTP path) will arrive in this mailbox and an IMAP connection will be needed to retrieve any messages delivered to this mailbox (See “IMAP Failover Connection For Office 365” section later). This address is also used as the From address for journaled mail sent to Proofpoint. As a result this address needs to be on your domain.
  1. Click Next. A response is returned, providing you with a unique SMTP address. Copy or make note of this address as you will need to specify it when you configure journaling on Office 365.
  2. Click Done.

SMTP connection for local exchange

To add an SMTP connection for Local Exchange:

  1. In the Email Archive sidebar, expand Data Management and click Connections..
  2. Click Add Connection. (in top right corner).
  3. Enter a Description for the connection (e.g. Sunnyvale Office).
  4. Choose the Connection Type of SMTP (Local Exchange).
  5. Enter the IP addresses of the Sender Servers (locations) from which SMTP requests will be sent.
    For example, if requests are coming from a specific office location, enter the external IP address(es) of the office    . You can enter more than 1 IP address. CIDR ranges are also supported.
  6. Click Next. A response is returned, providing you with a unique SMTP address. Copy or make note of this address as you will need to specify it when you configure Journaling on Office 365.
  7. Click Done.

IMAP connection for Exchange

To add an IMAP connection:

  1. In the Email Archive sidebar, expand Data Management and click Connections..
  2. Click Add Connection. (in top right corner).
  3. Enter a Description for the connection (e.g. Sunnyvale Office).
  4. Choose the Connection Type of IMAP.
  5. Enter the Server Name to which Proofpoint Essentials should connect (hostname, IP address).
  6. Enter the Username of the account that should be used to connect to the journaling mailbox.
  7. Enter the Password of the account that should be used to connect to the journaling mailbox.
  8. Enter the Port for the connection (Port 993 recommended).
  9. Click Save.

 

Troubleshooting: 
IMAP connector tests show green but no mail is coming through. Undeliverable account shows backlog of messages waiting to be picked up

 

Solution: Often, the password has expired or is incorrect.

Check if the password has expired in O365 / Exchange.

Reset the password for the IMAP mailbox in O365 / exchange and update it in the Proofpoint Archive connection configuration.

IMAP failover connection for Office 365 (Optional)

If you are using an IMAP connection and Office 365 is unable to deliver journaled email to Proofpoint Essentials (via the O365 Connector), journaled messages are delivered to an Undeliverable Journal Mailbox. You must create an IMAP connection to Office 365 that, if this occurs, will retrieve and archive messages delivered to this mailbox.

IMAP settings for Office 365 are listed here. You will also need to know the Username and Password of the Undeliverable Journal Mailbox you specified when creating the SMTP connection for Office 365.

Enabling/disabling connections

New connections are enabled by default. To enable or disable a connection, click More Action clipboard_e303f5a823f21c4bf2e6de84ee3ac8052.png > Edit > Enable/Disable.
clipboard_e7ce225f2ba54a8df8323aa667be56e4a.png

SMTP Connections

While an SMTP connection is disabled, Proofpoint Essentials will not accept remote journaling requests. As a result, use caution when disabling an active SMTP connection.

IMAP Connections

Before you enable an IMAP connection, you may want to test it to ensure that Proofpoint Essentials can successfully connect using the settings defined. To test the connection, click More Action clipboard_e303f5a823f21c4bf2e6de84ee3ac8052.png > Test Connection. The status icon changes to indicate that a test connection is being attempted. If the test is successful, the status indicator changes to green. If unsuccessful, it changes to red: hover over the icon to see the error response.

Editing/deleting connections

You can update an existing connection at anytime. Simply click More Action clipboard_e303f5a823f21c4bf2e6de84ee3ac8052.png > Edit , make your changes, and click Save. Be sure to test an IMAP connection after making changes,

To remove an existing connection, click More Action clipboard_e303f5a823f21c4bf2e6de84ee3ac8052.png > Delete or to remove multiple connection, select the connection you wish to remove, click delete icon clipboard_e91a0a574b429e1750189992c6e4a641c.png and confirm. Once a connection has been removed it will no longer be used to collect or accept mail.