Increasing the number of SMTP server threads directly addresses a full Message Processing Queue by allowing the appliance to handle more simultaneous connections and message processing tasks. This improves throughput during peak loads. The other options either do not affect queue processing capacity (journaling, definition updates) or would restrict legitimate mail flow rather than improve performance.

Relying solely on file extension (like .exe) is a weak filtering method. Users can rename files (e.g., ‘document.pdf.exe’) or pack them into archives. A more robust approach would use the ‘File Type’ filter, which inspects the actual file signature (magic number), or combine extension filtering with archive decompression and scanning.

The SMG Rejection Log provides the definitive reason for a message rejection, including which specific DNSBL (if any) listed the sending IP. This is the fastest and most accurate first step. Adding to the whitelist without diagnosis bypasses security. Disabling the service is disruptive. A manual DNS query might help but doesn’t confirm which RBL the appliance actually used for the rejection.

A Mail Encryption policy is designed for this exact purpose. It can identify messages from the finance department (via sender, header, or content) and automatically reroute them to a dedicated encryption gateway or service (like Symantec Encryption). This ensures encryption happens even if the recipient’s mail server doesn’t support TLS, unlike options 1 and 4 which rely on the recipient’s capabilities. Option 2 (‘Encrypt’ action) is not a standard SMG content filter action.

The AntiVirus log within the Tracking Center provides the most granular forensic detail. It logs each message processed by the AV engine, including the message ID, sender/recipient, the malware name detected (e.g., Trojan.Zbot), and the action taken (e.g., cleaned, deleted). The System Health Dashboard shows trends, not specifics. The SMTP session log shows connection details, not content scanning results. The daily summary is an aggregate, not proof of specific detections.

In an active/passive SMG cluster, the passive node should pull its spam and AV definition updates directly from LiveUpdate, not from the primary node. If its local LiveUpdate schedule is disabled (or its network configuration prevents external access), it will not update. Cluster heartbeat, shared storage, and VIP binding affect failover and configuration sync, but not the passive node’s independent ability to reach the LiveUpdate servers.

The ‘Top Spam Recipients’ widget on the Monitoring Dashboard is designed to show exactly this information in a ranked list. It can be configured for a specific time range. While the Spam Detection Report can be filtered, it’s more general. The Health Report focuses on system metrics, and the Quarantine view shows held messages, not a ranked summary of recipients.

If the management IP is pingable but the web UI is down, the issue is likely with the web application services (httpd/Apache and tomcat). The first logical step is to log in via the physical or SSH console and check the status of these specific services using service management commands (e.g., `service httpd status`). Restarting SMTP services or rebooting are more drastic steps that should come after checking service status. Disk checks are for suspected hardware issues.

The built-in ‘Credit Card Number’ pattern in the Dictionary rule type uses a sophisticated algorithm (like the Luhn check) and understands common formatting (spaces, dashes). It is optimized for performance and accuracy within SMG. A simple regex (option 1) will cause many false positives (e.g., order numbers). A custom prefix list (option 3) is incomplete. Option 4 refers to a more comprehensive DLP suite, which may not be licensed or installed on a standard SMG.

Increasing the number of SMTP server threads directly addresses a full Message Processing Queue by allowing the appliance to handle more simultaneous connections and message processing tasks. This improves throughput during peak loads. The other options either do not affect queue processing capacity (journaling, definition updates) or would restrict legitimate mail flow rather than improve performance.0