Customers currently using the Connect Application are advised to complete their onboarding setup as soon as possible, as the Connect Application is scheduled to be discontinued on the 31st of January, 2024.
This article contains information on using the Connect Application to configure inbound email for On-Premise/Hybrid Exchanges, detailing required steps and optional tasks for Mimecast setup.
This page applies to new clients connecting with Mimecast using the Mimecast Connect Application. If you're not using the Connect Application, see the Connect Process Steps page.
Walkthrough
Once you've logged on by Accessing the Connect Application and have confirmed your details as per Connect Application: Confirming Your Details, the Connect wizard leads you through the required steps (see the table below). Some steps are optional, while others are dependent on other tasks. When a prerequisite task is required, you'll see a notification at the top of the task page, as shown below:
Connect Application Steps
The Connect Application is not aware of configurations made directly inside the Administration Console. All initial configuration must be made via the application unless the default policies need altering.
The Connect Application steps are:
-
-
- Validating Your Domains: This allows you to verify that you own each of your internal domains. We start with your primary domain, but other domains can also be validated. You can also add subdomains once a domain is validated.
- Synchronizing Your Directory: Allows you to automatically create each user's Mimecast account. This enables your users to send and receive email and sign into our applications.
- Adding Users Manually: Allows you to add user accounts that do not currently exist in your directory.
- Setting Up User Authentication: This allows you to specify the method to be used to authenticate users when they connect to our applications.
- Preparing for Inbound Email: Allows you to set up your inbound email flow through us. The process differs depending on whether you have a Microsoft 365 (Preparing for Inbound Email) or On-Premise / Hybrid Exchange (Configure Inbound Email for On-Prem / Hybrid Exchanges)
- Setting Up Your Outbound Email: Allows you to set up your outbound email flow through us.
- Importing Permitted Senders: This allows you to let us know the external addresses that you regularly communicate with. This marks them as permitted senders, thereby bypassing the strict anti-spam screening applied to all inbound emails from unknown external senders.
- Setting Up Recipient Validation: Ensures only messages destined for valid internal email addresses are accepted. Emails that can't be matched against a valid internal address are rejected.
- Updating Your MX Records: Routes your inbound email through us by updating your mail exchanger (MX) records. This designates us as the mail service responsible for accepting email on your behalf.
- Secure Your Inbound Email: Looks at securing your firewall to protect you from messages received from a non-Mimecast IP address. The process differs depending on whether you have Microsoft 365 (Securing Your Inbound Email (Microsoft 365) or On Premise/Hybrid Exchange (Configure Inbound Email for On-Prem / Hybrid Exchanges).
- Setting Up Your Journaling: Allows you to set up journaling to ensure your Mimecast archive has a full and complete record of all emails. This includes your internal email and copies delivered to members of distribution lists.
-
The following optional tasks can also be performed:
-
-
- Managing Basic Administrators: Allows you to add users to the Basic Administrator role so they can assist with the implementation or general account management in the Administration Console.
- Managing Forwarding Addresses: Allows you to add Relay mail forwarding rules that route messages external to your organization to a chosen address.
- Bypassing Anti-Spoofing Policies: Allows you to bypass Anti-Spoofing policies. If you use external services to send email to your internal users, you can add these services as exceptions to your Anti-Spoofing policy.
- Setting Up TLS Policies: Allows you to enforce TLS communication between your mail server and us, as well as between us and specified external domains. This ensures full end-to-end TLS communication.
-
Following the end of all mandatory steps, users in an on-premises environment must lock down their firewall. This is not required if you have a Microsoft 365 or MSP Exchange and is optional if you have a Hybrid Exchange. See the Connect Process: Locking Down Your Firewall for further details.
Comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.