SmarterTools recently announced that the development of Smartermail v17 has begun. Ever since SmarterMail v16 has been released back on May 2017, the new version has introduced a complete change of the webmail interface and other new features but it also brings in substantial of feedback on the performance and stability of the version by itself. As we can see from the release note on SmarterMail, SmarterTools has been working very hard in addressing those issues with new patches released every week.

Let’s see what SmarterTools will bring to us on the new version of SmarterMail v17.

Support for MAPI over HTTP

What’s MAPI over HTTP ? It’s a new transport protocol used commonly by Outlook to connect to the Exchange mail server. MAPI over HTTP was first introduce back by Exchange 2013 SP1 and Outlook 2013 SP1. It’s a long term replacement for Outlook Anywhere.

With MAPI over HTTP on SmarterMail v17, you can now get a true Microsoft Exchange functionality via Outlook and SmarterMail using the MAPI protocol. This will allow the Support for sharing of email folders, calendars, contacts, tasks and notes as well as items like sharing secondary calendars, creating personal distribution lists and much more!

Below shows a summary of synchronization options and protocols that SmarterMail will support :

Support for MAPI in SmarterMail v17 will be done at the server level. Having said that, there’s no additional software will be needed to install on any client any computers that needs to run this feature. Of course, there will be an associated cost to support this feature just like how SmarterMail EAS and EWS. You can get the licensing from our store with a 10% savings.

2 Factor Authentication Updates (2FA)

SmarterMail 17.x will introduce two factor authentication (2FA) for logging into webmail and “app passwords” for users who log into their account from a third-party client! This 2FA will give an extra layer of security to the user as when you login to your webmail with the password, Smartermail will prompt you to input an additional code from your Android device that acts as a secondary authentication form for your email account. It’s the same concept as of the banks that gives you the device token that require you to insert a random generated numbers aside from just your banking password.

However, 2FA is not supported for users to use on any 3rd party clients but you will be able create password that can be use for specific applications. Aside from that, SmarterMail will support sending an email with an authentication code to a secondary email address.

Here’s some other features in the planned release of SmarterMail v17 (may have changes until it’s officially release note):

• Ever want to create a content filter then run it immediately? Well, in 17.x you’ll be able to do just that! Currently, any content filter you create is run from that moment forward. However, in 17.x you’ll be able to run content filters, on demand, with the press of a button.
• SmarterMail 17.x will also bring with it our own integrated video chat! With the work we’re doing implementing WebRTC (web-based Real Time Communication) we’ll be bringing our own communications platform into SmarterMail, which eliminates the need to use a third party service. With WebRTC, Team Workspaces will be completely self contained!
• While you can create recurring appointments in webmail, if you have an event that needs to be made “on demand” across non-sequential days in the coming weeks or months, you have to re-create that appointment ON those days from scratch. In SmarterMail 17.x, you’ll be able to clone an event and then create your NEW event, on whatever day you need to, based on your original one.
• Need to print your daily, weekly or monthly calendar? What about printing your Agenda view? In SmarterMail 17.x, you’ll be able to do just that!
• Have you wanted to reply to a meeting request with a question or comment? Have you ever SENT a meeting request and WANTED attendees to reply with comments? That’s coming in SmarterMail 17.x.
• Performance optimization improvements in terms of IMAP with the support of IMAP “stores” that will makes synchronizing SmarterMail across various IMAP accounts/clients MUCH faster and much more consistent. The use of IMAP stores will dramatically reduce the amount of time a client will need to query the SmarterMail server for new messages, as well as reduce the bandwidth and disk i/o necessary.
• Aside from the IMAP “stores”, all configuration files from .XML files to .JSON files. This conversion will make writing and loading those files MUCH faster. They’ll also be more readable and easier to use for future expansion.
• Support for Single Sign On (SSO). More information on this to come!

Here’s some other cool stuff added for System admin (take a look if you are managing your SmarterMail as your daily operations!):

• As a system admin, there are times when you need to swap out an IP address for a domain, or for the mail server as a whole. For example, you’re given one by your service provider that already has a bad IP reputation. In SmarterMail 17.x, you’ll be able to swap IPs on the fly, either manually or after a certain set of criteria are met!
• While SmarterMail already offers brute force protection, the ability to change those detection settings currently requires you to edit the web.config file. In SmarterMail 17.x you’ll be able to modify those settings right from the web interface.
• As a domain administrator, do you wonder what limitations have been set for a domain by the system admin? In 17.x those system administrator settings/limitations will be available to you in a domain’s details.
• The SmarterMail login page will have an editable page title, allowing you to further customize and brand the webmail interface for users. For example, instead of saying “SmarterMail 17.x” as the page title, it can say “Your Company’s Email”. This will be able to be done at the system AND the domain level!
• The Domain Defaults template will again show Inbound Message Delivery settings and allow domains to be created, or the setting propagated, with Local or External (use MX record) delivery!

Base on SmarterTools licensing support policy, as SmarterMail v17 goes live, any of the version below SmarterMail v16 will be come a legacy release which support for bug fixes will not receive further development from SmarterTools. Having said that, if you are on SmarterMail v15 or any versions below, it’s time to relook into the conditions to upgrade your installation to v16.

Upgrading to v16 or higher will require your SmarterMail license to have an active upgrade protection (for perpetual self-own license). If yours are expired, you can reinstate that back and we can help you to do that with a 10% savings. Otherwise, you can switch your licensing model to a monthly leasing options (SmarterMail Pro 250 from only $15/mo)!. Visit our website for more details pricing or contact us.