When it comes to email protection, competition continues to intensify in the managed services market. The latest move comes from GFI Software, which just launched two hosted email security and continuity solutions. Here are some quick details.

It’s a two-pronged attack coming from GFI. The two solutions are part of a new family of hosted IT solutions named MAX MailProtection and MAX MailEdge. Both of them are  tailored for specific solutions, but both are touted as having the “proven” technology to fight spam and viruses.

MAX MailProtection is a cloud-based email security solution. It’s designed to protect from spam, viruses, but also e-mail continuity. It’s a hosted frontline filter, and GFI Software claims that it’s great for adding an additional layer of security. And when that layer of security appears before the email hits the mail server, it puts less of a load of the mail server’s filters. MAX MailProtection arrives after GFI acquired Katharion, a hosted email security provider.

Meanwhile, MAX MailEdge is only to be used  “in combination with an existing on-premise software or hardware anti-spam/anti-virus solution.” GFI calls this a hybrid solution delivery model, and it’s been designed to allow customers to keep their existing set-up while first filtering all inbound email in the cloud. GFI says that MailEdge will block up to 90% of spam emails and threats before they reach the customer’s network.

Both MailEdge and MailProtection are designed to provide business continuity thanks to “integrated queuing and on-demand mail functionality” that makes sure customers can get to their e-mail, even if the physical e-mail server is down or offline.

GFI allows for full re-branding at all end-user points. No minimum partner size required. GFI is committed to offering their services as an OEM solution.

Of course, there are now numerous email filtering and security systems within the managed services market. The options are too long to list here, but we’ll continue to track the news as it happens. In particular, we expect a few companies to make email protection moves at the upcoming Autotask Community Live conference (April 18-20)

GFI has made multiple managed services moves in recent months, including the 2009 buyout of HoundDog Technology, a SaaS-based remote monitoring and management platform.

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