Softwin's BitDefender looks and feels rather like an old-school anti-virus product, but its performance belies its exterior. The product integrates with Microsoft's VS-API for Exchange. Installing it required a restart.
The Java-based management GUI is simple and clear and, while configuration is limited to the basics, they are all there.
Alerts can be by email for viruses and application errors, but are not sent by default. The Windows Messenger facility (aka "net send") can also be used to fire alerts, but we would not recommend that, unless you fancy thousands of network messages flying onto your screen during an outbreak.
The product offers statistics on its behavior, but no detailed reports beyond the warning messages. Realistically, this is ample for most environments and running totals of activity is more useful at a glance than a deluge of alert messages.
Once running, the product performed at no more than average speed, but with scanning efficiency better than some of the heavyweights on test. Taking 55 minutes to queue mail and 114 to process
it puts it in the bottom half of the table but, with nearly 4,000 messages scanned at the end of that time, it is well above average.
Although lacking some of the enterprise integration features of the top products, BitDefender proved itself perfectly able to hold its own during an outbreak, but stronger reporting would be a prerequisite for larger environments.
