Connecting to Mimecast
What is the Connect Process?
The Connect process is a series of steps that are required to implement Mimecast into your environment. These steps will ensure that your Mimecast account is configured with the company specifics required to process your emails and to use any of the additional Mimecast services.
For more information on Mimecast and the available products and services, view the full article.
Note: Depending on the customer’s requirements, various configuration changes will be required. For those who wish to utilize Mimecast’s services such as Journaling (archiving all internal email) or Directory Synchronization (pulling all email address information), certain server and firewall updates will be required.
As a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, it may not be necessary to deploy applications within the organization's infrastructure, but some configuration changes will be required. Once the Connect process is complete, you are able to make use of other Mimecast archiving and user services. For more information on the implementation of additional services, view the full article.
Why do I need to complete the Connect Process?
The Connect process ensures that the configuration changes are completed to the requirements of the customer. Each step is managed by the support Connect team, and detailed information is provided to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) for the organization in order to complete each step in the process. The process also enables Mimecast to create a reputation database for the customer account allowing for a smooth transition to Mimecast, and ensures that all configuration changes are made in an organized and secure manner.
Note: Mimecast support team members will not have access to make changes to the customer's infrastructure. Guidelines and documentation is provided at each step in the process to assist customers to make the required configuration changes. If assistance is required, please ensure a consultant is available.
How do I Connect to Mimecast?
The Connect process is made of seven (7) steps, which are detailed below. Some steps in the Connect process do not apply to specific Mimecast Services. [Click to show/hide information].
Implementation Considerations
Before beginning the Connect process, it is important to consider the following:
1) Existing archived data: You may need to consider the export of historical emails that you currently archive, so that they can be Ingested into Mimecast
2) Existing services: As it may not be possible to export organization Policies from your existing email management service, it may be necessary to document or record the required Policies and settings that must be created in Mimecast. This will ensure that the same account behaviour will take place when email flow is moved to Mimecast. For more information on the specific Policies, view the related article.
Connect Steps
| Connect Step | Description |
| Step 1: Request For Information (RFI) | The Connect process begins with the collection of customer infrastructure information. This simple document is issued to the Technical Point of Contact via email , and is required in order to configure the customer account. |
| Step 2: Mimecast Account configuration | With the information gathered from the RFI, Mimecast support engineers will create an account for the organization's data and settings. |
| Step 3: Routing Outbound emails | Email routing begins through Mimecast for outbound emails first. This step helps to ensure a smooth transition to Mimecast, as external recipients are identified as safe senders for inbound emails in Step 5, and emails are therefore not stopped unnecessarily. |
| Step 4: Recipient Validation and Journal Configuration | Configuration settings are implemented to build up know internal user lists, and to ensure that internal emails that the organization sends and receives are also added to the Archive. |
| Step 5: Routing Inbound emails | Delivery Routes are configured to deliver emails from Mimecast to the organization's infrastructure, and MX record changes take place. |
| Step 6: Firewall Lockdown | The organization's Administrator ensures that only connections from Mimecast are accepted for email communications. |
| Step 7: Completion and Additional Services | Mimecast support engineers test the connections to the organization infrastructure, and complete the Connect process. Additional Mimecast services and applications can then be implemented. |
Note: For a list of Mimecast Hostnames, view the related Gateway article.
See Also:
· Request for Information (RFI)