How to Create a Global Accept List

Connection filtering allows you to create global accept lists. You can use these lists to always accept mail that is sent from specific IP addresses, regardless of whether you use a block list service provider. Any IP address that appears on the global accept list is automatically accepted, and any connection filtering rules are bypassed.

Entries in the global accept list take precedence over the entries in the global deny list. Exchange Server checks the global accept list before it checks the global deny list. Therefore, to reject connections from a specific subnet and mask, but accept connections from a single IP address within this range, you must enter the IP address from which you want to accept connections on the global accept list.

When the connecting IP address that you added to the global accept list attempts to connect to your Exchange server, Exchange Server checks the global accept list first. Because Exchange Server finds a match for this IP address, the connection is accepted, and Exchange Server performs no additional connection filtering checks.

Before You Begin

Before you perform the procedure in this topic, read Configuring Filtering and Controlling Spam.

The following permissions are required to perform this procedure:

• Member of the local administrators group and a member of a group that has had the Exchange Administrators role applied at the organizational level

Procedure

To create a global accept list

1. Start Exchange System Manager: Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager.

2. In the console tree, expand Global Settings, right-click Message Delivery, and then click Properties.

3. Click the Connection Filtering tab.

4. Click Accept. The Accept List dialog box appears.

   The Accept List dialog box

   

5. Click Add.

6. In IP Address (Mask), select one of the following options:

   • Click Single IP Address to add a single IP address to the global accept list for this connection filter rule.

   • Click Group of IP Addresses to add a subnet address and mask to the global accept list.

7. Click OK.