Appendix A: Guidelines for Agencies Choosing a SEEMAIL

The following areas will seriously impact the return on investment in a SEEMAIL system as they affect issues such as training, maintenance, system configuration, integration and of course future growth in user numbers. These issues can make the cost of ownership of a SEEMAIL system higher than the initial implementation cost and therefore need to be considered in the evaluation phase.

Flexibility

· Compliance with S.E.E. Mail business requirements - complies with all the MUSTs, and many of the SHOULDs

· Interoperable with existing systems e.g.

· Mail products, including (where appropriate) e-mail server and client software, web servers, virus scanning and content filtering software and firewall software

· Encryption products or protocols, operating systems and web servers

· Interfaces

· Directory servers

· Uses open, standard interfaces such as LDAP

· SMTP functionality

· SMTP mail relay in product (allows sending e-mail with reliance on other products)

· Fully configurable SMTP input/output ports (if constraints, what constraints?)

· Ability to interact with individual e-mail clients

· Can exchange secure e-mail with individual-to-gateway

· Can exchange secure e-mail with gateway-to-individual

· Can handle individual signing and encryption

Ease of Use

· Simple management by non-technical personnel, who do not understand the intricacies of cryptographic algorithms, keys and signatures

· Automates certificate management and secure links wherever possible

· Intuitive interface

· Sensible audit logging and error reporting (doesn't create notification "storms")

Support

· Availability of online support

· Availability of support in Wellington

· Availability of support in New Zealand

· Service levels of technical helpdesk

· Alert service for security / product updates

Relationship Management

· Any proposed contractual documentation

· Financial stability

· Reference sites, preferably another SEEMAIL site