Overview

Proofpoint Essentials can be configured as the inbound mail gateway through which all incoming mail for specified domains is filtered before reaching Microsoft 365.

It can also be configured as the outbound mail gateway through which all mail sent from a Microsoft 365 tenant to an external recipient can be filtered. Utilising this configuration, the Microsoft 365 mail servers will pass outgoing mail through the Proofpoint Essentials to be filtered before final delivery. 

The Microsoft 365 Integration automates several of the steps necessary to configure Proofpoint Essentials as an inbound and outbound mail gateway. After running the Microsoft 365 Integration onboarding of your Microsoft 365 tenant to Essentials, and prerequisite mail flow configuration will be complete. The following configurations are made automatically:

• The Proofpoint Essentials M365 integration Azure application, will be granted access necessary to make the configurations

• Essentials will import domains from Azure and provide default configuration necessary to enable mail flow. Note: domains will not be enabled for mail relay. Enabling of these entities will need to be carried out manually by your organization’s Essentials admin.

• Essentials will configure Azure Directory Sync, Note: First time sync and recurring schedule will need to be carried out manually by an admin.

• The Proofpoint Essentials M365 Azure application will configure mail flow rules and connectors in your organizations Exchange Online. Note: the outbound connector will be disabled by default. It should not be enabled until your organization has performed a DNS change to include Proofpoint Essentials in your SPF record. Enabling this connector will need to be carried out manually by your organization’s Microsoft 365 admin.