A server spam filter is a software application that scans incoming email messages, identifies SPAM based on preset configurations and isolates the unsolicited email so that it never reaches the email inboxes of the personal computers in the computer network.

SPAM is the slang term that is commonly used to describe unwanted, unsolicited commercial email or junk email. It is not an acronym so it doesn't actually "stand for" anything.

SPAM email generally consists of commercial email that is delivered to recipients who did not request information from the company or individual who sends it.

Receiving loads of unsolicited commercial email can put a drain on businesses and individuals because they have to sort through email, eliminating the unwanted email messages, which is sometimes a time consuming process that can seriously inhibit productivity as well as being incredibly frustrating.

Time is money and wasting time to manually delete SPAM messages is not a wise thing to do.

Additionally, sometimes SPAM email contains viruses which can result in downtime for computer users as well as being a threat to the stability of a personal computer or computer network and the data stored within.

Scam artists also send unsolicited email as a part of phishing schemes which are intended to collect personal information for identity theft purposes, and other similar fraudulent reasons.

With a server spam filter, you can automate the process of eliminating spam at the receiving source - the server level - before it ever reaches the personal computers in your network.

This is a recommended task to automate because it saves personal computer users loads of time as well as protecting the personal computers and the network from damage which can result in downtime and lost data.

If the SPAM messages are not delivered to individuals in an organization, then the fear of someone falling for a scam and compromising financial or other confidential data is eliminated.

Because anti-spam technology is not perfect, it is a good idea to have a network administrator check the mail messages that are filtered out periodically to make sure that the server spam filter is not catching messages that are not actually SPAM.

When this happens, the email capture is sometimes referred to as a "false positive", meaning that the server spam filter positively identified a message as SPAM when it was actually a valid message that should not have been filtered out.

Some anti-spam programs have an option where identified SPAM can be sent to a computer user's junk email box so the computer user can actually go through the filtered out messages at their leisure to make sure that bona fide messages have not been falsely identified as SPAM.

If this process is used and false positives are identified, the computer user needs to notify the network administrator so the configurations in the spam filter can be adjusted to allow receipt of email from the specific sender through the server.

Undoubtedly, it is a good idea to install a server spam filter in order to save your company time, money and heart-ache that can be associated with system failure.

When reviewing your options, do realize that all anti-spam products are not created equal. There are varying features regarding the way that SPAM is identified and the way the system is administered.

Some filter out email messages based on keywords used in the messages, some are pre-programmed with blacklisting of known spammers, and most all have configurations that can be customized by an end-user or network administrator.

It is a good idea to review several alternative products in detail and to determine which products best meet the needs of your company.

Searching the internet for spam filter reviews is a good way to learn more about individual software packages, their features and their functionality.