technical solutions and commentary

Microsoft ForeFront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) is a edge and access protection device that has an awesome feature that allows you to activate malware inspection that helps protect your network from web-based threats as exploits, viruses and malware. The TechNet Library has an article (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd441078.aspx) which explains how to enable malware inspection for HTTP traffic.

Following the article is easy enough until you get to step 4.b. under “To enable global malware inspection”, which is: "”If you selected the Activate purchased license and enable Web Protection option, type the license activation code next to Key.”

The problem at this point is where to find this “license activation code” it references. You typically download product license keys from the Volume Licensing Service Center (http://licensng.microsoft.com). However, when you look for a license key for for the Web Protection service, there isn’t one. Calling Microsoft licensing does not always resolve the issue either as it seems not all agents are aware of where to find this key.

So what “key” do you enter? You actually enter your Volume License Agreement enrollment number which has either the ForeFront Protection Suite or the TMG Web Protection products on it. This will either be your Enterprise Agreement, Select Agreement, or Open License Agreement enrollment number. You only enter the first 7 numbers of the enrollment number.

This Blog post – http://blogs.technet.com/b/isablog/archive/2010/02/02/forefront-tmg-2010-web-protection-services-licensing.aspx – has screenshots walking through the entry of the product key and the policy configuration.