Understanding Subject Normalization in Symantec Messaging Gateway

Products

• Messaging Gateway

Issue/Introduction

In Symantec Messaging Gateway (SMG), you may notice that the subject in message audit logs appears slightly different from what you see in the end user’s mailbox. This is due to subject normalization, which standardizes the subject before it is displayed in the logs.

Resolution

How Normalization Works:

• Uppercase to Lowercase: All uppercase letters are converted to lowercase.
• Double Space Removal: Multiple spaces are reduced to a single space.
• Ampersand Adjustments: Spaces before and after the "&" character are removed.

Examples:

• Original Subject: A & A → Normalized Subject: a & a
• Original Subject: A A (double space) → Normalized Subject: a a (single space)

This normalization helps ensure consistency, improves searchability in logs, and eliminates formatting issues like inconsistent spacing or capitalization. While the subject may look different in the logs, it makes managing and analyzing email traffic easier for administrators.