Features Microsoft ISA Server 2004
Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 is the state-of-the-art application-layer firewall, virtual private network, and Web cache technology that enhances IT system performance and helps protect organizations of all sizes from attack by both outside and internal threats.

ISA Server 2004 offers advanced security, manageability, and speedy and secure connectivity for all varieties of networks. ISA Server 2004 is particularly well suited for protecting environments that are running Microsoft applications, such as Microsoft OWA, Microsoft IIS, MS SharePoint Portal Server, Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Service, and Microsoft Active Directory directory service.

Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 offers a comprehensive, application-layer-aware firewall which protects organizations of any size from threats from both outside and internal sources. ISA Server does deep examination of transport protocols such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol, allowing it to detect numerous threats that ordinary firewalls don't sense. The combined firewall and VPN architecture of MS ISA Server enables stateful inspection of all VPN traffic. The firewalll also offers VPN client security for Microsoft Windows Server 2003-powered isolation technology, helping to protect information systems from threats that arrive through a Virtual Private Network connection. Also, a new user interface, wizards, templates, and a host of management tools allow IT managers to eliminate common security configuration errors.

MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server incorporates advanced management features to simplify critical processes including policy definition, data routing, server registration, and monitoring. Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server builds on Microsoft Windows Server protection, directory, VPN, and throughput management. The firewall and web cache can be implemented on individual machines or incorporated on a single physical computer. In either scenario, Internet Security and Acceleration Server can significantly enhance system security, promote unified Internet use policy, accelerate web access, and increase employee productivity.

Benefits of Microsoft ISA Server 2004
Important benefits that differentiate Microsoft ISA Server 2004 from MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 and competing firewall products include its powerful protection capabilities, simplicity of use, and ability to provide speedy and secure Internet access.

• Advanced Protection
  MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server is built to guard your network against the new generation of attacks by performing stateful packet filtering and packet and circuit filtering. Packet filtering decides what packets are allowed to travel to the secured network circuit and application-layer proxy services. This filtering dynamically enables ports only as necessary and immediately disables the ports when the session ends. Circuit filtering offers application-invisible circuit gateways for multiplatform access to Windows Media platforms, Telnet, RealAudio, and various other Internet protocols and services. The circuit-layer protection of Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server complements on-the-fly packet filtering to improve security and ease of use.

  In addition to stateful packet and circuit filtering, Microsoft ISA 2004 also controls application-specific traffic by means of application, command, and data-aware filters. By smart filtering of Virtual Private Networks, Hypertext Transfer Protocol, File Transfer Protocol, SMPT, Post Office Protocol 3, DNS, H.323 conferencing, streaming media, and RPC traffic, MS ISA 2004 can accept, reject, reroute, and modify traffic based upon content.

• Ease of Use
  MS ISA 2004 is flexible and simple for IT managers to use. Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server offers multinetworking architecture functions, unified Virtual Private Network, firewall administration via a robust visual policy editor, intuitive system templates, streamlined wizards, and enhanced analysis utilities. MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server also facilitates firewall setup by automatically initializing both firewall and Web-caching components. In addition, it allows translating configuration parameters to Extensible Markup Language, real-time firewall traffic analysis, and firewall user communities.

• Fast and Secure Access
  Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server provides quick and safe Internet access by fully integrating VPN capability into the firewall architecture, accelerating Web caching, and maximizing firewall filtering speeds. Integrated IPsec tunnel mode support for site-to-site Virtual Private Network access makes it simple to interface Microsoft ISA 2004 to branch office Virtual Private Network providers. IPsec tunnel mode capability also provides deep VPN client inspection and firewall policy support for Windows-powered quarantine technology, offering a company's user groups enhanced protection. Support for advanced third-party filters and a full-featured SDK further extend the power of MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server.

New Features of ISA Server 2004
MS ISA 2004 includes many new features and enhancement, especially when installed on a system powered by Windows Server 2003. These include:

• A redesigned, simplified user interface
• Support for multiple networks
• VPN quarantine support
• Ability to create custom firewall user groups
• Customized protocol definitions
• MS OWA Publishing Wizard
• Improved Web publishing
• Port redirection for server publishing rules
• Path mapping for Web publishing rules
• Delegation of basic authentication
• Firewall-generated forms (forms-based authentication)
• Improved HTTP filtering
• Link translation

How Progent's Consultants Provide Microsoft ISA Server 2004 Help
Firewalls and security rules can be complicated to design and implement in a way that is best suited for your organization. Excessive restrictions can impede workflow and hinder productivity, but excessively loose policy leaves your network open to destructive hackers and viruses.

Progent's Microsoft certified consultants have extensive experience developing Microsoft-powered security architectures for IT environments with multiple sites, mobile workers, and mission-critical eCommerce applications. Progent can offer your organization the services of a security expert who can design and deploy an implementation of Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server that supports your security requirements without restricting your workflow. Progent can also help you plan and implement a smooth ISA Server 2004 to Microsoft ISA 2006 Server upgrade so that your business can take advantage of Microsoft's most advanced firewall platform.

Progent's Consulting Services for Microsoft Technology
For small and mid-sized companies in the San Francisco region, San Jose, and many cities across the U.S., Progent's Microsoft authorized professionals provide computer support and IT consulting services for the entire line of Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers, Windows Server 2003, and Microsoft Dynamics applications. Progent's integration, administration, technical assistance, and custom programming offerings include system architecture, installation, and migration.

To get in touch with Progent about engineering expertise for Microsoft ISA Server technology, call 1-800-993-9400 or email isa-server-help@progent.com.