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Microsoft ISA Server 2004
Microsoft ISA Server 2004 is the state-of-the-art Firewall, VPN, and Web cache solution that improves network throughput and helps to secure organizations of all sizes from assaults by both external and internal threats.
ISA Server 2004 offers advanced protection, manageability, and fast and secure connectivity for all types of networks. It is particularly effective for protecting environments that are running Microsoft applications, such as Microsoft Web Outlook, Microsoft Internet Information Services, Microsoft SharePoint, MS Routing and Remote Access Service, and Microsoft AD directory service.
MS ISA Server 2004 contains a comprehensive, application-layer-aware firewall which protects organizations of all sizes from threats from both external and inside origin. ISA Server 2004 performs deep examination of transport protocols such as HTTP, allowing it to detect many attacks that traditional firewalls cannot sense. The combined firewall and Virtual Private Network design of MS ISA Server supports stateful filtering of all Virtual Private Network traffic. The ISA Server firewall also provides VPN client security for Windows Server-powered quarantine solution, helping to guard networks from threats that arrive via a VPN link. In addition, a new GUI, wizards, knowledge base, and a host of administration utilities help administrators to avoid common security configuration problems.
MS ISA 2004 includes powerful administration tools to streamline key tasks such as policy definition, traffic routing, server registration, and monitoring. Microsoft ISA 2004 builds on Microsoft Windows Server security, directory, VPN, and throughput management. The firewall and web cache can be implemented on dedicated machines or integrated on the same physical computer. In either configuration, Internet Security and Acceleration Server can significantly strengthen system protection, enforce consistent Internet usage policy, accelerate Internet access, and increase employee productivity.
Benefits of Microsoft ISA Server 2004
Important benefits that distinguish Microsoft ISA Server 2004 from Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 and other older firewall solutions include ISA 2004's powerful protection capabilities, simplicity of use, and power to provide speedy and secure Internet access.
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Advanced Protection
MS ISA 2004 is designed to guard your business against the latest generation of threats by providing stateful packet and packet and circuit filtering. Stateful packet filtering determines 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 closes the ports when the communication terminates. Circuit filtering provides application-invisible circuit routing for multiplatform access to Windows Media platforms, Telnet, RealAudio, and various other Internet services. The circuit-layer security of Microsoft ISA 2004 works with dynamic packet filtering to improve security and usability.
In addition to stateful packet filtering and circuit filtering, MS ISA 2004 also controls application-specific data by means of application, command, and data-aware filters. By smart filtering of VPN, HTTP, FTP, SMPT, POP3, Domain Name System, H.323 conferencing, streaming media, and RPC traffic, MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server can accept, block, reroute, and modify traffic based upon content.
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Ease of Use
Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server is flexible and easy for IT managers to operate. MS ISA 2004 includes multinetworking architecture functions, unified VPN, firewall management via a robust GUI policy editor, easy-to-use system templates, streamlined wizards, and advanced troubleshooting tools. Microsoft ISA 2004 also facilitates firewall setup by automatically initializing both firewall and Web-caching components. In addition, it supports exporting configuration parameters to XML, real-time firewall session analysis, and firewall user communities.
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Fast and Secure Access
Microsoft ISA 2004 delivers fast and safe Internet access by thoroughly integrating Virtual Private Network capability into the firewall design, accelerating Web caching, and maximizing firewall filtering processes. Integrated IPsec tunnel mode functions for site-to-site VPN access makes it simple to interface Microsoft ISA 2004 to branch office Virtual Private Network providers. IPsec tunnel mode capability also enables deep VPN client inspection and firewall policy compatibility with Windows-powered isolation solutions, offering an organization's user groups more security. Support for advanced third-party filters and a full-featured SDK further expand the power of MS Internet Security and Acceleration Server.
New Features of ISA Server 2004
MS ISA 2004 offers numerous new functions and enhancement, especially when installed on a network running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or later. These include:
- A redesigned, simplified user interface
- Improved VPN support
- VPN quarantine capabilities
- Ability to create custom firewall user groups
- Customized protocol definitions
- Microsoft Outlook Web Access Publishing Wizard
- Improved Web publishing
- Improved cache rules for centralized object storage
- Path mapping for Web publishing rules
- SecureID authentication
- Firewall-generated forms (forms-based authentication)
- Improved SMTP Message Screener
- Improved monitoring and reporting
How Progent's Consultants Provide Microsoft ISA Server 2004 Help
Firewalls and security policies can be complicated to design and implement in a way that is best suited for your business. Too many security rules can impede workflow and reduce productivity, but excessively lax security leaves your system vulnerable to destructive intruders and viruses.
Progent's Microsoft-certified consultants have extensive experience
developing Microsoft-based security solutions for IT networks with
multiple sites, remote workers, and mission-critical eCommerce
applications. A Progent consultant is ready to give your company access to a security expert who can
plan and implement a configuration of ISA Server 2004 that supports your business
requirements without adversely restricting your network.
Find out about Progent's Microsoft consulting specialists.
