How to Cheat at Configuring ISA Server 2004
By Dr. Thomas W. Shinder, Debra Littlejohn Shinder
HIGHLIGHT
How to Cheat at Configuring ISA (Internet Security and Acceleration) Server 2004 meets the needs of system administrators for a concise, step-by-step guide to getting one of Microsoft's most complex server products up and running. While books twice its size may be perfect for network designers and security specialists, this is written for the person in the trenches actually running the network day to day.
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Too many mission critical tasks in too little time? This is for you.
Date: January, 2006
Pages: 356 (est.)
User level: All
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DESCRIPTION
How to Cheat at Configuring ISA Server 2004 is written for the vast majority of Windows System Administrators with too much to do and too little time in which to do it. Unlike books twice its size, this is a concise, to-the-point guide.
KEY SELLING POINTS
- "How to Cheat" reflects the reality of most System Administrators' daily jobs. Too many mission critical tasks in too little time.
- Written by Dr. Tom Shinder, the undisputed authority on Installing, Configuring, Managing and Troubleshooting ISA Server.
- Includes independent advice on when the "Microsoft Way" works, and when another approach might be more appropriate to your situation.
MARKET INFORMATION
From the outset, Microsoft designed ISA Server 2004 to meet the needs of two distinct markets: integrated security appliances and software firewalls. Though that may be an unusual approach, the fact is that all firewalls run some type of software, either embedded in firmware or running through a custom operating system. Vendors such as Cisco Systems and SonicWall have embedded their own customized operating systems and software to create their firewalls. Microsoft has taken a similar route to move ISA Server 2004 into the appliance market and has partnered with vendors such as Celestix, Hewlett-Packard and Network Engines to deliver ISA Server 2004 appliances.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thomas W. Shinder, MD is an MCSE and has been awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his work with ISA Server and is recognized in the firewall community as one of the foremost experts on ISA Server. Tom has consulted with major companies and organizations such as Microsoft Corp., Xerox, Lucent Technologies, FINA Oil, Hewlett-Packard, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Tom is the primary perpetrator on ISAserver.org (www.isaserver.org), where he answers hundreds of questions per week on the discussion boards and is the leading content contributor.
TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND
According to Microsoft, "ISA (Internet Acceleration and Security) Server 2004 is Microsoft's flagship security product for enterprise networks. ISA Server contains a full featured, application-layer aware firewall that helps protect organizations of all sizes from attack by both external and internal threats. ISA Server contains a full featured, application-layer aware firewall that helps protect organizations of all sizes from attack by both external and internal threats. ISA Server performs deep inspection of Internet protocols such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which enables it to detect many threats that traditional firewalls cannot detect. The integrated firewall and VPN architecture of ISA Server support stateful filtering and inspection of all VPN traffic. The firewall also provides VPN client inspection for Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based quarantine solutions, helping to protect networks from attacks that enter through a VPN connection. In addition, a completely new user interface, wizards, templates, and a host of management tools help administrators avoid common security configuration errors." |
