Re: ISA Opinions

From: Steve Clark [MSFT] (bogus_at_microsoft.com)
Date: 03/29/05 

Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 12:39:26 -0800

Whether or not a firewall runs on hardware, software, sodium ions, or
anything else is not the question: the question is, does the firewall I am
looking at provide layer 7 filtering and inspection of traffic? If it
doesn't then it's not going to provide the maximum benefit that firewalls
*need* to provide these days.

Perimeter security however is not the end all be all of network security.
ISA does what it can to address a specific array of threats in a particular
setting. A PIX has it's own issues and particular sets of threats it
mitigates. Frequently, I see these devices working together to provide a
perimeter "defense in depth" approach.

"mwebb" <mwebb@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B82492D7-111E-43D7-8260-1E1AFA63C4CC@microsoft.com...
>I am working on a security specialty in my MCSE track. I just started
> studying ISA 2000.
>
> Microsoft's claims in the early chapters of the study kit are pretty
> impressive. But things are seldom as good as they first appear.
>
> What are the good points and not so good points about using ISA server? Is
> it better, worse or just different from a hardware firewall?
>
> Myrt
> --
> 7TA9241

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Sbs2k3 two nics
    ... You said yourself that the hardware firewall is software running on ... fully patched ISA server is more secure than an unpatched Cisco firewall. ... load up Windows Server and connect it to the router. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • RE: [fw-wiz] Proverbial appliance vs software based firewall
    ... "Software security is soft security: Hardware is required." ... A software firewall doensn't enjoy the same operating environment. ... on top of an inheriently unsecure general purpose operating system (ie; ...
    (Firewall-Wizards)
  • RES: ISA firewall
    ... If we want to judge ISA as a firewall product (or if you want to judge ... Linux) were compromised by a security hole that was identified days ago, ... flaws, so does every single bit of line of code out there. ...
    (Security-Basics)
  • Re: Must I be forced to Upgrade from SBS 4.5?
    ... Just sometimes with security you need to be political, a NAT only customer ... "wrong" if no "industrial strength" firewall is not installed, ... The good thing about ISA is that it can be updated ...
    (microsoft.public.backoffice.smallbiz)
  • Re: [fw-wiz] Proverbial appliance vs software based firewall
    ... What is not meaningless to security and function is kernel size, ... functionality, hardware access levels. ... There are many security applications where monolithic kernels ... use a PC based firewall for this purpose without using many firewalls? ...
    (Firewall-Wizards)