Looks like that TMG beta 1 has gone public.... Read on!

Sunday, May 25, 2008 1:05 AM yuridio

Overview of Forefront Threat Management Gateway Beta 1

1. Introduction

The Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway promises to be the milestone that all ISA Server admins were waiting for. I heard all the time people saying that the difference between ISA Server 2004 and ISA Server 2006 were not that big and that we pretty much have the same product for 4 years already. Well, that isn’t really true; there are indeed many differences between 2004 and 2006. Maybe some people were waiting for a huge upgrade like it was from ISA 2000 to 2004 and this didn’t happen. After two years since ISA Server 2006 was released, we have now (without a doubt) a big change, maybe will not be noticeable now but it will in the final version.

You can download the beta version from here and use the installation guide article that my friend Tom Shinder wrote. This beta version available for download has only a limited set of features. However, before install read the release notes to see what you can and what you cannot do.

There are many things that you will notice and see that it is different from ISA Server 2006. As far as installation is concern there are some things that you need to remember:

· IIS will be installed: that’s correct; IIS now will be installed by TMG. You might be thinking: “I remember that we have issues with IIS and ISA in the same box…”. You are right for ISA Server, but for TMG we need IIS because TMG needs SQL Reporting Services 2005 and SQL Reporting Services 2005 needs IIS. It is important to emphasize that IIS is not removed if you uninstall TMG.

· 64 bits System: although the final version of TMG requires a 64-bit processor and Windows Server 2008 64-bit, this beta version can be installed in a 32-bit system with Windows Server 2008.

· WEBS: the TMG beta version that we have available for download it will be part of the Windows Essential Business Server. TMG will be available through WEBS Standard and Premium Edition.

Note: The official TMG documentation is available at Microsoft TechNet Library web site.

View the complete article at Overview of Forefront Threat Management Gateway Beta 1

Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server News

Source: Heavy on the Technical : ISA / IIS / Biztalk / WSPS / MOSS Info for the Month of April 

Forefront Threat Management Gateway, the Next Generation of ISA Server, Now in Public Beta

Get a first look at the Forefront Threat Management Gateway, the next generation of ISA Server, as part of the new Forefront codename “Stirling” integrated security system. This first look public beta provides Web anti-malware for enhanced protection against Internet-based threats, simplified management, secure connectivity, and support for Windows Server 2008. Download the public beta today.

http://technet.microsoft.com/evalcenter/cc339029.aspx

Go and get the ISA Server Best Practices Analyzer (IsaBPA) version 6 now!

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=D22EC2B9-4CD3-4BB6-91EC-0829E5F84063&displaylang=en

Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server TechCenter

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/isa/default.mspx

Please note that if you have feedback on documentation or wish to request new documents - email isadocs@microsoft.com

ForeFront Edge Security Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/ForeFront/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=384&SiteID=41

Discuss ISA Server at the new Microsoft Forefront™ Edge Security forums, available at TechCenter

Internet Security and Acceleration Server Blog

The ISA Server Product Team Blog (http://blogs.technet.com/isablog/) is updated on a regular basis. Latest entries include:

Understanding By-Design Behavior of ISA Server 2006: Buffering and Streaming Web Publishing Rule Content

http://blogs.technet.com/isablog/archive/2008/04/09/understanding-by-design-behavior-of-isa-server-2006-buffering-and-streaming-web-publishing-rule-content.aspx

Introducing a New Era for ISA Server

http://blogs.technet.com/isablog/archive/2008/04/09/introducing-a-new-era-for-isa-server.aspx

ISA Server 2006 form base authentication problem using UPN logon format on a multiple domain environment

http://blogs.technet.com/isablog/archive/2008/04/17/isa-server-2006-form-base-authentication-problem-using-upn-logon-format-on-a-multiple-domain-environment.aspx

ISA Server 2006 Service Pack 1 Features

ISA Server 2006 Service Pack 1 Features

Introduction

Microsoft® Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 Service Pack (SP) 1 will be available for your installation pleasure this summer!

This Service Pack introduces new features and improved functionality for ISA Server 2006 Enterprise and Standard Editions. The new features focus primarily on enhanced troubleshooting mechanisms designed to help you identify and resolve ISA Server configuration issues. Also included in this package are the updates we’ve promised for so long, such as SAN certificate support.

Service Pack 1 new and improved features

ISA Server 2006 SP1 includes the following new features:

· Configuration Change Tracking — logs all configuration changes applied to ISA Server configuration to help you backtrack through your change history.

· Web Publishing Rule Test Button — helps you verify that the rule configuration agrees with what is set at the published web server and provides specific suggestions when they disagree.

· Traffic Simulator — simulates network traffic as it would be seen by the ISA rules engine and gives you specific information about traffic processing along the way.

· Diagnostic Logging Query — an extension to the Diagnostic Logging feature provided in the Supportability Pack, this feature makes it much easier to see only the data that is relevant to the current troubleshooting effort.

ISA Server 2006 SP1 also includes such feature improvements as:

· Support for Network Load Balancing (NLB) multicast and multicast with IGMP operations (KB 938550)

· Support for certificates with multiple Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries in published web servers

· Kerberos Constrained Delegation (KCD) authentication supports trusted-domain user accounts (KB 942637 )

For additional feature improvements, see "Improvements to existing features" later in this document.

More info at the source

Source: ISA Server Product Team Blog : ISA Server 2006 Service Pack 1 Features

Finally, after waiting over 2 years, Citrix finally releases their Branch Office Appliance.  Please let us know if anybody actually sees one.  We'd love to hear your feedback.

New Citrix Branch Repeater Uses ISA Server

Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 2:43:00 PM | David Burt

Citrix has announced the availability of the new Citrix Branch Repeater, an "all-in-one" device for delivering applications to branch offices.   The Citrix Branch Repeater was developed jointly with Microsoft, and  uses Microsoft ISA Server 2006 Web caching to accelerate delivery of web content to the branch.  ISA Server 2006  helps branch office users easily and securely access the Internet or corporate-based resources. More on ISA's use in the new Citrix Branch Repeater on  Thomas Shinder's ISAServer.org blog here.

Internet Security & Acceleration (ISA) Server,  first launched in 1997 as the Microsoft Proxy Server, is a very versatile product with a great many uses, including as a VPN, a Firewall, a URL filtering proxy, and with Citrix, a Web caching device.   In addition to Citrix, ISA has a rich partner ecosystem that includes providers of URL filters, Anti-Virus, Reporting, User Authentication, and more on our partner page here.

Forefront Team Blog

Someone I worked with when I was consulting with Citrix went over to Desktone so I've been watching them.   They came out of stealth mode last month.  Seems that they are really moving along... First they signed up Verizon then they partnered up with HP.  I'm going to keep my eye on them ... Don

Desktone Announces Support for Citrix XenServer

Citrix Synergy

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Desktone, Inc., provider of the first solution that enables virtual desktops as a service (DaaS), today announced at Citrix Synergy™ that the Desktone Virtual-D Platform will support Citrix XenServer™.

Source: Desktone Announces Support for Citrix XenServer

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