Contents
Overview 1
Introducing ISA Server 2
Using Caching 8
Using Firewalls 11
Deployment Scenarios for ISA Server 18
Review 23

Module 1: Overview of
Microsoft ISA Server

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Using Caching
!
Using Firewalls
!
Deployment Scenarios for ISA ServerThe Internet enables organizations to connect with customers, partners, and
employees. While this presents new business opportunities, it can also cause
concerns about security, performance, and manageability.
Microsoft
®
Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 is designed to
address the needs of today’s Internet-enabled businesses. ISA Server includes
caching features that enables an organization to save network bandwidth and
provide faster Web access for users. ISA Server includes a firewall service that
helps protect network resources from unauthorized access from outside the
organization’s network, while enabling efficient authorized access. Finally, ISA
Server includes management and administration features that enable an
organization to centrally control and manage Internet use and access.
After completing this module, you will be able to:
!
Explain the use of ISA Server.
!
Describe the concept of caching.
!
Describe the concept of firewalls.
!
Identify the deployment scenarios for ISA Server.


acceleration, and management of internetworking. ISA Server is available in
two editions that are designed to meet the business and networking needs of
your organization. Whether deployed as dedicated components or as an
integrated firewall and caching server, ISA Server provides organizations with a
unified management console that is designed to simplify security and access
management.
Topic Objective
To introduce ISA Server.
Lead-in
ISA Server provides benefits
and deployment options to
help an organization
manage Internet security
and access.
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server 3

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ISA Server Editions
!
ISA Server Enterprise Edition
!
ISA Server Standard EditionISA Server is available in two editions that are designed to meet the business
and networking needs of your organization.
ISA Server Enterprise Edition
The enterprise edition is designed to meet the performance, management, and
scalability needs of high volume Internet traffic environments with centralized

Security
Enterprise Security Through a Multilayered Firewall
Enterprise Security Through a Multilayered Firewall
Management
Management
Management
Extensibility
Extensibility
Extensibility
Powerful Management with Integrated Administration
Powerful Management with Integrated Administration
Extensible and Customizable Platform
Extensible and Customizable PlatformISA Server is a key member of the .NET Enterprise Server family. The
products in .NET Enterprise Servers are Microsoft’s comprehensive family of
server applications for building, deploying and managing scalable, integrated,
Web-based solutions and services. ISA Server offers several benefits to
organizations that want fast, secure, and manageable Internet connectivity.
Fast Access with a High-Performance Web Cache
ISA Server provides the following Web performance benefits:
!
Provides faster Web access for users by retrieving objects locally rather than
over a slower connection to the potentially congested Internet.
!
Reduces bandwidth costs by reducing network traffic.
!
Distributes the content of Web servers and e-commerce applications
efficiently and cost-effectively to reach customers worldwide.

press the SPACEBAR to
advance the animation.
Delivery Tip
To present more information
about the .NET Enterprise
Server family, play the .NET
Enterprise Servers
animation. The animation is
included on the Trainer
Materials Compact Disc.
Note
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server 5

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Powerful Management with Integrated Administration
ISA Server provides the following management benefits:
!
Controls access centrally to ensure and enforce corporate policies.
!
Improves productivity by limiting Internet use to approved applications and
destinations.
!
Allocates bandwidth to match business priorities.
!
Provides monitoring tools and produces reports that show how Internet
connectivity is used.

Extensible and Customizable Platform
ISA Server provides the following extensibility and customization benefits:

requests from clients to a cache server that holds cached objects.
Firewall Mode
In firewall mode, you can secure network traffic by configuring rules that
control communication between an internal network and the Internet. You can
also publish internal servers, which enables an organization to share data on its
network with partners or customers.
Integrated Mode
In integrated mode, you can combine the firewall and cache services on a single
host computer. While organizations can deploy ISA Server as a separate
firewall or caching service, you can have a single integrated enterprise firewall
and cache server by choosing this mode.
Topic Objective
To identify the installation
modes and associated
features of ISA Server.
Lead-in
There are three modes for
installing ISA Server.
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Features Available with Each Mode
Depending on which mode you select, different features are available. The table
below lists the features that are available for the firewall and cache modes. In
integrated mode, all of the features are available.

Feature

Description

specific tasks, such as authentication, to
provide an extra layer of security for the
Firewall service.
Yes No
Real-time
monitoring
Enables you to centrally monitor the
ISA Server computer activity including
alerts, sessions, and services.
Yes Yes
Alerts Notify you when specific events occur
and execute corresponding actions.
Yes Yes
Reports Summarize and analyze the activity
occurring on one or more ISA Server
computers.
Yes Yes

Explain that the tasks
associated with each of
these features will be
presented during the
course.
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The Caching Process
GET www.nwtraders.msft
GET www.nwtraders.msft
GET www.nwtraders.msft
Object is sent from Internet
Object is sent from cache
Client 1
Client 1
Client 2
Client 2
ISA Server
ISA Server
Cache
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5

Lead-in
The process that ISA Server
uses to cache content is
similar to the process a Web
browser uses to save
temporary Internet files.
Delivery Tip
The slide for this topic
includes animation. Click or
press the SPACEBAR to
advance the animation.
10 Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server

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Types of Caching
Forward
Caching
Reverse
Caching
Distributed
Caching
Internal Network
Internal Network
Internal Network
Internal Network
Cache
Cache
Cache
Cache

single, logical entity. Distributing cached objects enhances caching
performance through load balancing and provides fault tolerance if an ISA
Server computer is unavailable. Both forward and reverse caching can be
distributed.

Distributed caching is only available in ISA Server Enterprise Edition.

Topic Objective
To describes the types of
caching available for ISA
Server.
Lead-in
ISA Server supports caching
in three configurations.
Note
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server 11

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Using Firewalls
!
Firewall Overview
!
Bastion Host
!
Perimeter Network with Three-Homed Firewall
In a building, you construct a firewall to keep a fire in one area of the building
from spreading to another area of a building. A firewall on a network provides a
similar purpose—it prevents the potential dangers of the Internet from
spreading to your internal network. A firewall is typically installed at the point
where an internal network connects to the Internet.
A firewall serves two primary functions:
!
It is a controlled point of access for all traffic that enters the internal
network.
A firewall prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to your network
data and resources.
!
It is a controlled point of access for all traffic that leaves the internal
network.
A firewall ensures that interactions between the Internet and your internal
network conform to the security rules and policies of your organization

Topic Objective
To illustrate the network
configuration of a firewall.
Lead-in
A firewall serves three
primary functions.
Key Points
A firewall is typically
installed at the point where
an internal network
connects to the Internet.

resources. This design/configuration allows users on the Internet to directly
gain access to your internal network.
Topic Objective
To illustrate the design of a
bastion host.
Lead-in
A bastion host is the main
point of contact for clients of
internal networks to gain
access to the Internet.
Explain that a bastion host
derives its name from the
highly fortified projections of
the outer walls of medieval
castles.
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Perimeter Network with Three-Homed Firewall
Internet
Internet
Firewall
Firewall
Perimeter Network
Perimeter Network
Internal Network
Internal Network
organization’s internal network.
Topic Objective
To illustrate the design of a
perimeter network with a
three-homed firewall.
Lead-in
In perimeter network
configuration with a three-
homed firewall, a single ISA
Server computer (or an
array of ISA Server
computers) is set up with
three network adapters.
Key Points
A perimeter network allows
external clients to gain
access to specific servers
located within the perimeter
network, while preventing
access to the internal
network.
Note
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server 15

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Perimeter Network with Back-to-Back Firewalls
Internet
Internet
Firewall

firewall design, see course 2150A, Designing a Secure Microsoft Windows
2000 Network.

Topic Objective
To illustrate the design of a
perimeter network with
back-to-back firewalls.
Lead-in
A perimeter network is a
computer or small network
set up as a neutral zone
between an internal network
and the Internet.
Key Points
In a perimeter network with
back-to-back firewalls, there
is not a single-point of
access. This design is the
most secure of the firewall
designs presented in this
module.
Important
16 Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server

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Using Filters to Control Network Access
Internet
Internet
Streaming Media

ISA Server allows you to set rules for allowing or denying network packets
based on characteristics of an IP packet, including:
!
Source address or destination address
!
Network protocol, such as Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)
!
Source port or destination port

Topic Objective
To describe filtering and
related functionality that is
available with the firewall
service.
Lead-in
You can use packet,
application, and intrusion
detection filters to control
network access.
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft ISA Server 17

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Application Filters
Application filters provide an extra layer of security for the firewall service.
Application filters examine network traffic that spans more than one IP packet,
such as an entire e-mail message. ISA Server includes several application filters
that are automatically installed with ISA Server including:
!
Streaming media filter. Allows you to control client access to data that uses

presented later in the
course.
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Deployment Scenarios for ISA Server
!
Department/Branch Office Cache
!
Department/Branch Office Firewall
!
Enterprise Cache
!
Enterprise FirewallISA Server can be configured in deployment scenarios. While organizations of
all sizes can benefit from a combination of caching and firewall services, the
specific configurations that an organization uses can vary depending on scale,
resources, budget, and an organization’s approach to security and management.

This module only covers some of many possible deployment scenarios.
For more information on deployment scenarios for ISA Server, see Deployment
scenarios in ISA Server online Help.


applications.
By caching the Web content, you can also reduce long-distance phone charges
that may occur because of demand dialing between a branch office and the main
office. The Web cache server at the branch office stores local copies of the most
frequently accessed Web objects from the main office in dedicated disk drives.
If the branch office is connected to the Internet via the main office, the ISA
Server computer at the branch office can also cache Web objects from the
Internet.
The following steps describe the process for requesting Web objects:
1. A client at a branch office requests a Web object from the main office. This
request may be an object that is located on a Web server at the main office
or on the Internet.
2. The request is sent to the ISA Server at the branch office. If the Web object
is not in the cache, the request is forwarded to the main office.
3. The server at the main office sends the Web object to the ISA Server
computer at the branch office.
4. At the branch office, the ISA Server computer caches the object, and then
sends it to the client. The ISA Server computer fulfills subsequent requests
for the same Web object from its local cache.

Topic Objective
To illustrate the network
configuration of ISA Server
deployed as a Web cache
server in a
department/branch office
scenario.
Lead-in
ISA Server set up as a Web
cache server at a branch

The ISA Server computer is transparent to the other parties in the
communication path. The branch office users are not able to tell that a firewall
is there, unless a user attempts to gain access to a service or a site in which you
configure an access policy to specifically deny access.
The ISA Server computer blocks all attempted access to the internal network
from the Internet and hides the internal network from the users on the Internet.
Topic Objective
To illustrate the network
configuration of an ISA
Server computer deployed
as a firewall in a
department/branch office
scenario.
Lead-in
A single ISA Server
computer can provide
Internet connectivity and
security for the entire
network in a department or
branch office.
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Enterprise Cache
Internet
Internet
Corporate Network
Corporate Network
Cache

An array of ISA Servers can
enhance caching
performance and provide
fault tolerance in an
enterprise environment.
Note