Before you can understand firewalls and how ISA Server 2004 works, you need to look at the big picture: what we mean by network security in general-and Internet security in particular-why it's necessary, how we can create a comprehensive security policy to protect our networks from unauthorized access, and where ISA Server fits into that picture.
Network security is a big topic and is growing into a high profile (and often highly paid) Information Technology (IT) specialty area. Security-related websites are tremendously popular with savvy Internet users. The popularity of security-related certifications has expanded. Esoteric security measures like biometric identification and authentication-formerly the province of science fiction writers and perhaps a few ultra-secretive government agencies-have become commonplace in corporate America. In a time when the economy is struggling and many areas of IT are feeling the pinch, security is one area where companies continue to spend money. In fact, the events of September 11 and related interest in national security in most countries has actually increased the focus on protecting against the possibility of wide-scale cyberattacks.
Yet, with all this focus on security, many organizations still implement security measures in an almost haphazard way, with no well-thought-out plan for making all the parts fit together. Computer security involves many aspects, from protection of the physical equipment to protection of the electronic bits and bytes that make up the information that resides on the network.
In the next section, we will provide a brief overview of what we mean by 'security' and how it applies to your computer network.
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The Appendix focuses on generic computer and Internet security concepts and how to develop a comprehensive security plan for your organization. The last part of the Appendix will discuss how ISA Server fits into that security plan. |