Features:

Powerful Internet Security:

Multi-layer Firewall
Maximize security with packet-level, circuit-level, and application-level traffic screening.
Stateful Inspection
Examine data crossing the firewall in the context of its protocol and the state of the connection. Dynamic Packet filtering opens ports only when necessary.
Broad Application Support
Work transparently with dozens of major Internet applications using secure network address translation (SecureNAT), predefined protocols, and application filters.
Integrated Virtual Private Networking
Provide standards-based, secure remote access with the integrated virtual private networking (VPN) services of Microsoft Windows® 2000.
System Hardening
Lock down Windows 2000 by setting the appropriate level of security, using pre-defined templates.
Integrated Intrusion Detection
Identify and respond to common network attacks such as port scanning, WinNuke, and Ping of Death. This is based on technology from Internet Security Systems (ISS).
Smart Application Filters
Analyze and control application-specific traffic with application-aware filters that inspect the actual data. Built-in intelligent filtering of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), e-mail, H.323 conferencing, streaming media, RPC, and more.
Transparency for All Clients
Provide extensible, transparent firewall protection for all Internet Protocol (IP) clients using SecureNAT, with no client software required.
Advanced Authentication
Enforce strong user authentication for firewall clients with Windows integrated authentication using the optional Firewall Client software.
Secure Publishing
Protect Web servers, e-mail servers, and e-commerce applications published behind the firewall from external attacks, allowing only authorized traffic.
E-Mail Content Screening
Prevent unauthorized access to mail servers and stop unacceptable e-mail at the gateway.
Inspect SSL Traffic
Provide end-to-end security with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) bridging, inspecting the encrypted SSL traffic.

Fast and Productive Web Access:

High-Performance Web Cache
Accelerate users' Web access and save network bandwidth through the fast RAM caching and optimized disk cache store in ISA Server.
Scalability
Scale up your cache easily and efficiently by grouping multiple ISA servers in a Cache Array Routing Protocol (CARP) array that is viewed and managed as one partitioned logical cache. Scale up your individual ISA server computers by adding more CPUs, symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), more disks, and more RAM.
Distributed and Hierarchical Caching
Configure your network to place caches closest to users or in chained configurations, with multiple and backup routes. This scenario works very well in a model of hierarchically-interconnected branch offices.
Active Caching
Optimize bandwidth usage with proactive refreshing of popular content.
Scheduled Content Download
Distribute content and pre-load the cache on a defined schedule, ensuring efficient use of the network, consistent mirrored servers, and offline availability.
Streaming Media Support
Transparently support popular media formats. Save bandwidth by splitting live media streams on the gateway.
Programmable Cache Control
Load or delete cached objects programmatically with caching application programming interface (API).

Simplified Robust Management:

Policy-Based Access Control
Enforce Internet usage policy by controlling access by user, group, application, destination, schedule, and content type.
Windows 2000 Integration
Manage ISA Server users, configuration, and rules with Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory™ service. Authentication, network services, management tools, and bandwidth control extend Windows 2000 technologies.
Administration
Administer the firewall, Web cache, and proxy services with a consistent set of tools and rules, including access control, reporting, alerting, and monitoring.
Tiered Policy
Create enterprise-level and local array policies, for centralized or local enforcement.
Intuitive User Interface
Focus on the task, not the tool: Administer ISA Server with Microsoft Management Console (MMC)–based user interface, graphical task pads, and wizards that simplify security and cache management.
Detailed Logging
Record all firewall and cache activity in standard data formats such as World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and ODBC.
Built-in Reporting
Create graphical summary reports showing application usage, security events, and network activity.
Monitoring and Alerting
Track real-time session and performance monitoring data. Define alerts to notify an administrator, stop a service, or execute a script in response to important system events.
Bandwidth Priorities
Set bandwidth priorities to optimize resource allocation, prioritizing bandwidth by user, group, application, destination site, or content type.
Remote Management
Administer ISA Server remotely using MMC, Windows 2000 Terminal Services, or Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) command-line scripts.
Multi-Server Management
With ISA Server Enterprise Edition, manage an array of servers as a single logical unit.