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By Craig Garnham in ISA Server 2004 — 22 Dec 2025

ISA Server 2004

Components of ISA Server:

Firewall
Caching Server
VPN Server

History:

1996: Proxy Server 1.0
1997: Proxy Server 2.0
- Array functionality added
- Cache Array Routing Protocol (CARP)
- FTP and HTTP Caching are supported
- Unified Management Added
ISA Server 2000
- New name due to many non-proxy enhancements
- Added VPN, IDS, and Email Screening
ISA Server 2004
- More user-friendly
- New features and capabilities

New features since ISA Server 2000

Networking Improvements

Multiple network support, no longer limited by LAT configuration
Network polices for each defined network
NAT/Routing options between any network
New network template wizards for common network designs

VPN Improvements

True VPN management and integration
VPN clients are treated as a separate network
Industry-standard IPSec VPN support
VPN client quarantine functions

Firewall improvements

Support added for all major IP protocols
Rules based on user authentication, and additional authentication methods have been added.
Publishing features improved

Cache Improvements

More flexibility in choosing what to cache

Management Improvements

Redesigned interface
Import/Export configuration to XML
Dashboard
Live log file views
Improved reporting features

ISA Server 2000 features missing from ISA Server 2004

H.323 Gatekeeper / Gateway
Live Media Stream Splitting
Bandwidth Control
Active Caching

$1200 for the Standard edition, $5200 for the Enterprise edition

Standard is designed to be an all-in-one box, max 4 CPUs, max 2GB RAM, max 1000 VPN connections

Enterprise edition is used for arrays, with no limits other than the server's capacity

Alternatives

Checkpoint
- 48% share of firewall software
- Software-based Checkpoint NG - Firewall-1 and VPN-1 products
- Installs on top of many operating systems without OS integration.
- licensed based on the number of IPs used
- Many additional features require licensing
- From $399 for branch offices, $24,000 for an enterprise solution
- $5000 for 100 IPs, SecureClient $2300 for 100 IPs
- Does not support web caching out of the box
Cisco Pix
- 34% share on firewall appliances
- PIX 501 $500-$800 to PIX 535 $20,000-$24,000
- Runs on a proprietary hardened OS built for security
- Can do application-based filtering using fixup-protocols
- VPN enforcement with Cisco VPN client, free with support contract
- Web caching add-on with Cisco Content Engine
Netscreen
- Acquired by Juniper Networks
- 5XP $500, 50, $5700, 200 $10000, 5200 $100000
- Add-on costs can be significant for VPN and IDS
- ISA server competes with the 200 series and below
- Runs on proprietary ASIC-based hardware
- VPN client licenses cost extra
- No caching solutions
SonicWall
- $450 - $5000
- Content filtering service $700-$1000 per year
- Add-ons for virus protection, management systems, and support contact
- plug and play solution
- Two versions of SonicOS, standard and enhanced
- Caching add-on fees
- A proprietary VPN client at an extra cost