Microsoft Announces New Security Products and 'Forefront' Brand

Published: June 14, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft this week announced the launch of Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006, and a new plan to tie all of its security products--including its Microsoft Client Protection for business PCs, its Windows Live OneCare service for home PCs, its Antigen software for servers, and its ISA Server firewall and network traffic acceleration software--under a new brand, called Forefront.

ISA Server 2006 delivers better integration with other Windows components, including Active Directory and Exchange, and includes new deployment and management tools to reduce customers' costs and simplify their user experience, Microsoft says. Users will also benefit from other new features, including its new hybrid proxy-firewall architecture, deep content inspection, granular policies, and comprehensive alerting and monitoring capabilities, the company says.

Microsoft made the ISA Server 2006 and Forefront announcement at its Tech Ed conference, which is taking place in Boston this week. Ted Kummert, the corporate vice president of Microsoft's security, access, and solutions division, disclosed further plans in a PressPass question and answer session with Microsoft's internal PR division.

Kummert explained the name changes and some of the milestones we can expect. "The first Microsoft Forefront products will be Forefront Client Security (formerly Microsoft Client Protection), scheduled for open beta in the fourth quarter of this year, and the next generation of our Antigen products. Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Forefront Security for SharePoint are timed to coincide with the upcoming Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Office 2007 launches. As Microsoft ISA Server continues to evolve, customers can also expect a Forefront version of our integrated edge security and access gateway."