IAG 2007 -- A Whale of a Deal
Congratulations! You get to memorize a brand-new acronym. While Cisco has firewalls
with names like PIX, Centri and Catalyst, acronym-crazy Microsoft named its
latest firewall
IAG
2007 (which is about as intuitive as ISA, its previous product).
IAG isn't just a complicated name; it's a complicated product and has an even
more intricate history.
Let's start with the product. IAG combines ISA with VPN and firewall software
that Microsoft got when it acquired security appliance maker Whale Communications,
which had hardware similar to that of Network Engines, Celestix and others.
The appliance story is a bit tangled, so let me walk you through it. Although
Whale was a maker of appliances, Microsoft decided not to compete against other
hardware makers (check out our take on this issue here).
Instead, both Celestix and Network Appliance will build IAG hardware devices.
Sounds like a pretty sweet deal all around.
Posted by Doug Barney on February 06, 2007