F5 Networks just announced availability of a new Application Ready Solution that provides high availability, improved performance and scalability for UAG.
The F5 Application Ready Solution for Microsoft Forefront UAG 2010 helps enterprise customers scale their UAG 2010 deployments. F5 delivers application-level optimization for servers hosting these remote access technologies.
"F5 is pleased to announce availability of the Application Ready Solution for Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010," said Calvin Rowland, VP of Application Partner Programs at F5. "As the mobile workforce grows, so does the need for organizations to deploy highly available and scalable remote access technologies to deliver business-critical applications to those users. With this addition to F5's extensive Application Ready Solution portfolio, we continue to demonstrate our deep and ongoing commitment to early solution design and qualification with Microsoft, ensuring that F5 solutions are available to customers at the same time that Microsoft products are delivered."
Deployment guidance for F5 and Microsoft solutions is located online at http://www.f5.com/solutions/applications/microsoft/.
Windows IT Pro magazine's Russell Smith posted a positive, in-depth overview of Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010, called "Quickly Respond to Threats with Forefront TMG."
The article's intro:
Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) 2010 offers a dynamic response to security threats, providing a variety of security technologies such as anti-malware, firewall, and intrusion detection under one umbrella....
Forefront TMG Will Be a Winner ISA has always provided the most complete protection for Microsoft products, and Forefront TMG builds on that foundation. Sys admins will warm to the improvements on the usability front from the outset, such as setup wizards and support for Server 2008’s NAP.
Tech site Softpedia posted a great Q&A with Tony Trivison on the MS RMS team about how Active Directory Rights Management Services can help companies protect their sensitive data.
Here's Softpedia's intro below, but read the whole piece for the real scoop.
The beauty of Active Directory Rights Management Services is the way it spans across a range of Microsoft products. Companies that leverage the Windows client, Windows Server, and the Office productivity suite, but also Exchange Server 2010 can also seamlessly take advantage of AD RMS in order to ensure that their data is safeguarded. Of course Windows Server is the core component, which provides Active Directory and the associated Rights Management capabilities.
With AD RMS, Microsoft is tending to the needs of companies that regard information protection as a security priority. Whether it comes down to mobile and remote worker scenarios, or whether contractors or other unauthorized users have to be kept from accessing sensitive files, or in the eventuality of leaks and data breaches, or simply to protect innovation and intellectual property, the software giant has worked to provide customers with a solution. Of course, AD RMS is only a part of the company’s information protection technology vision, but a key aspect which should be strongly considered by firms looking to protect sensitive information.
Microsoft’s latest product releases, from the second half of 2009, or scheduled to be launched in H1 2010, including Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, and Office 2010 are all designed to let customers benefit from the evolution of AD RMS. I had the chance to send a few questions to Tony Trivison, an exceptional source of insight into Active Directory Rights Management Services, particularly via the AD RMS team blog.