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The new Astaro Security Linux 5 (ASL) is an all-in-one software-based security solution that should appeal to small businesses and large companies alike. Built on a mix of open-source and commercial components, the suite delivers a remarkably complete array of security applications in one package that will run on very modest hardware.

Version 5 is composed of six network components: antivirus, antispam protection, content filtering, firewall, intrusion protection, and a VPN gateway. Kaspersky Labs provides Astaro with the antivirus engine, and Cobion (now owned by ISS) contributes the content-filtering solution. Both are solid choices in our opinion.

ASL's price is extremely competitive: $1,460 for ten users. Even better, hardware requirements for running the solution are quite modest (400-MHz Pentium II CPU, 256MB of RAM, 5GB hard drive), meaning that most businesses will be able to press an older PC into service as the security server. Of course, we recommend running the system on the fastest hardware you can afford to ensure good performance. (And note that a single-user version is available for just $59 per year.)

Installation is easy, especially if you follow the excellent documentation. After initial setup, administrators use a secure browser connection to access the Web-based management interface. This interface is among the best we have ever encountered: It's extraordinarily intuitive and provides excellent built-in help. Administrators can also access ASL through a local command line or SSH (Secure Shell). Those administrators responsible for large installations will be extremely impressed with the system's logging and reporting sections, which can be easily queried, sorted, and searched. Two add-ons, Astaro Report Manager Enterprise Edition and CM (Configuration Manager), will also be of great interest to enterprise customers.

It is hard to even scratch the surface of all the features ASL includes. The fully-featured firewall supports NAT, IP masquerading, and load balancing. It also provides intrusion detection that lets you block suspect traffic. We liked the way the 2000+ rules were grouped in service categories and that administrators can actually observe which rules are being triggered by particular violations—very helpful in troubleshooting bad traffic. ASL includes several proxy servers, such as an HTTP cache proxy, SOCKS proxy, and SMTP relay with antispam and AV, to name just a few. In addition, ASL is a fully featured VPN endpoint that allows for more in-depth configuration than we have seen in any other product.

Remote management and user authentication against RADIUS, SAM, AD, or LDAP are all further indications that Astaro Security Linux is an extremely well-rounded, capable, and powerful product. We were extremely pleased with the product's performance and liked the fact that everything is completely locked down—not even outgoing traffic is allowed by default. Any administrator contemplating the rollout of a security appliance should check out ASL.

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Copyright ?? 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.