While you are checking out web pages I'd suggest that you take a look
at a new "firewall" from MCI and Intel. Called Webmaker, this is
claimed to be a firewall/web server/router all in one Pentium system.
The claim is that You will enjoy the following quotes from the web
page.
Art
"Up and running in an hour with a total solution
The networkMCI WebMaker is truly the best route to doing
business on
the Internet. It comes with all the hardware and software
necessary for a
secure Internet presence. It's installed with leased line
Internet service from
MCI. It's a total solution that's all preconfigured and ready to
go. Built-in
software wizards and pre-designed templates let you develop a
"look" that
suits your business and customize your site with information
specific to
your company. In short, it's so well thought out that most
networkMCI
WebMaker sites are on line, accessible to anyone with web access
anywhere in the world, in about an hour."
"No UNIX experts required
Today's Pentium Pro processor-based servers give you a familiar
Windows-based platform for your Internet server. So why add
another
technology to your worries? The networkMCI WebMaker can be used
and maintained easily by anyone familiar with PCs and Windows NT
operating system. Chances are, you have more than one such
person on
staff. Using somebody already on staff is much less expensive
than having
to hire another employee or constantly bringing in an outside
consultant
every time something needs to be fixed or changed. "
"Safe and secure
The networkMCI WebMaker features an integrated router and Proxy
Server forming a security firewall. The built-in
packet-filtering router and
Web Proxy Server provide secure Internet access and a secure
presence
for your business. Having these components intergrated into a
turnkey
solution saves you from having to buy additonal external routers
and proxy
servers costing thousands of dollars. It also eliminates the
need for
expensive technical specialists to install them. The end result?
By design,
only allowed services such as HTTP and e-mail are enabled,
maximizing
safety, enforcing a conservative security policy, and giving you
the current
standard in Internet security for a fraction of the usual price.
"
"The bottom line
The networkMCI WebMaker solution is unique. It integrates the
proven
components with secure Internet connectivity, comprehensive
administration and ease of use. You get:
Pentium Pro processor-based system, loaded and
pre-configured
with all necessary communication hardware and Internet
services
software
Integrated security firewall with a packet-filtering router
and Proxy
Server
Capacity for scalable leased line Internet connectivity
from 56 Kbps
to full T-1 speed
Secure Web presence (Web and e-mail) and real-time Internet
access for TCP/IP LAN users (Web, e-mail, FTP)
Easy-to-use tools for installation, Web site creation and
site
promotion
Intuitive WebMaker Management Console running over Windows
NT operating system
Web Back-end Online Service for integrated product support"
----------
From: Marcus J. Ranum[SMTP:mjr @
clark .
net]
Sent: Monday, July 01, 1996 9:39 PM
To: Firewalls @
GreatCircle .
COM
Subject: Re: Catapault firewall
I pulled down Microsoft's page on Catapult. I urge you all to
do so and give it a read. From where I sit, it looks like the firewall
market has reached its next level, with this announcement.
The brief on Microsoft's page is completely content-free.
Several times, Catapult is recommended as the solution because
it's secure. Nothing about why it's secure or how it's secure.
Don't bother your head with that stuff! It's SECURE, OK?
...Or at least as secure as a beta product that only
runs on a beta version of NT can be.
In fairness to Microsoft, it may be pretty good stuff.
But we can't tell from what they say. Which is why I feel it
marks a milestone in the firewall market. The Big Boys Are Here
now and it's SECURE, it's OK. That argument worked for Netscape,
for a while.
Those of us who've been with this firewall thing for
a while have seen the market get muddied before, and eventually
things calm down again. It'll be fascinating to see what
happens if Microsoft decides to put even a teeny bit of their
marketing muscle behind Catapult. I guess it means that, as
a technology, firewalls have "arrived."
mjr.
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