Chapter2.Installing ISA Server 2004

Chapter 2. Installing ISA Server 2004

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Reviewing ISA Server 2004 Prerequisites

• Procuring and Assembling ISA Hardware

• Building Windows Server 2003 as ISA's Operating System

• Determining Domain Membership Versus Workgroup Isolation

• Installing the ISA Server 2004 Software

• Performing Post-Installation ISA Updates

• Securing the Operating System with the Security Configuration Wizard

• Summary

• Best Practices

This first step toward realizing ISA's real potential is, understandably enough, installing it on a server and testing it out. Although it seems simple, several critical security steps should be followed whenever ISA servers are set up. Most deployment scenarios call for the ISA server to be an edge service, facing the Internet or other secured networks in one fashion or another. Therefore, special care should be taken to ensure that the ISA server is secure and robust from the start.

This chapter covers all points related to ISA Server installation, including hardware and software prerequisites, operating system selection and installation, and patching and securing techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on securing the ISA Server using the Security Configuration Wizard provided with Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

It is recommended that you install and test ISA Server 2004 in a lab environment before deploying it into a production environment. This chapter provides a step-by-step installation process for ISA Server that will enable the administrator to work with ISA and can be used as a guideline for future deployment. After it is installed, key ISA functionality can be examined in Chapter 3, "Exploring ISA Server 2004 Tools and Concepts."