Performing Post-Installation ISA Updates

ISA Server 2004 is an organic, constantly evolving set of technologies that occasionally needs patching and updating to stay ahead of the constantly evolving threats and exploits on the Internet. Subsequently, it is key to update ISA with the latest Service Packs and security patches available for the system, and to check for new updates as part of a regular maintenance plan.

Installing ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 1

As previously mentioned, Service Pack 1 includes updates, patches, and additional functionality that can make an ISA implementation more secure, and it is highly advisable to install it as part of an ISA deployment.

1.	Download the Service Pack Executable from Microsoft's ISA website (http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver)
2.	Double-click on the downloaded executable.
3.	Click Next at the Welcome screen, illustrated in Figure 2.13. Figure 2.13. Installing ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 1.
4.	Read the license agreement and choose I Accept the Terms in the License Agreement if in agreement. Click Update.
5.	When the installation has completed, click Finish to exit the wizard.
6.	Click Yes to restart.

After the system has restarted, ISA is ready for additional patching and updating as necessary.

Checking the ISA Site for ISA Updates

Beyond Service Pack 1, Microsoft occasionally issues patches and updates to ISA, depending on what vulnerabilities have arisen or what new services are required. It is therefore important to check the ISA downloads page at Microsoft on a regular basis to ensure that the proper patches are installed. The ISA Downloads page at Microsoft can be reached at http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/downloads/2004.asp.

NOTE

As with any update to the system, it is wise to test each patch in a controlled lab environment prior to releasing it to production infrastructure.

Installing Third-Party ISA Tools

The final step to ISA installation is the setup and configuration of any third-party ISA add-ons that may be required by the system. There are a whole host of security add-ons for ISA, which leverage ISA's application-layer filtering technology to provide for anti-virus, spam filtering, enhanced VPN, Intrusion Detection, and other services. To view a list of ISA Server 2004's partners that produce these types of software, visit the following URL: http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp.