Microsoft Forefront (Discontinued Product) vs. NetScaler Gateway

In large deployments, I have found Microsoft Forefront to be very effective at combating the majority of threats faced by our users. It provides the base platform for catching threats that would otherwise threaten our users and their data. If you have an environment that is under constant malware threat, then a secondary program may be needed as required.

Incentivized

The best usage scenario for Citrix Netscaler Gateway is in enterprises with a high volume of telecommuting users or in situations where the user needs to access certain applications from anywhere. In our case as a hospital, we need our doctors to access the medical records of the patients and be able to carry out any required action, with a high level of security and with a certain agility.

Incentivized

• SCEP is a light weight client which is minimally impactful on the user end.
• Forefront's management console provides excellent monitoring and reporting.
• Setup and configuration is very easy.

Incentivized

• allows seamless use of 2-factor authentication for heightened security within the VPN, and lowers risk of an external hack because of it.
• it allows for differing levels of security. access can be set specifically through the VPN so 2 users can use the same site and get different results depending on their active directory security policy.
• It can grant the ability to launch a single application or an entire VPN envelope

Incentivized

• Malware detection is not quite 100%. We have to use a secondary program occasionally.
• On low ram and weak CPU systems scanning can freeze the machine.
• The same reporting tools that are on the console version, aren't on the client.

Incentivized

• I suggest make it more faster because sometimes its lagging but not all the time.
• When it comes to Notepad I suggest having options for the size of fonts, and color of fonts, to make it look nicer.
• I suggest making it more user-friendly, and more features so that users can perfectly maximize this tool.

Support is pretty good and pretty fast to respond. I can't say I can really complain about the support experience I've had with them, as they've resolved issues within a reasonable time-frame. Of course, they could always be faster and better, but I think for what we pay, it's well worth the money.

Incentivized

The biggest advantage that MSF and SCEP provide over Norton is: One: Far less client overhead required. Both Norton and McAfee are highly intensive client side when in use. Two: We've had far better luck using the Microsoft system with its detection capabilities, versus the others. Three: It is tied right into the Microsoft updating system, which provides central updating capabilities of av/mal/windows updates.

Incentivized

The only other SSL VPN type product I have used was Citrix Secure Gateway. Netscaler is a MUCH more feature filled product. CSG was a free add on to older versions of Citrix Metaframe and XenApp and was specifically just used for securing Citrix infrastructure. Netscaler excels in securing Citrix but can also be used to secure shared apps of all kinds regardless of how they are published. I did do a test run on 2X's product which did include a secure gateway but then base 2X product was not really comparable to Citrix so did not go too far with it.

Incentivized

• Less turnaround on virus based issues.
• Helps reduce malware issues over time.
• Can breed overconfidence in the system, so people don't always try a second tool.

Incentivized

• Our data is secure and protected from the outside world which is priceless.
• It saves our business money as we can provide our clients with a safe and secure alternative to accessing their data remotely rather than having to take the more expensive route of travelling on-site to gather the data we need.
• It gives us the opportunity to host on-site training using gated cloud based environments which enhances our business services. The ability to easily change access information, such as a password, after administering a training course gives us the flexibility we need to provide and subsequently restrict access to our training environments to suit our needs.

Incentivized