| Sharing an Internet connection is not a problem with | | | | done by the network administrator as Windows |
| the abundance of solutions available on the market. | | | | downloads and installs updates automatically. While |
| Windows Internet Connection Sharing, consumer and | | | | Internet Connection Sharing built into many versions |
| business grade stand-alone routers and dedicated | | | | of Windows is a great consumer technology, |
| Unix-based servers can be used to manage Internet | | | | corporate use requires a different solution. |
| connections and share a single outgoing link among | | | | UserGate security server provides all necessary |
| multiple users. | | | | features, and is easily configurable, upgradeable and |
| These solutions, however, do not provide enough | | | | extensible by an ordinary system administrator via a |
| flexibility when used in corporate environments. | | | | simple graphical user interface. |
| Plagued with stability, reliability, security and | | | | UserGate is easy to configure on the server, and the |
| management issues, consumer-grade technologies | | | | best part is that it requires zero changes on the side |
| may be offering an easy start but prohibit future | | | | of network users. Thanks to the built-in DHCP server, |
| development. None of the listed connectivity | | | | UserGate configures connections for local hosts |
| methods allow traffic shaping, logging of user | | | | within a local area network completely automatically. |
| activities or advanced group or user-based access | | | | The DHCP server allows network administrators to |
| policies. | | | | configure network parameters such as IP addresses, |
| A business-grade gateway could be used as a | | | | network masks, default gateways and DNS servers |
| plug-and-play yet customizable alternative. However, | | | | just once on the server side. The local network users |
| a device like that would cost a small fortune and still | | | | will catch up with the changes completely |
| lack any extensibility unless you are willing to invest a | | | | automatically without involving manual adjustments. |
| large fortune to start with. | | | | By using automated DHCP configuration, UserGate |
| A dedicated PC-based server is a viable alternative to | | | | makes LAN management easier and with less |
| dedicated network appliances. The market today is | | | | maintenance. All network settings are configured on |
| dominated by Unix-based solutions, often free ones. | | | | the server, without the need to access individual |
| While being perfect connectivity solutions based on | | | | workstations. |
| their paper specs, the Unix-based servers lack easy | | | | UserGate distributes Internet connectivity as a NAT |
| management and require an experienced network | | | | server with port mapping, or acts as a caching proxy |
| administrator for configuration, patching, security | | | | server. The use of the proxy server offers |
| management and even routine maintenance. | | | | significant bandwidth savings thanks to the |
| A Windows server combined with dedicated | | | | automated caching of content, while increasing |
| connection management software provides the | | | | average access speed for the LAN users. |
| better of the two worlds. There is no patching to be | | | | |