The eSoft InstaGate 604 is back again this year and we found that not much has changed. However, that may be a good thing because we love this product. The InstaGate provides a full load of customizable features tailored to the environment. One thing that has finally come full circle for this product: eSoft has done away with the singular modules they called SoftPaks and now has integrated features into much larger ThreatPaks. This appliance comes as a firewall and VPN and then can be further customized with mix and match web, email, or complete mail server ThreatPaks.
With all of these features one would think this device would be complicated to use. However, it is quite the opposite. This product comes out of the box, plugs right into the network and is up and running in minutes. Once the device is plugged in, setup is done through a quick setup wizard and at the end of configuration the appliance retrieves ThreatPaks and updates itself. From there just a few clicks to customize policy and setup is complete. The web GUI itself is also simple to navigate and easy to use.
On the level of performance, this product covers all bases from solid protection to easy management and integration. The main dashboard, titled ThreatMonitor, gives an excellent real-time overview of all activity, threats and attacks.
Documentation for this product is made up of a quick start guide and a user guide. The quick start guide illustrates the initial setup process and guides through the setup wizard.
eSoft offers 24/7 email and phone support, as well as documentation downloads. The company also has a support website complete with an extensive knowledge base.
The InstaGate is a great value for the money for almost any size organization. Even though the ThreatPaks are subscription-based — with a base price just shy of $3,000 — it is within reach for all types of environments.
