Microsoft's SSL VPN solutions have positioned the Redmond Company in the "Visionaries" quadrant of Gartner's SSL VPN Magic Quadrant. In mid December, Forrester's "Wave: SSL VPN Appliances, Q4 2006" research has pointed out that Microsoft is one of the leaders on the SSL VPN Market.

Gartner Inc., with the Magic Quadrant for SSL VPN, North America, 3Q06 comes to confirm Microsoft at the top of the secure sockets layer virtual private networking market. "The report evaluates the Intelligent Application Gateway (IAG), Microsoft's secure sockets layer virtual private network (SSL VPN) product obtained in the acquisition of Whale Communications in July 2006, and Microsoft's Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA Server)," explained Microsoft.

Microsoft's presence in the Magic Quadrant mirrors the Redmond Company's dominant position on the market. As Microsoft is one of the SSL VPN solutions vendors that enjoy a high level of visibility for clients, account for a large volume of demands for information and contact review and for the latest installations that have been entered in Gartner's client base, the Redmond Company will have the opportunity to influence 2007's technology directions secure sockets layer virtual private networking market.

"We believe our position in the Visionaries quadrant validates Microsoft's strategy of providing customers with a comprehensive secure access platform that is easy to use and manage," said Avi Nathan, general manager, research and development, Forefront Edge Products, Microsoft. "We are building on the innovative technologies and application-level granular access controls developed by Whale Communications, and we will continue to innovate and further integrate with Microsoft technologies to provide customers with comprehensive solutions."