In previous releases, Astaro has used "Squid" as HTTP proxy, a solution based on open source technology, but the company is moving to a proprietary system. Replacing the old engine completely, the new proxy supports features like Directory Single-Sign-On via NTLMv2 and Kerberos authentication, says the vendor. Other enhancements include a flexible combination of black and white list technologies, as well as streaming media capability to play audio and video data without interference. The new proxy's
advanced I/O model is said to achieve performance improvements of up to 80 percent. In addition to faster response times, the new software version supports interface based packet filtering, detailed network accounting, and enhanced user interface
functionality.