SentryPilot is a neat Linux-based security appliance from Equiinet that provides a good mix of antivirus, anti-spam and URL filtering tools in one easy-to-deploy device.

The hardware looks like a small desktop PC. Inside is a Celeron processor, 1GB of memory and an 80GB hard disk. There is no screen or keyboard, and setup management is done via a browser.

Dual 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet interfaces connect the appliance to the LAN and the internet, with the option of using SentryPilot as a gateway, if required. Boot-up takes about a minute, after which a configuration wizard guides you through the initial setup with straightforward menu-based tools for more detailed management.

Rather than bundled Linux services, Equiinet has opted to use branded security tools, starting with Sophos Anti-virus. This can trap viruses downloaded by users browsing the web and scan incoming email traffic. The usual facilities to quarantine and/or delete suspect files are provided, with automatic updates from Sophos servers every hour.

SentryPilot can be used with any local or web-hosted SMTP mail server, including Exchange, and provides two spam-filtering tools alongside the anti-virus protection. The first of these, Spamcop, is used to trap messages from known spammers, while a second utility, Spam Assessment, lets administrators rank remaining messages against a set of known spam characteristics. Those with a high score can be deleted at the server or marked as spam for later removal by users.

Content filtering is done using N2H2 and 12 months of regular updates for all the utilities are included in the price. An extra year's subscription is £1,500 + VAT, with three years costing £3,000.

Price: £2,995 + VAT

Contact: Equiinet 01793 603 700