Review: Ally ip100

We were amazed at what this little product could do and how strong it was. When it first arrived, we did not believe that this little piece of plastic could be a functional IPS. We were wrong.

This device is fully functional and loaded with features. It incorporates blacklist and whitelist technology that can be manually configured.

If the device sees a threat, it automatically blacklists the IP the threat came from and blocks it from the network. It also has many finetuning capabilities with customisable filtering options, TCP, UDP, and DNS policies, as well as notification options.

The tool (it’s hard to think of it as an appliance) is very easy to use and deploy. It sits on the network between the internet and a switch, hub, firewall, or router and is connected by just plugging it in.

After it is plugged in and turned on, the web interface can be accessed from anywhere on the network using Internet Explorer. The web interface is extremely clean and organised with clear instructions on the right side of the screen at all times to answer any question about configuration or feature functions.

The Ally ip100 performed way above our expectations. We were not able to penetrate either the test network or the device itself. After each test, we would remove our IPs from the blacklist, only to find ourselves blacklisted again on the next attack. This device has many reporting features, including logs, blacklist and whitelist information and network statistics.

The Ally ip100 has a one-page quickstart and setup guide that comes with it. It illustrates the simple deployment and configuration for the product in very clear steps, both with bullet points and illustrations.

Once the product is deployed, the web interface includes explanations of all configurations on the right side of the screen.

There is also more in-depth documentation on the product’s website, including more advanced configuration.

Support for this product is available by telephone or email. There is also a support FAQ on the product’s website.

At around $900, this product is a great buy for small to mediumsized companies or even personal networks. It is simple to deploy and configure and requires very little administration, which adds to its value. Add in its excellent performance, and the Ally ip100 is our Best Buy for small systems.

For: Small, but strong and easy to deploy.
Against: Not as flexible as its larger counterparts.
Verdict: Astonishing performance from such a tiny product.