Why does MS recommend inserting configering a network server as a gateway when deploying a single server on a small network.

I understand that any network connected to the internet needs a strong firewall, but MS recommends making the server a gateway even if there is also a hardware firewall in the network.

This configuration seems like overkill, so I am curious why MS insists this is the prefered configuration on a small one server network.

allows you to do other traffic shaping measures // proxying etc -- things that a firewall // hardware router will not be able to do.

Thanks for the response

Buzzons is correct. But if you get a good enough firewall\router you can do even more than what MS offers. It all depends on how much you want to spend.

Best of luck.

I just installed a SUSE Linux server on an old work station - really overkill for my needs, so I justify it as a learning experience. But in the course of my studying, I looked at a couple of books targeted at MS SBS Server 2003 R@, and that is why I asked!