# About Mitel Standard Linux

Mitel® Standard Linux (MSL) is an operating system and software solution for single-site and branch-based enterprises. Mitel Standard Linux supports a suite of managed services and applications delivered from the license servers or available on CD. An MSL server can act either as an internet-facing server with firewall capability (in server-gateway configuration) or as an internal server on the local area network (LAN) (in server-only configuration).

In server-gateway configurations, the MSL server manages the end-user's connection to the Internet by routing Internet data packets to and from the network (which allows all the computers on the network to share a single Internet connection) and by providing security for the network, minimizing the risk of intrusion. When one of the computers on the local network contacts the Internet, or is contacted by an outside machine on the Internet, the MSL server not only routes that connection, but seamlessly interposes itself into the communication. This prevents a direct connection from being established between an external computer on the Internet and a computer on the local network, which significantly reduces the risk of intrusion onto the network.