vulnerability assessment

[mike jack <michael_w_jack () hotmail com>]

Hello,

 I am curious to what others in this forum do to verify IDS gear and 
offers do what they claim to do. I know of many of the freeware products 
to do these scans,a s well as some products and services on the market. 
Any recommendations before I go full bore and install some gear from a 
specific vendor. Should I test once and then just get signature updates, 
get an out side firm to do this for me etc.

Any recommendations would be most helpful.

Regards

M