Espresso & proxy cache server

[ICT_GUY]

So is an isa sever a good option for hosting the expresso content?

I just dont like the idea of using the RM sever since as far as I am concerned its poo and I dont like relying on stuff I don't have control over (you can login but thats it, no admin control or low level control).

[ricki]

Hi

Before you start building a cache or squid box ask yourself some basic questions.

What do I want the box to achieve?

What sort of hardware do I already have that is reliable?

Do I have the technical knowledge of linux to do this?

How long will it take me to learn linux?

Do I need web filtering?


Do I have a problem with spyware at the moment?

Do I have a limited bandwidth?

Have I got the time to maintain it?

Now if you have a problem with spyware or have a limited bandwidth a caching box is good.

If you want to monitor what students are doing and want to be able to filter the internet well you will need linux with squid and dansguardian installed and possibly ident installed on the client machines so that the server knows who is asking for the page.

The learning curve for setting one of these boxes up is steap so you have to be willing to invest a bit of time.

The minimum hardware you will need is about 1 gig cpu with at least a gig of ram and a new hard drive about 40 gig. But remember the more powerful the better.

Download a copy of ubuntu server lamp version and install it on the machine.
Install ssh and use putty to access the machine from a widows machine.
Change the repositories and update the machine.
Install squid the cache program
Install dansguardian the filtering bit.
Read the configuration paperwork well and configure the conf files as needed.
Now install webmin and import the dansguardian module that can be downloaded from the dansguardian site.
Install sarg in the machine for reports and configure with webmin.
Install the ident program on a test machine and point it at the squid dansguardian box and if its all right bobs your uncle.

If this sound complicated or you dont have the time. Pay the money and have an easy life lols.

Have a look at the following sites for information ubuntu, squid, dansguardian, webmin, sarg

Richard

[ICT_GUY]

I already use squid running under 2003 server. Only thing I have found is that it upset certain services such as webmail and the such like.

However,

I was interested in an ISA server as a solution for simplicity, as I have access to a couple of gurus near by.

[ZeroHour]

I cant see why ISA would be bad. We use 2004 here and it has a cache mode which can have per-site settings assigned.
I can also do content download scheduling although that may be limited.

[Bluetooth]

Hello there!

I look after 7 primary schools and about half of them use Espresso. We do have a proxy server but it is the LEA's proxy and not something we were asked to buy by Espresso.

All we have done is added the Espresso servers IP address to the proxy exception list in IE and it works like a dream.

I would recommend Espresso, it is a superb tool and i have not had ANY problems bar 1 dead box that was replaced within a week (notified espresso, engineer picked up and dropped off replacement and it went straight back onto the network)

[TechSupp]

As an aside does anyone actually have home access to Espresso content (apart from the suggested Virgin users)? Mt schools are not happyas they don't have time at school to plan using it and really need access to it at home. Espresso's email answer is that they are working with LEA's involved to allow access in a rolling programme over the next 12 to 18 months. Believe it when I see it but fear that that time scale may be too far and they will have dumped Espresso for other content before then mainly due to the lack of external access. We have the Espresso Cachpilot box and the LEA controls all other aspects of broadband. We did end up going down the route of smoothwall at one stage but then approx 8 months later the LEA changed mind and took all the boxes as they wer having to go out all the time turning them on when ever there was a power cut etc "My internet won't work!".

[dave.81]

We just went with the box that Espresso provided and so far, although over priced, has been fine.

Our staff too have questioned being able to access the full content at home, most can be done via the espresso website but not the AV side of it.

I did open up a port forward to the epresso box but our connection is too slow for it to be useable so it's on hold at the moment.

[conehead]

I agree not being able to access full content at home is a bit inconvenient, but there is a way of planning and saving a lesson ahead in school with the Espresso "Route Creator"

In simple terms you navigate, in your own order to all the pages you want to use for a lesson, and the route creator tool lets you build a xml document that records the file locations on the cachebox , the XML file can then be saved on a pen drive or network location.

[mattx]

Originally Posted by dave.81

We just went with the box that Espresso provided and so far, although over priced, has been fine.

Our staff too have questioned being able to access the full content at home, most can be done via the espresso website but not the AV side of it.

I did open up a port forward to the epresso box but our connection is too slow for it to be useable so it's on hold at the moment.

Arrrr - I like that idea - I am now going to steal it and make it my own.....

[mattx]

Originally Posted by ZeroHour

Mattx what proxy/firewall do you use?
ISA can easily do it I would think in a limited sense.

Its all ok now thanks ZeroHour - we ended up getting the box - had it a while, big hit with the staff and kids....

[dave.81]

Originally Posted by mattx

Arrrr - I like that idea - I am now going to steal it and make it my own.....

Wow someone stealing my idea normally it's the other way around. If we had a 10meg leased line then it wouldn't be a problem i'm sure but having just 512kb upload does make the videos a little slow.

[mattx]

Originally Posted by dave.81

Wow someone stealing my idea normally it's the other way around. If we had a 10meg leased line then it wouldn't be a problem i'm sure but having just 512kb upload does make the videos a little slow.

All setup now !! [ Got my two kids testing it from home..... ]
Works a treat if you keep away from the videos.