Google Mail - pitfalls?

[WebBot]

Hi everyone,

 

We run the Frog VLE and use frogmail, we're thinking of when we upgradeto FrogOS, which has no mail client. We also have a 1-2-1 android tablet scheme with our younger years. Just this week we've been looking at our Google Apps account and our ICT head is thinking about switching Google Mai on for our Year7s.

 

Are there any pitfalls or areas of concern to consider, or is it as safe as Frogmail. We'll be blocking external sending and receiving. It's unknown territory for us and I don't want to rush in, but feeling like i'm being pressured.

 

WebBot

[AngryTechnician]

If you're ring-fencing the accounts so they can't communicate outside the domain then the risks are not really any different to what you have already, assuming your Frogmail is accesible at home. If it isn't, then staff need to consider that the pupils will have access to their school email at home. However, to be honest, we see much more misuse during school hours than outside.

[CyberNerd]

Yes you can block sending/recieving from external addresses. It had a very good content filter (Google are rather good at search!) and the management console will lock out most of the things you need. We've been running it at an external site since 2007 and at our main site since 2009 without problems.

[sparkeh]

Yeah we use Gmail as an internal mail system for some pupils. Works great and I can't really see any difference between what you have now.

[WebBot]

Thanks guys. yeah we are blocking outside communication and I had great fun setting up the content filter to remove the usual words. quite impressed so with it all so far today. it's moved on a lot from the last time I looked at it.