New Web Filtering Solution

[AngryITGuy]

We are currently looking to implement a new web filtering solution on site that will filter web access for both staff and students users.

 

Currently we use a JanaServer that filters the students and the staff pretty much have free reign over the internet.

 

Although it serves its purpose the JanaServer doesn't offer the flexibility we want to implement when allowing users to surf the web. Student access is pretty much locked down with the use of an allowed list which is constantly growing.

 

SMT want to give the kids more yet controlled access to the internet as well as control the access to the internet staff have.

 

I have recently had a web demo of the BLOXX system and was very impressed by its functionality and flexibility it offers. I particularly like the way web access can be controlled via

 

I just want to know is anyone else uses the BLOXX web filtering system and if it’s any good in a school environment.

 

As always advice and recommendations of other systems used would be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks

[FN-GM]

I have used Websence it does the job very well and has along of flexibility.

 

I know people have used Smart Filter and Bess is schools.

[webman]

BLOXX is very expensive for what it is. Have you considered IPCop with URLFilter and AdvProxy addons (all free)?

 

Or you could do worse than buying SchoolGuardian from Smoothwall.

[mortstar]

I had a bloxx unit installed at the start of the year and it works fantastically well in our school environment.

[Geoff]

We're using Dansguardian on Linux. Not bad for free.

[blackcat]

We dumped Wensense and now use Lightspeed, which does a lot more than it says on the tin.

[webman]

I did look at the TCO and that is the reason we didn't buy into it! In October last year, we were quoted £8,675 for 3 years for the CF-500.

 

Considering we already had IPCop Linux/URLFilter/AdvProxy in place which did (and still does) what we want, it would be a useless purchase.

[AngryITGuy]

@ mortstar

 

You are right BLOXX is an expensive solution.

 

In our school environment if we went for the discounted three year price we are looking at a cost just under £9,000. As we have around 1000 internet users on site it works out at a cost of £3 per head per day, which isn't too bad. Considering it seems to be a very good filtering system.

[mortstar]

I was after the CF-250 and the cost was less than half that for the unit & 3 years support.

 

That provides filtering for around 300 machines - peak

[AngryITGuy]

@ mortstar

 

The cost of £9K was for the recommended system by BLOXX during the demonstration which was the TVT-500.

 

Considering your system the TVT-250 can support 300 machines we may be better off financially to go for that solution instead.

 

When you purchased the system did you manage to negogiate a better price or did they stick to their guns with the pricing policy?

[mortstar]

My product was the CF250 - but I think 'True-View' is the same thing with a new name.

 

The bloxx unit easily handles the amount of machines we have.

 

Their pricing was pretty rigid but you can get rid of the installation costs and things like that because it's a breeze to install.

[tom_newton]

Mr. Angry...

 

Give me a ring - we're not as expensive as BLOXX, and as i am sure some of our customers will tell you, our filtering (especially anonymous poxies) is spot on.

 

Tom

[rorynolan]

Please make your intent known when asnwering posts, if as has been said you do work for Bloxx then please act more responsibly in the future. - Ben

[webman]

Just an FYI, rorynolan (above) works for Bloxx.

 

Having a dig at Smoothwall like that is, in my opinion, very unprofessional.

[Guest Guest]

Just an FYI, rorynolan (above) works for Bloxx.

 

Having a dig at Smoothwall like that is, in my opinion, very unprofessional.

 

 

Bloxx - Tru-view Technology

How it Works

In a fraction of a second, Tru-View Technology decides which of 50 categories a site fits into and, depending on where the sourced website is placed, blah blah

 

Oh so thats how it works Bloody salesmen.

[tom_newton]

Webman, thanks for that clarification!

 

SmoothWall are well and truly still alive - and we too block anonymous proxies on the fly, we were the first true dynamic filter, something we are justly proud of.

 

I do not hide the fact that I work for SmoothWall - it's plain in my sig', yes, i'm biased, but i'd invite the sceptical to talk to our users, a number of whom frequent edugeek!

 

Rory - hope you guys are at infosec, was good to chat with Bloxx folk last time!

[mortstar]

...Well they don't do themselves any favours when their salespeople do stuff like that...

 

I'm amazed after the 'Sophos incident' that companies treat Edugeek with such contempt...it's not going to get them more sales!

[Geoff]

I' expect it get's them measurably less, word of mouth being what it is.

[mortstar]

I' expect it get's them measurably less, word of mouth being what it is.

 

exactly.

[rorynolan]

apologies if I upset anyone and I was not slating Smoothwall, just don't come across them so I wrongly assumed they were not in existence anymore. I stand corrected, sorry

[dave.81]

My 2p would be SchoolGuardian, not the cheapest, not the most expensive but works well for us. Moved away from Censornet when they went to v4 as they removed the firewall side which is slightly important.