simpsonj Posted October 1, 2015 Posted October 1, 2015 We're currently using Virgin Media for our Broadband and are pretty happy with the service, although it isn't particularly educationally focused. After asking our account manager for a renewal quote, we're being pointed in the direction of LGfL as a potential connection, so I was hoping to gather some opinions on LGfL from people who use it. Specifically on: Web Filtering Speed of connection Reliability Tech Support Value for money Any opinions would be welcome!
psydii Posted October 1, 2015 Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) Web Filtering Rock solid. Totally seamless. Though it does occasionally throw people who can't read. To get the most from it you need to operationally buy into the USO service. There are lots of benefits to this. (I have used ADSync and USO previously and while not terribly flexible it closely matched 'my way' of doing things so the loss of control I felt with my "domain administrator" hat on was completely outweighed by the strategic benefit of per-user/group filtering and automation USO/AutoUpdate offered. Speed of connection We saturate our 100Mb/s line. Reliability Almost totally reliable. Tech Support Since it is almost totally reliable there is not often need to engage. However day to day support is provided by Atomwide and it takes patience and dedication to gain their trust. They basically tend to assume what ever is wrong is your network's fault. Their responsiveness suffers when they are rolling out big changes (2011-2012 was pretty tough as they moved network provider to Virgin). They are very strict on Remote Access Tools, and Firewall rules. They will never open port 25 or SIP to the world, however more specific rules around those services are allowed. The service was procured (I believe) using a framework that specified compliance with ‘HMG Security Policy Framework’ from 2009. This frankly can be a bit of a pain. I note however that they have become more relaxed over time, since it was pointed out to them 1) the Framework has been replaced by something much more reasonable by the then coalition government 2) Blocking LogMeIn prevents Microsoft Support from dialling into any school, and this is clearly madness. Value for money Good question. One I am going to test over the next 12 months. It provides A decent firewall, with a 100Mb/s symmetric connection, with the SLA of the LGFL, and the extremely robust and fast filtering, combined with the cross platform Sophos EndPoint Protection. There is also content, which may or may not be useful depending upon what is already in use in your school. I can get that all at lower cost. However I would then have to spend time setting it all up, and maintaining it. I very much enjoy that any time the line or filtering hiccups it is not me or my team who have to lose sleep to put it right. That said it is worth iterating that the service almost never has a noticeable fault. Edited October 1, 2015 by psydii 1
Arreks Posted October 1, 2015 Posted October 1, 2015 They're completely A+ really on all of the above, but their web portals and administration are 0/10! 1
mythbuster Posted October 2, 2015 Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Hi Psidii Just to say they have moved logmein into the category 2, so now it is available to Microsoft and other 3rd Parties, so they are listening to our issues. Edited October 2, 2015 by mythbuster
Nodrog Posted October 3, 2015 Posted October 3, 2015 Would second most of that, Psidii. Web filtering, and internet speed gives us everything we want in those areas, and are very reliable. Have used USO for our accounts in school for years – not too bad to set up, and once going, not much to do so long as SIMS is up to date. Their tech support can be quite strict re firewalls, but the rest is fine. Having said that the uptime on the network is really very good certainly by comparison to the syntix run LGFL 1 service Lots of other services too, although we don't use all of them. Email and filtering is good, and we use the free Mydrive as our school portal. Remote access and support hasn't been a problem so far, but then we use quite a few of the category 2 sites too. Support site is complicated, but it does the job everything is there, and we do like the call logging. Guys on the phone are helpful, but they don't make changes without a case! Sometimes we find the solution to a problem isn't the one we'd have expected, but we always seem to get what we need. Training was quite useful, seems ages ago now! Value for money? Seems good to us, especially with all the extras thrown in, and I'm told its about to get better still. 1
MrFrostmaul Posted October 3, 2015 Posted October 3, 2015 We been approached by Virgin Media as our Line is up for renewal and they been pushing this. The problem for us is we have or own Web filter (lightspeed) and Sophos which are on a three lease and we only had for one year and everything else they offer we already so and it works perfect... We just want to renew our 100mb line with them, but they are really pushing for this and at this rate will move away from Virgin media altogether. 1
comrade Posted October 3, 2015 Posted October 3, 2015 The LGFL is ok............. I found the admins who you have to contact every now and then regarding issues with USO accounts etc, to be unhelpful and blunt the majority of the time. Lots of schools do not appear to use many of the features they offer, even though they have been paid for. 1
simpsonj Posted October 5, 2015 Author Posted October 5, 2015 Thanks for the comments, some food for thought. The school hasn't been part of a larger group since our County network split up 2-3 years ago, and I've become used to being on our own, with the flexibility that brings. I guess ultimately it will come down to cost, so it'll be interesting when all the quotes come in how competitive LGfL will be. Have to say, I'm not a fan of having another portal/username and password for staff, even if it is linked to AD and/or SIMS, but that's just a minor niggle in the scheme of things. Has anyone used the Web Screen 2.0 and Smoothwall? Would be interested in a direct comparison of the two. One aspect of Smoothwall I've liked so far is the fact that they recognise the Smoothwall box is yours, and you can open up any ports you want and configure it how you want. Admittedly I can see some config errors cropping up, but I like the fact they recognise the tech support in a school can be trusted to make changes. All this talk of restrictive tech support makes me wonder about taking up LGfL, not least for my own CPD. If I can't see how the firewall works, and actually manage it, how am I to learn how it works? I don't want to put this ahead of the school's needs, obviously, but as long as I'm supported by a company, I would prefer to have control rather than deal with an uppity support team. In a similar position to you @MrFrostmaul with the slight exception that we want something that can handle BYOD a bit better than Virgin's Palo Alto.
RichS Posted October 6, 2015 Posted October 6, 2015 Hi, We've been with LGFL since early 2012 after the move from Synetrix to Atomwide or LGfL. The move wasn't overly bad but we did re-address our network to match what was applied to us. You can't manage their firewall, its installed and looked after by them, you ask to open ports etc. I can't really complain, ive had a few knocked back because ive not given them the addresses of where I need to open them to but aside from that, the rest have been fine. Filtering can be handled by your smoothwall I assume, if so does it fail closed so just deny if it doesn't know 100% if its allowed or not? If so, you could technically ignore the filtering with LGfL and open everything. If it doesn't you can use it as a base policy in case it does fail. I'm not a smoothwall user to forgive my idiocy! We use webscreen and aside from having to allow remote access tools, its been perfectly fine. Unsure why people seem to think the support is blunt, personally ive found them pleasant but then again I'm a pleasant person and if I call for support its because I've missed something or am genuinely lost. YMMV however. Still a solid 8/10 compared to the equivalent previous support which could barely scrape a 2. Hope this helps, feel free to ask anything about our set up 1
10101010 Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 I have just received my 5yr renewal offer to run from 01/04/2016 to 31/03/2021, (it's probably sitting on your head teachers desk if yours is due as well:)) and I'm please with what they have offered. I currrenty have a 100mb line which they are upgrading to 200mb and reducing my annual costs as part of the new package. It's a thumbs up from me. Note * You need to sign and return the agreement before the 23rd October to get the extra discount. 2
DavR Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 I have just received my 5yr renewal offer to run from 01/04/2016 to 31/03/2021, (it's probably sitting on your head teachers desk if yours is due as well:)) and I'm please with what they have offered. I currrenty have a 100mb line which they are upgrading to 200mb and reducing my annual costs as part of the new package. It's a thumbs up from me. Note * You need to sign and return the agreement before the 23rd October to get the extra discount. Yup, we've just done ours for the same deal. Double the speed, a £1k pa discount, it was a no brainer really! The benefits of a not for profit supplier I guess, BT or Virgin would just absorb those costs savings, rather than offer customers a free upgrade and discount. It does mean we're now tied in until 2021, but I don't see LGfL going anywhere any time soon.
Nodrog Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 I think this is an across the board activity for LGfL, all the schools I work in have received letters except for one and I got them to call the LGfL office on 02084084455 to get there letter if your not connected already (that was the start of this post) then calling the sales people at atomwide does the job if your after a full list of all the features and twiddely bit’s that the service offers, the virgin sales people aren’t upto speed on all the bit’s that come with the service.
DavR Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 Yup, I think it said in the accompanying letter it was for all LGfL schools. From a customer point of view, Atomwide provide the LGfL services. Virgin are just a subcontractor.
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 we are also with LGfL and have had the same letter. It did look like a good deal but then another supplier (sponsor on Edugeek) offered us an even better deal with 500MB leased line but for around the same money. We don't really use anything from LGfL other than the broadband, AV and email but we are moving to GAFE so its really just the broadband and AV. In two minds here as to which way to go.
Nodrog Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 Even against a basic service the lgfl solution stacks up well, if you just price the desktop av, the email virus and spam filter and the ability to recover mail from the mail system, which google will not do, I still think the lgfl package comes out on top. This with the fact they are deploying an email archive system and taking the pupil email systems out of the hands of microsoft and building a pupil platform with a pile of stuff to combat radicalisation in line with government advice I think kinda makes it a bargain and that’s before we go near content (of course you have to use it for it to be worth anything) google and Microsoft are great at providing the service they have but my experience of their support is not that good at all and if you ask for something they don’t do, like recover a deleted mailbox, then it all falls apart. 1
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 Some good points which I have been considering already. I am getting pricing for the desktop AV. Google provide a spam filter and you can recover email. A user would have to delete the email. Go into the trash and delete it from there and even then an admin can restore data to the users account. The only thing it doesn't do is be specific about what the admin can recover. It will recover based on dates. Whilst with LGfL I have never been asked to recover an email that has been deleted. We use Securus to monitor for radicalisation and other things. We don't use the pupil email system as the pupils use GAFE. With unlimited space on GAFE we don't delete mailboxes we suspend the users so can bring them back if necessary. All food for thought as we need to make a decision soon. 1
10101010 Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 I know what you mean Fiza and I can probably guess the company you are referring to, they've offered me the same deal. If you are going to GAFE then that puts you in a much stronger position to leave. Ultimately, I suppose I'm happy with the service that LGFL currently provide.
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 I know what you mean Fiza and I can probably guess the company you are referring to, they've offered me the same deal. If you are going to GAFE then that puts you in a much stronger position to leave. Ultimately, I suppose I'm happy with the service that LGFL currently provide. The reason I am looking is that we are going more towards GAFE and investing in more Chromebooks so our broadband usage is going to go much higher than currently. I cant ignore the fact that we are being offered a 500MB leased line. Still weighing up the pros and cons so not decided to jump ship just yet.
10101010 Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 The reason I am looking is that we are going more towards GAFE and investing in more Chromebooks so our broadband usage is going to go much higher than currently. I cant ignore the fact that we are being offered a 500MB leased line. Still weighing up the pros and cons so not decided to jump ship just yet. i know this is going off topic, but are you going down the 1:1 devices route?
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 i know this is going off topic, but are you going down the 1:1 devices route? No not 1:1. By next week we will have 116 Chromebooks. We have also introduced BYOD to our 6th form.
simpsonj Posted October 15, 2015 Author Posted October 15, 2015 Thanks again for the updates, it sounds like I might need to get in contact with a certain sponsor! If I've guessed right, I was planning to approach them for a quote anyhow. As we're not currently a LGfL school, we have most of their offerings in place anyway (Desktop AV is sold to us through County at a very low cost, Email is though O365 and I've no interest in changing that (again), and we have SECURUS onsite). But I'll certainly not rule out LGfL, and once I've got some quotes together it'll come down to value for money, as it usually does.
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 One thing that annoys me with LGfL is how long a Report on web activity takes to get back to us. On some occasions it has taken as long as 24hrs until the report is ready. If its anything serious then 24hrs is too long to have to wait.
10101010 Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 Yes I agree the reporting is poor, but I have Smoothwall UTM sitting in behind so if I need reports I use that.
fiza Posted October 15, 2015 Posted October 15, 2015 Yes I agree the reporting is poor, but I have Smoothwall UTM sitting in behind so if I need reports I use that. Well one of my options is to stick with LGfL but get something like Smoothwall to do the filtering. Unfortunately this doesn't reduce the price paid to LGfL in fact I would have to pay more because I would be buying in Smoothwall on top of the package price for LGfL.
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