Opinions on RM Safetynet

[ifarmery]

Hello

 

We are looking at internet provision for our local primary schools and although we use Smoothwall. We have had quotes and are considering RM with their cloud filtering option RM SafetyNet.

 

Can anyone give me their options in this good or bad? We will use desktops, laptops and IPads (can it filter these transparently?)

 

Thank you

Ian

[Smee]

Hi, we use rm safetynet and haven't had any issues with it. Easy enough to add rules to, we use it across the network with desktops, laptops and ipads. I can't compare it with anything else as I have limited experience with other solutions.

hth.

[Boredguy]

We've been running it for over 15 years and it works. Not as fancy as Smoothwall, but also not as expensive.

 

We have transparent proxy enabled so there so iPads etc all work happily (assuming users install the Google SSL certificate that is)

Not tried the new version that has user level filtering, so still stuck on the previous single level filtering (although there is a bypass proxy you can set station to so staff can have an account to disable some of the filtering functionality for that browser session)

[AlanD]

The problem with RM safety net is that there are no reporting tools. So its not possible to examine logs and ask the question what websites were access from that station yesterday? And who was logged on to it at the time? Nor will you get feedback about what searches are been done in google. Given the focus on safety in schools, I'm not sure this measures up to what the government is suggesting is required. It is - however fantastic value for money when you use RM as an ISP. You can buy an add on for Draytek routers that provide DNS based filtering which lightening fast - and provides the same stop/go functionality as RM, including granular control over what is blocked or not. At only £60 a year its pretty good value for money. You could of course go free using squid and Dans Guardian on a Linux box - and you would be able to examine the logs - but there are no pretty reporting tools like you get with a commercial product.

[mats]

Thanks @AlanD, you've confirmed my suspicion re safetynet reporting. I'm guessing the Draytek add-on doesn't do reporting either?

 

We're still on smartcache and looking to replace it (it's out of support too) but struggling to find something which differentiates children vs staff (using ad groups), has decent reporting and doesn't cost £££s.

 

Right now, I'm starting to consider cracking the smartcache and building a log analysis / reporting tool for it. Internally I think it's very like the dansguardian option (squid, apache).

[SchoolsBroadband]

Thanks @AlanD, you've confirmed my suspicion re safetynet reporting. I'm guessing the Draytek add-on doesn't do reporting either?

 

We're still on smartcache and looking to replace it (it's out of support too) but struggling to find something which differentiates children vs staff (using ad groups), has decent reporting and doesn't cost £££s.

 

Right now, I'm starting to consider cracking the smartcache and building a log analysis / reporting tool for it. Internally I think it's very like the dansguardian option (squid, apache).

 

Hi folks,

 

hope you don't mind me slightly hi-jacking this but Lightspeed will do full Windows Active Directory integration per user push reporting and a whole host of other great filtering features.

 

We bundle it in to all of our broadband connections as we think its the best on the market. There's no need for any extra onsite appliances as its all in the cloud. Prices start from a meagre £2,600pa all in with an FTTC based connection. We can even do 100Mbit leased lines from £4,600 nationwide all in too.

 

See Web Filtering - Lightspeed Systems and Schools Broadband - Fast connectivity and filtering Schools Broadband

 

If you'd like a quote do let me know.

 

 

P.S The draytek doesn't do much on the reporting side but you can export to syslog.

[mats]

Thanks Dave but we're locked into a 3 year contract with RM. Will certainly consider schools broadband next time.

 

Chris - thanks for the update. RM would do well to publicise this sort of info to save people starting to look elsewhere. Will the reporting cover the requirements of the DfE's "Keeping children safe in education" paper?

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

Hello all

 

I am also going to slightly hijack this thread but suggesting you stay with Smoothwall. What Smoothwall does and the protection it gives is really good and actually is worth its money. With so much content being added on the internet daily, Smoothwall provides a much more real time solution in that it scans and looks at each page and its content, context and structure.

 

If you are going to compare Smoothwall then it needs to be on a like for like.

 

Anthony

[RM_Broadband]

Hello

 

RM SafetyNet reporting is going to be released this summer, certainly before you return to school in September.

 

You can use the AD Integration for full user filtering now, then once reporting is released you will be able to report on all user activity as well as trends across the school.

 

In response to mats question, Safetynet does cover all of the requirements for the DfE's papers.

 

If you would like to discuss this further, please don't hesitate to call us on 0845 121 3347.

 

Kind regards

Chris @ RM

[nathan]

One of our schools are going for an esafety award but can't pass until they can report on what websites have been viewed/blocked.

[PrimaryTech]

One of our schools are going for an esafety award but can't pass until they can report on what websites have been viewed/blocked.

 

I'm in the same situation, Monitoring is the only this missing from my 360Safe mark. I'm still evaluating RM Response, Smoothwall and Impero but struggling to find something that fits out mix of Windows desktops / laptops and Apple iPads.

 

Has anyone found a workable reporting / monitoring tool that works for both? (I know this thread is 6 months old)

[Opendium_Steve]

Has anyone found a workable reporting / monitoring tool that works for both? (I know this thread is 6 months old)

 

Yes, although you may need to separate different types of device onto different vlans (if they aren't already) to make things work smoothly.

[dry]

I'm in the same situation, Monitoring is the only this missing from my 360Safe mark. I'm still evaluating RM Response, Smoothwall and Impero but struggling to find something that fits out mix of Windows desktops / laptops and Apple iPads.

 

Has anyone found a workable reporting / monitoring tool that works for both? (I know this thread is 6 months old)

RM SafetyNet reporting (which was released over the summer) is fairly good from my experience. Right now it's only granular to IP-level, so "IP Address X was blocked from accessing Website Y at Time Z", but if you buy their User-Based filtering add on (which syncs with AD), you will get the above but with username replacing IP address. We're fairly tempted- I don't think it's an awful lot (£250/year has been a figure floated about but you'd have to speak to an RM account manager to confirm)