Sophos WS1000 Replacement?

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We've had in place a Sophos WS1000 for over 5 years (out of warranty and out of subscription) to provide content blocking for the student Internet connection.

 

The WS1000 seems to be dying though, and is holding up Internet traffic, and making the Internet essentially unusable for students. So I've had to bypass it and put the student Internet connection out directly through our Hants CC provided connection. This has a firewall on it, and the ability to block pages, but it's pretty awful (pages blocked at 8:30am this morning still aren't blocked now).

 

The suggestion elsewhere has been to replace with a Smoothwall box of some description. Is this a good direct alternative? Are there other alternatives that aren't complicated?

 

(Caveats: we need to get this replaced in the next few days, and don't have a very high skilled IT staff on-site)

 

TIA

[tom_newton]

If you want to go Smoothwall, we can offer an install service. It usually takes a bit longer to do a "full service" install, but since you're near our Soton office, we might be able to kick things on for you a bit Drop me your details by PM if you want a bit of further Smoothwall info.

[Gongalong]

Thanks Tom. Sending you a PM.

[RTFM]

Smoothwall is v.good if you did intend to go that way

 

We trialled Bloxx and Smoothwall and went with the Smoothwall option.

[robk]

@Gongalong I would suggest getting smoothwall to give you a trial box, but be warned you will not want to give it back! Can't fault the support we have had, even if we do give smoothwall ear ache with our rather non standard setup.

[tom_newton]

@robk - "non standard"... that's the polite version

[Gongalong]

It might be that our Sophos box isn't entirely dead. Trying to deal with their support, which hasn't been great so far.