Impero and Web Filtering

[webby74]

Hi All

 

Its been a while since I've posted on Edugeek. I visit lots, but now looking for some opinions.

 

We are currently testing Lanschool and Impero, and we are very impressed at what Impero can do and does everything we need. The only thing is cost, the quote I've received is over my budget. I'm just trying to see if we can achieve the same set up for the budget I have.

 

Presently we don't have any classroom/network management software (other than one AB Tutor station and Apple Remote desktop). We do have Censornet for Filtering the internet for pupils. We also have the internet provided by our LA, which is filtered at their end by Websense.

 

My thinking is we give up Censorent and let Impero do the work of filtering the internet on top of Websense. Websense covers most stuff, but Impero as far as I can tell, can take over the role that Censornet does in school. Currently all we use Censornet for is disabling internet to users/rooms, controlling what and when pupils access on the internet, and blocking games sites.

 

Do you guys use filtering on top of LA provision? Is then any drawbacks I might of missed by losing Censornet? Other than gaining Impero.

 

If I do this, the cost I save on Censornet will cover the additional cost of Impero.

 

Thanks for your opinions in advance

 

Andrew

[RichCowell]

We've been using Impero for just over a year now, and I love it, it's filled so many needs, including filtering, though we do have County filtering, and a local ISA server, Impero is just far more powerful...

 

I know you've been impressed with it already, but if you want to ask anything about it from an unbiased source, feel free to get in touch, I'd be happy to sing its praises!

[russdev]

Thanks for kind comments Let me know if need anything..

 

Russell

[robk]

Andrew,

 

You can certainly do all of the internet on off etc in each room in Impero, and you can block sites for students etc. I would be worried if you were suggesting using Impero as your ONLY internet filtering but if your just augmenting your LAs filtering with a bit of local (userbased) control I could see that working really well in Impero. Might save some power costs as well...

 

We filter with smoothwall, so dont need to use the Impero features for the job, does your censornet box update from a central block list? If so that would be the feature you would miss out on.

[webby74]

Andrew,

 

You can certainly do all of the internet on off etc in each room in Impero, and you can block sites for students etc. I would be worried if you were suggesting using Impero as your ONLY internet filtering but if your just augmenting your LAs filtering with a bit of local (userbased) control I could see that working really well in Impero. Might save some power costs as well...

 

We filter with smoothwall, so dont need to use the Impero features for the job, does your censornet box update from a central block list? If so that would be the feature you would miss out on.

 

 

Censornet does provide the block list update, but unfortunately it often fails to update as the LA block the update.