securus

[acerf1]

hiya

don't know if this is the right place to post, anyways can someone help me we currently have securus content blocking software which blocks proxy sites , it is costing us 6k per year which is 2 high can anyone think of somthing else ? is there any programs that do this for free or low cost? what have you got in you high schools?

 

many thanks

[dave.81]

Smoothwall School Guardian Software, recently installed over Censornet been much better so far.

[dezt]

We use censornet here as well, found it to be very good.

[kearton]

6k per year.... *every* year? Ours is nowhere near that much....

How many users have you got?

I know Donna from Securus reads these forums... maybe you should contact her (do a search for securus and you'll find her posts)

[plexer]

dezt: dave.81 was saying he's replaced censornet with the much better smoothwall solution.

 

acerf1: Securus isn't just for blocking websites thought it picks up on things entered into word documents etc...

 

Allthough if you are only use it to facilitate website blocking then it's the wrong product.

 

Smoothwall Corporate Guardian here if you only need a proxy or School Guardian for a firewall/proxy solution.

 

Ben

[acerf1]

its 6k for this year and then 1k per year is this right? yes we use it to block words in documents such as proxy

[kearton]

It depends on what size server you got, and how many user licenses etc, but that sounds more realistic. I've found it an invaluable tool here so far (had it about a year). The SMT got a fright when they started seeing exactly what the kids were getting up to... The Head of IT comes down VERY hard on offenders, and the kids have really bucked up now...

[securussoftware]

hiya

don't know if this is the right place to post, anyways can someone help me we currently have securus content blocking software which blocks proxy sites , it is costing us 6k per year which is 2 high can anyone think of somthing else ? is there any programs that do this for free or low cost? what have you got in you high schools?

 

many thanks

 

The annual support and maintenance is always 20% of the original purchase cost. It is capped at £995 so customers will never pay more than £995 even if the 20% of the purchase price is higher.

 

The £6k you are talking about is to buy Securus outright. The £995 is an annual cost to cover upgrades, technical support etc.

 

Pricing is not really my area so if anyone wishes to discuss this further they can contact me and I will pass them onto someone who knows more than me on this!

[securussoftware]

Just to let you all know we are releasing version 5 in the next few weeks which will include:

 

1. New front end

 

2. Compatibility with fire fox

 

3. Compatible with Windows Vista

 

4. Web console log which logs all console access and by whom

 

5. Security audit - informs you of any admin passwords that are set to password and require changing for security

 

6. Management group option shown in all areas under admin for relationships

 

7. Create a management group and it creates everything else for you and links it all up (ideal for supporting feeder schools)

 

8. Better web logging

 

9. A status option on the client to let you see what groups etc the logged on user is in

 

10. Online manual which can be updated quickly and easily by us centrally rather than individual help screens

[woody]

Referring to the original question, Acerf1, do you mean you use securus to MONITOR website access, or actually BLOCK them? Securus does not currently have the facility to BLOCK websites - just to pick up words within them as well as any other application, although I am aware that Securus does plan to introduce website blocking as an additional extra cost. Applications can be blocked within the current software.

 

However, if you want to BLOCK websites, look at some of the linux distros that will do this for free. i'm sure others will mention some specific ones???

[securussoftware]

Referring to the original question, Acerf1, do you mean you use securus to MONITOR website access, or actually BLOCK them? Securus does not currently have the facility to BLOCK websites - just to pick up words within them as well as any other application, although I am aware that Securus does plan to introduce website blocking as an additional extra cost. Applications can be blocked within the current software.

 

However, if you want to BLOCK websites, look at some of the linux distros that will do this for free. i'm sure others will mention some specific ones???

 

There will be two forms of web blocking released in September, our own version included in your annual support and maintenance as an upgrade or an additional cost version which is using Content Keeper.

[bossman]

acerf1:

We use IPCop at the moment and have really fastened it down pretty tight if you want any advice on this just PM, oh and its totally free. Configuration contains:

Blacklist Website

Whitelist Website

Blacklist URL

Whitelist URL

Custom expressions

And also can be configured to allow teachers to shutdown internet access services.

 

We have been using it for quite a while and it is very stable and reliable.

[tom_newton]

@acerf1:

Drop me a line if you want to have a look at any SmoothWall software, can do you an eval no probs.

 

Tom