We've been using this device for a few years. Whilst it is very good it does as you say have some drawbacks.
Depending on the version and how you control your network, it is possible to have different categories available for Groups.
Problem is as you say many sites are not categorised and some have the wrong or perhaps different category to what you think it should. The other problem with things like this is that many sites are both Entertainment and other things like News. These though can be added by Group manually.
We control it through IT Support and every now and then we make ourselves unpopular, but hey what's new. We had the grand idea of considering these things by committee, but it never happens. Quick actions seem to work and we manage to block things like Facebook etc on the basis that if they don't use it they don't miss it.
Regards
George Russell
Bexley College
>>> Wallace Simbanegavi <[log in to unmask]> 25/09/2008 15:20 >>>
Dear all
We recently commissioned a proxy device called Bloxx which is much more
granular and flexible in controlling Internet access. Its also more
effective in dealing with proxy avoidance sites. The proxy device can be
configured to allow access by AD user, group, PC, time period etc.
However there is always a downside to having an effective content
filtering system in an educational institution. We are now inundated
with daily requests to allow access to sites classified as Alcohol and
tobacco, Entertainment, Media streaming, sex education, social
networking etc which have generally been prohibited, students and staff
say they need access for research purposes. We are mainly a sixth form
College dealing with minors although there are some FE students. The
initial configuration was based on giving access to commonly used sites
such as webmail, online educational materials, newspapers, sports,
wikis, etc then open up any other specific sites as and when required.
I would like to know how other similar institutions deal with this issue
of Internet access control.
Is it an IT Support responsibility?
Is it a free for all? If not which site categories do you normally
block access to?
My team is getting very unpopular because users think we are imposing
unnecessary restrictions on them yet it's a policy decision. Proxy
devices use known categories yet new unclassified sites come up every
day, these require someone to decide whether they are appropriate or not
then classify them. At the moment this decision rests with IT Support
although we request teachers and tutors to log request on behalf of
their students, this is something I have strong reservations about. Who
will be ultimately responsible if a user commits a serious crime using
the College's Internet access?
Please help
Regards
Wallace Simbanegavi
IT & Telecoms Support Manager
Richmond upon Thames College
Egerton Road
Twickenham
TW2 7SJ
Tel: 02086078391
Mob: 07903421341
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