Running out of ideas

[fish]

I'm still looking for cheap software that will monitor my employees internet usage on a user basis rather than IP. Etherscout by global patrol is nearly fine except it uses IP and can't print reports.

Proxy software that allows me to control the bods as well would be nice but overall the monitoring is key.

So far I've looked at the more expensive winproxy, brouse gate etc but these are too corporate and expensive.

Any thoughts folks.....

[mustard]

Dont get the system the wifes(to be) company uses!


>> Edited by mustard on Monday 16th February 19:01

[Bodo]

James, have you not tried the Squid proxy server with the Squidalyzer?

http://squidalyser.sourceforge.net/

It's free and sounds like the thing you're looking for

[fish]

by the look of things squib uses a unix system, we are all windows here so it's a no go.

[rdhawkins]

[plug]
Try NetSupport DNA* from NetSupport Software, monitors Internet and Application activity as well as blocking web sites and apps.

Reports on hardware/software inventory, web stats etc.

Optionally includes remote control and software distribution too.

NetSupport

[/plug]

* I am an employee of NetSupport

[PetrolTed]

Why monitor them?

If they're not doing their job then penalise them for that, not just the fact that the time they waste is on the internet rather than being fishwives (no pun intended) in the coffee room

Declares an interest in people being allowed to use the internet for entertainment purposes whilst at work

[squirrelz]

What about SquidNT?
www.acmeconsulting.it/pagine/opensource/squid/SquidNT.htm

Native port of squid to NT/W2k/XP/2003.... can do authentication by domain accounts and permissions based on Groups etc.

[squirrelz]

PetrolTed said:

Why monitor them? If they're not doing their job then penalise them for that, not just the fact that the time they waste is on the internet rather than being fishwives (no pun intended) in the coffee room Declares an interest in people being allowed to use the internet for entertainment purposes whilst at work

To an extent I agree, but unfortunately its sometimes necessary. Our policy is basically that we don't go trawling the logs to check up on what people are looking at, but if we get complaints, it can be used as supporting evidence.
e.g. people sending obscene/threatening email from hotmail to colleagues, browsing kiddie porn, and so on. It happens, so you have to deal with it.

[davidd]

Do you have to do this, is there no way you can get away with a clear use of Internet policy that they all sign?

D.

[fish]

They've already agreed to a clear use policy they just aren't following it. You can't diciplin any one or even have a quiet word without knowing the fact.

Hence the reason for some monitoring software.

We did give everyone the access as a perk, but not supposeably at the detriment of their work.

[davidd]

fish said:

They've already agreed to a clear use policy they just aren't following it. You can't diciplin any one or even have a quiet word without knowing the fact. Hence the reason for some monitoring software. We did give everyone the access as a perk, but not supposeably at the detriment of their work.

Ah fair point. Can you use your firewall to block people or ip addresses from using the net between specific times?

D.

[pbrettle]

PetrolTed said:

Why monitor them? If they're not doing their job then penalise them for that, not just the fact that the time they waste is on the internet rather than being fishwives (no pun intended) in the coffee room Declares an interest in people being allowed to use the internet for entertainment purposes whilst at work

Mmm fair point, but as a business owner / manager you are held responsible to a certain degree for the actions of employees. An acceptible usage policy is good and sets the ground rules, but as a business you have to take reasonable (not excessive) steps to prevent users from getting to / abusing the system as well as monitoring and alerting to prevent abuse. Its in everyone's interest to have this, unmetered access to the internet is a perk and if let to get out of control can be very costly in lost man-hours, productivity and security breaches (like viruses, lost information, crashed PCs etc etc).

As DavidD mentioned - why not use a good firewall and restrict access based on time - unmetered at lunch, but metered during the rest of the day. Once an employee is on their time they can do what they like - your not employing them at that point!!!

[m-five]

Why not simply block out the sites that do not conform to the guidelines/rules/agreement?

The company I work at has 300,000 employees and manages to do just that. You get a warning page that comes up telling you it will not connect to that page and why - along with a link to click to ask your line manager to authorise the removal of the block for your account in work-related instances.

It does go wrong sometimes and means I can't get to my bank without it warning me it is Pornography???