Randburg's St Stithians College has implemented Aladdin's eSafe Web content filtering solution, supplied and supported in SA by Magix Integration.
According to Magix Integration, eSafe allows the students and staff free access to the Internet, while ensuring they are protected from unsavoury and unsafe elements on the Web. This is all done transparently and without any disruption in service, says the company.
The solution plugs into the college's Internet infrastructure and any unacceptable elements are automatically blocked, says the company. This includes segments of Web pages with adverts for gambling or sexually inappropriate sites, and unsafe Java and VBScript code.
Gavin Boxall, director of IT at the college, says protecting the Internet users at St Stithians is no easy task. "We run two storage area networks, 14 servers, about 700 PCs and over 70 Cisco switches to service approximately 2 300 users.
"From grade four upwards, learners at St Stithians are assigned a personal user account and have full access to the computers, whether supervised in labs or on their own. From grade seven onwards, each pupil is assigned an individual e-mail address, making them full citizens of the global Internet network," he explains.
Mike Steyn, product manager at Magix Integration, notes that providing Internet access to learners is important to ensure they receive a well-rounded education; however, it is even more important to ensure they are not confronted with inappropriate material.
"While countries in Europe and the US have policing divisions dedicated to protecting children online, SA has nothing of this nature.
"A Web content filter is therefore a critical component for every educational institution's IT infrastructure," adds Steyn. "Apart from inappropriate sites, there are also predators lurking behind seemingly innocent facades that prey on children. Using a filtering tool that is continuously monitored and updated is the only way to ensure children can profit from access to the Net without unacceptable risks."
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