The modern office environment with its extensive reliance on the Internet provides employees with access to the Web because it is such an important business tool. However, Internet access has a downside for companies because most staff are able to use it to escape from the day to day routine of work, by periodically browsing, downloading music or software, shopping or banking online and accessing any number of Internet sites unrelated to their work.
As a result, it has become increasingly important to monitor and keep track of this potentially unproductive working environment. The challenge that HR departments face and that IT managers must support is how to enforce an Internet acceptable usage policy within an organisation. Dimension Data and IS Security Solutions provides a service that answers to this challenge in the form of their Security Proxy Solution.
The Security Proxy equips clients with the ability to authenticate, monitor, manage and report on employees` Web usage in the workplace. Control of staff Web use is essential given the extensive evidence that attests to employee misuse or abuse of office Internet resources.
Statistics indicate that up to 40% of complaints received by human recourse executives are attributed to employees` wasting time on the Net. Other studies indicate that 67% of workers access news sites for personal reasons and 37% access shopping and auction sites at the office. The Security Proxy Solution provides an essential Internet use-management utility, armed with the tools required to track and control staff behaviour and ensure the Internet is used as an effective business tool at the office and not a vehicle to undermine productivity.
The Security Proxy offers four main features to clients: It provides URL (Web site) filtering, authentication, proxying and caching services. URL filtering permits exclusion or filtering of nominated Web sites and other online services. Companies can configure the solution to block or restrict access to certain sites, examples of which are gaming, pornographic, chat/messaging and music download sites. Managers can therefore limit access to high bandwidth sites such as those offering downloadable MP3 files, chat, games and instant messaging as well as bandwidth intensive services such as streaming media. In the South African context, with our high bandwidth charges, restricting use of this precious resource is essential.
The user-authentication feature validates Web users against defined permissions and can be used to properly authorise Web-browsing internally via user names and passwords. The proxying and caching engine built into the Security Proxy allows for retrieval of frequently visited Web pages from the cache which manages each browsing request and `fetches` each Web page on behalf of the user. The cache improves Web browsing speeds and saves Internet bandwidth and the proxy affords tighter security and administrative control. Finally, reporting services built into the Security Proxy will provide administrators with valuable information on employee Web usage.
This integrated solution - available in an appliance format - offers cost benefits to clients, where the software and hardware is managed on behalf of the client. "Any professional company needs a combination of the right technology and policies in place," states Anthony Southgate, GM of DD and IS Security Solutions. "Organisations can draft IT and information use policies easily with the goal of controlling Internet misuse and limiting liability but the real task is to enforce and manage these policies with appropriate technology. The Security Proxy provides a simple IT solution for supporting an organisation`s HR policies via a unique customised and fully managed device. Internet use can now enhance productivity and not detract from it " he adds.
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