GFI Software has released the latest version of GFI
WebMonitor for Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA)
Server.
GFI WebMonitor is a lightweight tool, designed as a plug-in for
ISA Server, which aims to enable administrators to monitor, in real
time, the websites being browsed by network users, and the files
that they are downloading.
It is also designed to allow administrators to block existing
web connections as needed.
GFI WebMonitor is claimed to be an ideal solution to
transparently exercise a degree of control over users' browsing
habits and to ensure legal compliance - in a manner which will not
alienate network users.
Traditional internet access control tools tend to be either
full-blown user-based web filters that are cumbersome to administer
and expensive to buy, or log file analysers that are awkward to
use, and do not allow for real-time monitoring and blocking.
With GFI WebMonitor administrators simply need to type
"http://monitor.isa" in their
browser to see a list of existing and recent connections on
Microsoft ISA Server.
Administrators can cancel an existing download or browsing
session simply by clicking on the "block connection" button.
"GFI WebMonitor is very simple to use, and does not duplicate
what is already in ISA Server, making it a perfect companion to ISA
Server 2004," said Nick Galea, GFI cheif executive officer.
GFI WebMonitor is said to be a native plug-in for ISA Server
2004 and 2000, meaning that deployment is easy and no additional
configuration is required.
The product is designed to function as a web filter, and to take
advantage of the ISA Server APIs, reducing administration and
guaranteeing reliability and performance.
Administrators can view:
1. URL history - designed to group all accesses to a particular
URL and list them according to popularity, displaying the number of
hits, file types accessed and the users who accessed the site.
2. Users' history - designed to list all network users and all
the URLs they accessed, together with number of hits and the
distribution of their web browsing.
3. Web access - aims to show all web access in detail, either
currently in progress, or for the last 200 URLs.
Authorised users can monitor internet traffic from anywhere in
the network and configure GFI WebMonitor accordingly; there is no
need to install any client software to access GFI WebMonitor.
GFI WebMonitor is freeware, therefore no licence fees are
due.
Written by
Computing SA staff