Monday, February 7, 2011
What To Look For In Software Monitoring Programs
With so many websites that lead children astray, it is vital that every parent installs this program to protect their children. While the internet has overwhelming benefits, there are certain aspects online which may impact negatively on children. This calls for filtering of such information and blocking of any sites which might be negative to the children. These programs enable parents to access all the online content including the emails, chat messages, games, sites and any other material accessed through the shared PC. By looking through this content, a parent can assess the impact of the internet on the child's life. Through this program, some parents have been able to successfully block sites with child predators from their internet. This has also helped institutions especially the public ones to regulate what users of their computer networks can access. Universities, colleges, libraries and cyber cafes are some of the main beneficiaries of these programs as they can control what the public accesses.
They must be parents of a minor or prove that they own a computer or that they have consent of other users of their networks to install the program. Once you fulfill any of the three criteria then you can purchase licensed and legal software for your computer or network.
Another consideration is the features included in the programs. The program that one purchases must be able to maximize on control in order for it to be effective. Online observation is one key feature. The program being purchased must be able to record all sites visited and searches made via the internet. It must also record copies of instant messages, chat messages as well email attachments and all correspondences via email. The best programs can give you access to user names and passwords of different accounts accessed.
For one to acquire the licensed and legal monitoring program, they must fulfill either of three conditions. They must prove that they own a computer and they must prove that other users of the computer network are aware and consent to the installation of the program or alternatively they must prove that they are parents of a minor. For parents with young children, this might not be a problem.
The filtering and blocking feature should enable the computer owner to block any site that he deems questionable. This should also include chat messages and downloads of illegal games, music and software. The filter can be done by either using key words or categories. The reporting feature should enable the computer owner to get feedback as it stores all information necessary for monitoring and blocking. With all these features the software monitoring should be effective.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Desktop Remote Monitoring Service, An Effective Way To Increase Productiveness
When left unsupervised, many employees who have desktop access to the internet spend hours each day surfing the web. They waste countless hours that could be devoted to working do everything but work. Because of this, your business may be loosing considerable amounts of profits due to lost productivity. But there is an effective way to get that productivity back up, and that is through a desktop remote monitoring service.
If your employees require access to the internet, you probably have already tried some different tools and methods to decrease the personal usage of the internet by employees. Unfortunately, many filtering programs are ineffective or are just a waste of money. Even if a filtering program works, oftentimes it not only blocks bad websites, but blocks websites that your employees need access to as well. And cutting internet services altogether is probably not an option either.
With a desktop remote monitoring service, you can have specialists monitor the productivity of your employees without restricting their internet accesses. You can ensure that their internet activities are work-related and not just for pleasure. Furthermore, employers can use these services to verify that employees are not accessing websites that can be harmful to their networks or make sure that confidential data is not being leaked.
There are many different types of remote monitoring tools on the market. You will have to take some time to figure out how much you will spend on the software, what you need to monitor, and the method of monitoring. Additionally, monitoring requires computer specialists and quite a bit of time, you may also need to consider hiring employers or outsourcing to online monitoring services.
Cost is an important factor in the quality and services offered by monitoring programs. Nevertheless, do not let this deter you because as technology has become cheaper, these programs are a lot more affordable. In fact, basic monitoring programs can be found free of charge online. Other, more advanced programs can be fairly costly. Choosing an online remote monitoring service gives you the flexibility to have top of the line software support without having to pay for costly licenses or worry about upgrades.
Next, you will need to determine the level of monitoring that you need. Basic programs simply keep lists of the websites that your employees accessed without providing much amplifying data. Advanced programs provide greater detail and usually include in-depth activity logs. Some programs even offer keystroke loggers and can capture emails for additional security.
They will also have to determine what kind of techniques they want to use to monitor the data. Online services offer the ability to have data monitored from remote locations. The benefit of this is that more people from a monitoring company can filter through much more data for a lower cost than on-site monitoring office. On the other hand, this may expose the confidential data of your company to the outside world. In house defeat this negative aspect, but are much more expensive.
If you choose to utilize a remote monitoring service, you have a legal obligation to ensure that your employees are aware that their activities are being monitored. One of the easiest methods for this is to have them sign a document giving you their consent. Failing to inform your employees may be illegal and can result in lawsuits, fines, and even imprisonment.
A great way to increase productivity and profitability in a workplace that has internet access is through desktop monitoring services. They give business owners the ability to monitor internet usage without truly restricting access. And for some businesses, the increase in profits may even outweigh the costs of these services.