Re: [squid-users] Squid and controlling access to internet in a classroom

Hello,

Geir Fossum wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm running the computersystems at a school.
> I wonder if there is a simple way to let the teachers toggle internetaccess
> on/off via a webpage and a ON/OFF button ?
> Which in turn reconfigures Squid and restarts the service.

I am working on a system, currently called gafilterfish, that is being
developed to do exactly this (among other things).

It is an interface between Squid and a mysql version of squidGuard that
I wrote.

The system support custom group designations (like individual
classrooms) and specifies individual group managers (like classroom
teachers). Then when the students are entered into the system, their
group designation controls what access they have to the internet.

For example, say you have a grade level 3 taught by Mrs. Sue Morton,
then the admiinistrator of the system can create a group called
'gradlevel3Morton.' Then, if a student is entered into the system, and
put into group 'gradlevel3Morton' Mrs. Morton controls the level of
access to the Internet for her classroom at any given time. This is all
done through web based interfaces.

It is also possible for an individual to belong to multiple groups, so
student could be in multiple 'classes.'

Now suppose that Mrs. Morton's grade level 3 class is taught between
1000 and 1100 and a particular student is in group 'gradlevel3SueMorton'
and also in 'gradlevel3LarrySmith.' It is trivial to make the system
check for time windows when checking 'privileges' for the student.
Although the system does not check time windows currently, it is on my
TO-DO list, and will be implemented soon.

Another feature of the system is that it supports realtime, group based
messages. That is, Mrs. Morton can log into the group management
interface and compose a message for her class, and then every student
logged into the system will receive that message immediately. If one of
her students is not currently logged on, they will receive that message
(plus all other unreceived messages) the next time they log on.

Group managers also can setup group based whitelists and have control
over which sites are blocked.

The system also supports times overrides for blacklisted sites for
individual users with override privileges, and if a user has personal
management privileges, that user can permanantly override a site that is
normally blacklisted.

I am developing this system primarily to support schools, but it would
apply to any organization that can be partitioned into groups, classes,
divisions, etc.

Like I said earlier, I am still working on the system, but it is 90%
functionally complete. I am not an html coder, so the web interfaces
are simple, but if you want to check it out, email me at
otrcomm@isp-systems.com and I will set you up with a user account to log
in.

I am sure I haven't explained the system adequately, that is not my long
suit, but I hope you get the direction of where I am headed with it.

Thanks,

Murrah Boswell
Received on Sat Mar 20 2004 - 09:53:37 MST