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Network Policies

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Network Policies

Network Policies

Tracking Users

CAUTION: The Internet Service Provider (ISP) is watching you!

Technology staff can take as many of privacy precautions as they want, but it can be pretty difficult to keep the ISP from watching.

There are a lot of steps that technology coordinators can take to clean up browsing histories and prevent other sites from tracking teachers, students, administrators, etc.

Some preventative steps include:

privacy mode (allows you to surf without saving cookies, browsing history, temporary files, etc. for your computer)
"Do Not Track" mode in browsers (tells websites that you want to opt-out of tracking cookies and other technologies used for advertising)

Reasons why your ISP is tracking you:

browsing history is a revenue stream (they find anonymous browsing logs and directly sell them to marketing companies)
some want to make privacy a premium add-on
they are legally required to provide any information they have on you (if provided with a subpoena)

Tracking Devices

To ensure that all systems stay online and that businesses can work without major downtime, networks should be monitored quite frequently. Some companies have come together to create monitoring tools that check connectivity when technology devices are left alone. Closely monitoring these devices help prevent issues from occurring in the future and making sure matters are dealt with in good timing.

The top IP monitoring tools and software for keeping track of devices in your network:

Zabbix
PowerAdmin
Nagios
ManageEngine OpManager
Solarwinds IP Monitor
Paessler PRTG

Feel free to learn more about these helpful tools/software at https://www.ittsystems.com/ip-monitor/

SolarWinds Example:

Acceptable Use Policy

An acceptable use policy (AUP) is a document that outlines what are the acceptable and not acceptable uses of technology in a school setting. Created for every user on the system, the policy should include use by, but not limited to students, staff, faculty, parents, administration, guests, and anyone else using the

school's technology or network. The AUP also includes an area where the person using the technology would need to sign that they have read, understood, and received a copy of the agreement prior to access being granted.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in it's Guide to Technology Standards and Security provides guidelines on what should be included in the AUP:

notice of the rights and responsibilities of computer and network users;
notice of legal issues, such as copyright and privacy;
notice of acceptable content and conduct on the network;
description of behaviors that could result in disciplinary action; and
description of the range of disciplinary options, including the removal of access privileges.

As stated by the NCES “The purpose of this policy (AUP) is to inform users of the ground rules, thus protecting them and the education agency from violations of law, practices that would damage the system or misunderstandings regarding who is responsible for what.”

While originally created for the acceptable use of the school's computers, an AUP now must address the range of technology, networking and mobile computing done with and through the school’s network. Previously, the AUP would include a lot of DO NOT and very little DO statements. Many viewed this a legal protection “in case” something went amiss. With the rise of digital citizenship and its place in the classroom, the age-old idea that ‘internet usage is a privilege and not a right’ is one that causes many heated discussions in a variety of areas, especially when working with disadvantaged or marginalized groups.