Three Ways to Provide Web Filtering for your School or District

Three Ways to Provide Web Filtering for your School or District

The landscape has been changing rapidly in our schools and educators no longer have to take a one size fits all approach to educational technology and curriculum. Choosing the right web filter is critical when supporting the needs of students and the objectives of the school and/or district.  Below are three approaches to web filtering along with some recommended solutions.

1. Hosted – Low-Level technical knowledge.  This option requires no hardware or software and has a minor configuration requirement to PCs and Macintosh’s.  The provider is internet based and is the best solution for schools making Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) decisions.  Technical aptitude requirements are minimal.
   • Securly Web filtering 2.0 ($3 dollars per user)
   • Frontera
     
2. Appliance – Mid-Level technical knowledge.  This option is recommended only when a school or district has a dedicated technical resource who understands school technology requirements.  All hardware and software is combined to provide a full solution for web filtering.  We currently use an appliance that provides a lot of technical capability.  The cost is higher than all other solutions but allows for flexibility when technology decisions shift from one selection to another.  This device can be extremely complicated and requires ongoing maintenance and administration.
   • Lightspeed
   • ZyXel (as low as $69 a year subscription)
   • Frontera
   • Barracuda
3. Software – High Level technical knowledge.  The software only solution allows for the flexibility to meet all technical needs.  Annual software maintenace will be required to keep up with technology advancements.  Hardware is not provided, and is needed resulting in additional costs.  Over the long term, it is more cost effective than an appliance, once the front-end costs are completed.
   • Pearl Software
   • CensorNet Software
   • SquidGaurd (free)