Auckland Grammar Turns to NetMaster

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Auckland Grammar Turns to NetMaster

Auckland, November 8 2001 - Every school, even one as prestigious as Auckland Grammar, needs to know where the costs fall, and this includes Internet bills. Staff need to accurately monitor the school’s Internet traffic volumes and destinations, as well as immediately deliver that information to teachers’ fingertips. The solution needs to be easy to install and use. And without blocking, it needs to keep watch on whether students are using the Internet responsibly.

Enter CommSoft’s NetMaster.

Auckland Grammar wanted software that could allow students full access to the Internet while inconspicuously monitoring their behaviour. NetMaster tracks the nature and volume of Internet material that students download. Not only does this help the school plan ahead to meet increases in its computing infrastructure, but also ensures that students do not download irrelevant material, such as streaming media, which ties up valuable bandwidth.

“NetMaster is brilliant – it allows us to quickly and accurately monitor all computer and Internet usage. Before NetMaster this was a slow job where computing staff had to copy, download and then analyse data. Now, thanks to NetMaster, we can get the information whenever we want it,” says Brian Giborees, Auckland Grammar’s Computer Systems Administrator.

“The outstanding feature of NetMaster is that it allows us to track the amount of data downloaded by each student from any school computer terminal. This means that NetMaster software allows us to both determine what information our students are accessing and also in what volumes.”

Before NetMaster, the school’s computing staff had to rely on programmes that required them to laboriously perform the task manually by copying and pasting the data into spreadsheets. A lot of time was spent on processing rather than analysis or management to utilise the resource more productively. Additionally, there was the risk of human error by staff with already full workloads. NetMaster’s introduction significantly reduced the time taken to collate data. This frees up both staff and students to focus on what matters most – using the computing resource to assist their academic achievement.

“If too much information is being downloaded that is not relevant or outside the core curriculum activities, then it is an inefficient use of the school’s computing resources. This also means that the school’s computers are not being used equitably by all students or to their full potential. Ultimately, NetMaster allows the school to keep the optimum balance and helps the school maintain its competitive edge and enviable academic reputation,” says Giborees.

NetMaster also provides Auckland Grammar with other unique advantages according to Giborees.

“The other great bonus is that NetMaster can distinguish between legitimate data and information that students should not download such as games or MP3 files. This is a significant improvement on our previous methods of monitoring Internet behaviour patterns which were little better than a stab in the dark.”

“NetMaster gives us the certainty to plan and anticipate usage patterns and trends for both the present and future school years.”

Students access the computers using their own personalised login and password. Auckland Grammar has rules governing computer use that students agree to observe as part of their access to the IT resource. These rules are self-explanatory and include a ban on accessing games or inappropriate material.

Students are charged a flat fee of $10 per year to use the school’s computer resources for Internet use outside class time. Access to the Internet is provided via an ADSL or JetStream connection so students can find information they need quickly without having to waste unnecessary time downloading material. NetMaster allows Auckland Grammar to provide excellent Internet access to its students, encourage responsible use of the Internet, and get the best value from its IT budget.

Ends

About CommSoft Group Limited
CommSoft Group Limited is an international leader in the development of niche software products for the telecommunications industry. CommSoft develops and markets leading edge telecommunications and Customer Relationship Management software to help all kinds of enterprises make better use of their telecommunications equipment through better cost management, increased staff productivity and improved customer service.
Its products are bundled with products and services by some of the world's largest telecommunications suppliers. More information is available at www.commsoftgroup.com

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