8e6 Technologies released its 8e6 R3000 Internet Filter version 2.1. The major upgrade features expansions to the filter’s Safe Search function adding support to Ask.com and the AOL search engine. Additionally, the release includes increased administration capabilities and introduces several new filtering controls that will aid IT managers in time for the highly Web-accessible Beijing Olympics.

For the first time in the United States, Olympic enthusiasts will be able to access live streaming coverage of the Summer Games as it happens. During the Games’ 17-day run, NBCOlympics.com plans to offer 2,200 hours of live streaming video and a total of more than 3,500 hours of exclusive on-demand video. IT managers can expect both a surge of interest in following the games online and unregulated access that could trigger network bandwidth overloads and loss of productivity. While IT administrators may attempt to completely block access to any types of streaming media during this time, total restriction may encourage many to bypass the network filter altogether via Web-based proxies.

The 8e6 R3000 v2.1 now offers filtering based on new criteria such as enhanced quota, calendar and an expanded time-based function; adding additional layers of control that will help manage the network during daytime sporting events such as the Olympics and March Madness. During the Olympics, administrators may want to allow 30 minutes of access a day to the streamed events, which allows employees to follow the games but also enforces responsible network use.

With quota-based filtering, administrators can choose specific categories like “Sports,” “Streaming Media,” or “Shopping” and set user or group quotas to allow as much or as little access to these categories, or any combination of categories, as deemed appropriate. Additionally, IT administrators can utilize time and calendar-based filtering to regulate Internet access by time of the day then apply time profiles to calendar days. For example, administrators can choose to allow access to sites during the lunch hour, or ease up on Web access restrictions after regular work hours.

New features include the following:

• Quota-Based Filtering – Time quotas can now be set per user or per group for each of the 100+ database categories. Quotas are set in increments of minutes.
• Overall Group Quota – Users can be limited to a time quota for the combined use of restricted categories. Overall group quotas can be set on IP Groups, Authentication Groups and Users.
• Time-Based Profiles for Authenticated Users – Previously available for IP Group users, administrators can set profiles for both IP Group and Authenticated Users to block categories access based on time of day.
• Calendar-Based Time Profiles – Time profiles can be set to the calendar by day, day of the week or day of the month. Recurrences can be configured for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly settings.
• Multi-Tiered Administration of Active Directory and LDAP Profiles – Administrators can define sub-administrator access control to their policy for specific AD/LDAP Groups and Users in addition to the existing control of IP Group users.
• Expansion of safe search to new search engines – The 8e6 R3000’s popular Google and Yahoo Safe Search features have been expanded to include Ask.com and the AOL search engine.
• Real Time Authentication Profile Updates – Eliminates re-login requirements for updates to authentication profiles by updating changes as they are made.
• Support for ICAP – The 8e6 R3000 now supports ICAP protocol that allows a proxy device to communicate with the R3000.
• Additional enhancements, including: User IP, username, category and site included in end user emails sourced from a block page; improved performance of per-group exception URLs; and searchable profiles to include group information and profile type