[info-tech] Computer Security...

[Jeremy Pearson]

Good morning-       We have had some people objecting to our computer security here in Fort Dodge, and I wanted to check into what everyone else allows people to do on the computers in the classroom.  We are slowly rolling out a program called Deep Freeze, which discards all changes to the computer on reboot.  With our WindowsXP machines, we have successfully redirected the user's desktop, favorites, my documents and most system settings to a network folder, which follows the user from one XP machine to another.       So, in your districts, what is the practice or policy for allowing the following modifications to a user computer:           Desktop Settings - Do you allow changes to  Backgrouds, shortcuts on the desktop, screen savers, etc           Do you allow saving to the local hard drive, or restrict saving to the network only           How about disk space quotas - how much do you allow a user to store on the network           Use of e-mail programs - do you have district supported programs, or can they use anything they want           Installing programs on the machine - both district-supported and personal software           Do you allow computers to be used without any connection to the network           Do you allow people to connect personal peripherals to the computer that require software - digital cameras, zip drives, cd-burners, scanners, etc...           In what method do you suggest people move data from school to home for work - usb flash keys, floppy, e-mail       Sorry for all of the questions.  We are trying to get some baseline data for security that other schools are using.  If you would help us out, I would appreciate it.  I would be happy to compile all of the data and return it to the list, should there be any interest for that.  Again, thanks for any help!!!  Have a great weekend!!!   Jeremy           _______________________________________________   Jeremy Pearson Network Administrator / Computer Technician Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501   http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us   (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax