Recently we have seen an increasing amount of inaccurate and misleading information being published about N4L’s Web Filtering service provided as part of your fully-funded Managed Network connection.

In an effort to ensure your school is able to make informed decisions using the correct information, here are some important things you need to know:

  1. You do not need to use & install SSL certificates on all devices for N4L’s Web Filtering service to work.  This is only required if you want to use our Secure Website Inspection feature and ensure all internet traffic, is able to be filtered (and reported on).
  2. If you choose to use the Secure Website Inspection feature, the SSL certificates that you use do not need to expire and be replaced every 12 months. The expiration date can be chosen by your school, with a maximum time of 7 years.
  3. If you do choose to use the Secure Website Inspection feature, options are available so that guests do not need to install the certificates.
  4. Secure Website Inspection only inspects websites specifically chosen by your school, either individually or by category. Therefore, sites where personal information may be given (e.g. internet banking) can remain private to the individual user. N4L recommends schools consider carefully which sites they wish to inspect and the reasons for doing so.
  5. If a school does not require Secure Website Inspection for some users, they are able to exclude specific machines, or an IP range from inspection.
  6. There are many easy ways to ensure certificates are installed on devices used at the school and, in most cases, there will not be an increase in ongoing support costs.
  7. N4L’s Web Filtering service can be integrated with a wide range of directories, including Microsoft Active Directory, Office 365, and Google Apps for Education, which are used in almost all New Zealand schools. Integration into your Student Management System via Tahi (N4L’s new identity and access management solution available mid-2016) may also offer your school additional options that could be even more compelling.  
  8. Application filtering is a key feature of N4L’s Web Filtering, made even more powerful when Secure Website Inspection is used.  
  9. Reporting is available and can be run as needed, set up to be automatically emailed at a day/time of your choosing, or viewed live. Significant further enhancements to the reporting functionality will be available to use in the new year.
  10. N4L’s Web Filtering is regularly updated and maintained to address the changing nature of the internet. This means that schools can get on with teaching and learning, knowing that they are being proactively looked after.
  11. One advantage of using N4L’s Web Filtering is that it also contains virus, adware and spyware protection.  To date, this has protected users on the Managed Network from more than 500,000 viruses and other nasties, saving many hours of work for support staff at schools all around the country. If you’re thinking about using something other than N4L’s Web Filtering, please make sure it has this critical feature.

N4L’s Web Filtering is included as part of your Managed Network connection – it is fully-funded and has been created to be flexible and meet your requirements. If you do not feel N4L’s Web Filtering solution  is meeting, or can meet, your needs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss before you commit to spending money elsewhere. We know that every dollar counts and we are committed to ensuring our fully-funded services suit your needs.

If you have any questions or you would like to discuss the above information further, please contact our friendly helpdesk team by calling 0800 LEARNING or emailing [email protected].