Topic: Dans Guardian or SquidGuard?

[Patrick]

I was just curious what the general feeling is on DansGuardian and SquidGuard.  I understand that DG is a "content" filter and that SG is really a URL (site) blocker.

I think I saw posted somewhere recently that DG now has incorporated URL (site) blocking as well - if true I assume these two products are now competing instead of complementing one another.  Anyone have any thoughts about these products (or others) they'd like to share?

I'm trying to handle some unruly web surfers and Instant Messenging users...and so I'm trying to figure out what product to use.

Regards,
Patrick

[stephen noble]

squidguard
is free
hasn't changed since early 2000
is difficult to configure
the e-smith addon comes as php and .tar.gz and is harder to install/uninstall
blocks by user, url, ip time

dansguardian
is free only for home /educational uses
is under heavy development
is easier to configure
the e-smith addon uses perl and rpm
blocks by pics rating, reg exp, phrases, mime type, file ext and by url

readme.dungog.net
stephen

[James Smith]

Does the the phrase blocks in Dans Guardian include e-mail on the e-smith server as well?

[stephen noble]

no
it only blocks http traffic

but i'm looking at implementing email filtering

[Patrick]

Stephen,

Thanks for your input, and for actually listing pros of each - instead of just saying "DG is better."

Sounds like DG is the "way of the future" (content filtering), and there are reasons to move in that direction - but with 'heavy developement' is DG ready for a production ESSG/SME environment?  SG has been 'stable' for awhile, so perhaps that's the way to go for now.

I know you are busy creating server manager panels which will drastically improve DG's ability to be utilized by the non-technical or newbie ESSG/SME administrator (like me).  I look forward to the next few months to see what you and the others are able to do with DG - so far it looks quite promising.

It would be great if DG could do the following:

1.  Allow blocking of not just web content, but also tie in firewall blocking to stop the following traffic - Instant Messaging, streaming media (mp3/mpeg/mov).

2.  Make it EASY for admins to block all this by IP/group or username, and by time of day.  In the 'real world' we need flexible controls and an easy way to administer those controls - a "one size fits all" approach doesn't work.  Did I mention it needs to be EASY?  

Thanks for your work.  Oh, and the email tie in to DG (I assume you mean a procmail link)  will be an added bonus...but with a better focus on blocking/deleting/handling SPAM mail.

Patrick

[stephen noble]

thanks patrick

>1. Allow blocking of not just web content, but also tie in firewall blocking to stop >the following traffic - Instant Messaging, streaming media (mp3/mpeg/mov).

are they file types or mime types, in which case it's a current option

>2. Make it EASY for admins to block all this by IP/group or username, and by >time of day. In the 'real world' we need flexible controls and an easy way to >administer those controls - a "one size fits all" approach doesn't work. Did I >mention it needs to be EASY?

if you want flexible squidguard has it, but configuring it is beyond me !

>heavy development
2.2.1 is stable , it's just that more features are being added

it's probably time to give the SMEserver another pat on the back for making the framework available for me to be able to make the tools available that i do.


regards
stephen noble

[Allen Rapini]

I second the rec for DG. A school I help out from time to time, had an "appliance" called team-internet, running a mystery linux distro. I installed e-smith v5, with dansguardian on a spare pc, and they have been thrilled with it. I actually went with the source install, which is not as easy as Stephen's but the web interface wasn't important. The system has been up 23 days (i just checked) and going strong.

Previously, they were using the commercial version of sitefilter, which had expired. Additionally, the teaminternet was not a very reliable distro from my point of view. Worst of all, when they switched to DSL from ISDN, the support group at the mfr. wouldn't give me the root password to install rp-pppoe. I had to loan them a linksys router just to get connected. Way more complicated than necessary.

Now, if I can get them to convert the $$$ they used to spend into a service contract for Mitel, I can get them the whole thing, so to speak.