[GLLUG] [Fwd: Re: Web proxy with tracking/login?]

[Jeff Hengesbach]

Missed the list on this one - looks like Mike R beat me too the punch ;).


---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: [GLLUG] Web proxy with tracking/login?
From:    "Jeff Hengesbach" <jeffh at smallevolution.com>
Date:    Wed, October 15, 2008 8:44 am
To:      "Mike Szumlinski" <szumlins at mac.com>
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Squid + Webalizer would be a good start.  Squid can be setup to require
authentication, and webalizer can give you static reports on: most visited
urls, highest KB urls, Users (by highest URL count, not KB's though), &
more.  I've used this at work for several years including squidguard
thrown in for filtering.  I took to dumping my squid logs into a database
where I could perform more advance queries than what webalizer provides.

A few 'cautions'.  Visiting a single web page can generate _lots_ of url
hits as images, banners, and other content are pulled from all across the
web to generate one page.  That said interpreting proxy logs is voluminous
process unless you're looking for a relatively specific url, download,
etc.  Trying to glean how much time an user spends online from logs can be
indicative, but not definitive.  Many web pages if left open, even
minimized, very often reload content automatically.

I've found the use of logs most useful for the following situations. 1)
Locating bandwidth hogs(streaming, downlaods, etc), 2) Proof of very
specific URL access, 3) Having a good overall count of bandwidth used for
surfing.  4) Legal just-in-case situations.

Using squidguard has been a huge positive.  It has all but eliminated
spyware issues.

My 2 cents.

Jeff

> I figured I would ask here since there is a lot of OSS use.  Does
> anyone have any recommendations for a web proxy that allows for login
> based tracking?  I have a customer looking to track where their
> employees have been during the day, but since it is such a small shop
> a lot of the appliance based commercial proxies are overkill on both
> price and features.
>
> Anyone know of anything out there or can make any recommendations?
>
> -Mike
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