Early Cloud Monitor adopter makes use of real-time insights to cease VPN abuse, detect threats, and defend studying
Because the Expertise Director for Burlington College District RE-6J in rural jap Colorado, Russell Lindenschmidt is accountable for overseeing all issues tech-related for the district’s three faculties. With roughly 700 college students and an IT group of 1, managing cybersecurity and scholar security throughout the district’s Google Workspace and on-line exercise presents challenges which might be distinctive to highschool districts.
“We had been among the many first Ok–12 clients to start out utilizing Cloud Monitor, and I’ve caught with it ever since. It retains our Google Workspace surroundings protected and safe, and it saves me numerous time and complications.”
— Russell Lindenschmidt, Expertise Director, Burlington College District RE-6J
“We had been one of many first Ok–12 clients to start out utilizing Cloud Monitor, and I’ve caught with it ever since,” says Russell. “It retains our Google surroundings protected and safe, whereas saving me numerous time and complications.”
For a small district like Burlington, Cloud Monitor’s ease of use and highly effective insights have made it a significant a part of the district’s cybersecurity and security tech stack.
Challenges
Earlier than Cloud Monitor, considered one of Russell’s largest points was merely that you just don’t know what you don’t know. Again in 2018, Google safety wasn’t on most Ok-12 tech administrators’ radar.
“We knew we had issues resembling personally identifiable data being shared improperly, each inside and out of doors of the district, and scholar conduct points in Google Docs, for instance,” Russell recollects. “However, we had been attempting to make use of Google Admin console to attempt to wrangle all of it, and it simply wasn’t very efficient.”
“Cloud Monitor is instrumental in serving to us determine which youngsters are utilizing VPNs pretty rapidly and simply. I can inform a scholar, ‘You put in this VPN in your Chromebook,’ and present them the proof. That normally places a cease to it.”
— Russell Lindenschmidt, Expertise Director, Burlington College District RE-6J
Russell was additionally involved about scholar security dangers in Google Workspace, resembling bullying, inappropriate content material, and psychological well being points. As a small rural district, Burlington might not have the identical quantity of points as a bigger district, however that doesn’t imply dangers don’t exist.
“We must be proactive reasonably than reactive,” he says. “Earlier than Cloud Monitor, we didn’t have perception into what college students had been doing in Google Docs or Slides. Now we are able to see that and keep forward of points.”
When Russell discovered about ManagedMethods at a Colorado education-focused convention, he got here to appreciate that there was an answer that will assist him “tighten the ship” when it got here to enhancing safety in Google Workspace.
Outcomes
Since implementing Cloud Monitor, Burlington College District has considerably improved its capability to detect and reply to regarding exercise. “Among the best options is how Cloud Monitor flags high-risk conduct,” Russell explains. “It provides me peace of thoughts that if a scholar varieties one thing that could possibly be regarding—whether or not it’s bullying or self-harm—I’m going to be alerted.”
One of many present challenges that Cloud Monitor helps Russell mitigate is probably going acquainted to each Ok-12 tech group: college students utilizing VPNs to get across the faculty’s internet content material filter.
“It’s superb how artistic college students may be when attempting to get round our methods,” he explains. “Cloud Monitor has been instrumental in serving to us determine which youngsters are utilizing VPNs,” Russell says. By monitoring machine and app exercise, he can pinpoint utilization patterns and take motion. “I can inform a scholar, ‘You put in this VPN in your Chromebook,’ and present them the proof. That normally places a cease to it.”
“Simply do the demo, it’s low stress and informal. Cloud Monitor may be very user-friendly and saves me numerous time. It has saved us many instances, and I might advocate it to anybody.”
— Russell Lindenschmidt, Expertise Director, Burlington College District RE-6J
Lately, he had an incident the place one scholar forgot to log off of a shared pc. One other scholar modified their password and despatched inappropriate messages to elementary faculty college students. “Utilizing Cloud Monitor, we might pretty simply show that it was a particular scholar—not the scholar whose account was getting used—who logged in from one other location and despatched threatening content material.”
For a small rural district with restricted sources, the power to behave rapidly based mostly on actionable insights is essential. “Cloud Monitor may be very user-friendly,” Russell says. “I don’t should dig via a bunch of settings to search out what I would like. I get alerts, I can examine straight away, and I do know what’s happening.”
Cloud Monitor has develop into a vital a part of Burlington’s know-how technique, serving to Russell guarantee a protected, safe digital studying surroundings. “Simply do the demo. It’s low stress and informal. Cloud Monitor has saved us many instances, and I might advocate it to anybody.”Ok-12 know-how groups. “In case you’re in a district with restricted sources, give it a attempt to see if it matches,” he advises. “It’s a game-changer for managing Google safety effectively and successfully. I wouldn’t wish to go with out it.”
Wish to be taught extra about how Cloud Monitor and Content material Filter can enhance your faculty’s cybersecurity and security? Declare your free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 safety and security audit as we speak.
