Stake Internet Use Policy

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
resimon3
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Stake Internet Use Policy

#1

Post by resimon3 »

We will soon have internet in our two buildings in the West Jordan Utah Stake. We'll be using Comcast. While waiting for them to run their cables to the buildings, we are getting the distribution cables pulled. We will be using Cat 5e. With an all-wired system we feel we will have maximum control and security. The cable modem and church firewall will be in a locked room. From the fire wall, lines will run to each clerk's office, the library and the High Council room, which is usually locked. The library will have a router to service the chapel, cultural hall and other major teaching stations. The librarians will control access to all the major teaching stations. They will normally be off during the week except when arrangements are made to have them turned on.

We have written our initial internet use policy, which has been approved by the stake presidency. I just wanted to post it as a starting point for anyone who would be interested. A couple things came from one of the other threads. Comments are welcome.

[INDENT]The following policies are to be observed by everyone who uses the building internet connections.
General Policies
A.In short, internet usage in the buildings is restricted to church related activities only.
B.All church owned computers like those used in the clerks’ offices will be monitored periodically for appropriate use.
C.All church owned computer configurations and software must remain standardized as they currently are. Reconfiguring the computers or downloading any programs, software patches, antivirus software, pictures, music, etc may only be done by or with approval of the stake technology specialist operating under the direction of the stake president.
D.Member owned computers and other devices may access these internet connections if these same policies are followed.
Appropriate UseInternet connections may be used by members for any of the following activities. Any uses other than these must be approved by the stake president.
1.Access or management of Local Unit Web Sites (LUWS) for scheduling, directories and announcements
2.Use of church websites such as www.lds.org, www.mormon.org, www.familysearch.org, byubroadcasting.org
3.Library printing of pictures or talks directly from the internet. Appropriate permissions must be acquired, where applicable.
4.Downloading or playing of talks, firesides, training or other programs on computer, TV or projector
5.Emergency Preparedness sites
6.Personal emails for church business only
7.Family History and Genealogy classes and research
8.Scouting awards, requirements, stores and other resources
9.Use of directories and maps to standardize addresses on ward records and help with genealogy. Examples are: usps.com, canadapost.ca/splash.asp, maps.google.com, mapquest.com, http://www.superpages.com, whitepages.com.
10.Use of Member and Leader Services (MLS), Temple recommend management, and Access to stake or ward files by authorized personnel.
11.Ecclesiastical on-line training
Inappropriate Use
1.Accessing any websites, stores, services, or personal email for other than church related purposes
2.Accessing or downloading any confidential or personal information from the church-owned computers or websites by unauthorized people.
3.Use of any programs or software that has not been properly purchased for use on the computer on which it is being used.
[/INDENT]
jdlessley
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#2

Post by jdlessley »

Richard Simon wrote:The library will have a router to service the chapel, cultural hall and other major teaching stations. The librarians will control access to all the major teaching stations. They will normally be off during the week except when arrangements are made to have them turned on.
How are going to configure your library router? Are you going to have LDS Extended Access filtering or LDS Restricted Access. Since you mentioned that one of the uses will be for family history work I assume you will be using LDS Extended Access. With that assumption - how are you going to ensure appropriate use of the internet access? Examples discussed in other threads have been white-listing and black-listing.

Is your library router going to be secured (physically locked in a cabinet, closet, cage, etc.)?

What do you mean when you say the librarians will control access to all the major teaching stations? I have a vision of them plugging in the network cable for the room needing access and uplugging it when not in use. Is this what you mean?

Have you considered who will have keys to the library and/or the secure area where the router is located? Or will anyone with a library key or access to the library going to have access to the router?

Your post just caused an explosion of questions regarding security in my mind. I know that others will be curious to know how you are going to maintain security in a bit more detail. I am interested in the physical as well as electronic security of your setup.
Richard Simon wrote:From the fire wall, lines will run to each clerk's office ...
I don't know how concerned you are about internet access at the clerk computers. This configuration tells me that there is little concern. If you want to restrict, or have more control, of these connections then I would put another firewall (router) between your Church provided firewall and the clerk computers. You can then further filter internet access much the same as LDS Restricted Access does.
The_Earl
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#3

Post by The_Earl »

Richard Simon wrote:[INDENT]
B.All church owned computers like those used in the clerks’ offices will be monitored periodically for appropriate use.
[/INDENT]


I would not put 'periodically' in this statement. Alternatively, you may change 'monitored' to 'audited'.

I would also add that ALL computers WILL be monitored for proper use, and that access may be removed at any time for any reason, without notification. You may not have the ability to do those things now, but you should leave the door open in case you need to.
resimon3
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#4

Post by resimon3 »

We will have extended access because of the potential Family History, Scouting and leader communications potentials. The library has a very limited number of keys. People can get internet access in the larger teaching stations, ie, chapel, culteral hall, RS room, AP room, during the week by calling their librarian just like they do if they need a projector or a VHS/DVD/TV cart. On Sunday's they only have to ask for access in the library. When teachers are finished with the access, the lines are disconnected. Major teaching station lines are basically self monitored by the class. On Sundays I expect all lines will be connected all day and disconnected when the last librarian leaves.
The details of physically locking or not, connecting single lines or just turning on the router, etc will be worked out as we go and may be different in each building. We feel we can trust our librarians. They have a lot of responsibility.
Since the clerks need access to the computers on other than just Sunday and their schedules vary drastically, they need access all the time. We also feel the clerks are trustworthy. This is one of the reasons they are called to handle such personal information.
resimon3
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Location: West Jordan, Utah

#5

Post by resimon3 »

Thank you Earl for you recommendations. I will make the changes.
jdlessley
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#6

Post by jdlessley »

Richard Simon wrote:We feel we can trust our librarians. They have a lot of responsibility.
Since the clerks need access to the computers on other than just Sunday and their schedules vary drastically, they need access all the time. We also feel the clerks are trustworthy. This is one of the reasons they are called to handle such personal information.
By These remarks I assume that ONLY the clerks have access, or use, the clerk computers. Is this correct? In the wards and branches of our stake more people than just the clerks use the clerk computers. Granted, those people are in leadership positions and are at a level of trustworthiness that cause little concern about appropriate use of the computer. However, sadly, we have experienced failures in that trust.

If you will permit me to use a lame analogy I think you can see my point. Do you leave your car parked outside your garage overnight with the doors unlocked and the keys in the inginition simply because you live in what appears to be a nice neighborhood? As a stake technology specialist I have been called more than a few times to repair or investigate issues associated with unauthorized or inappropriate use of clerk computers. In most cases who was involved or how they got access was undetermined.

For a liitle bit of effort, or expense, a lot of protection from the unknown or the unexpected can be had. The best protection against temptation is avoidance.
resimon3
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#7

Post by resimon3 »

Thank you for the warning. Only the clerks and bishopbrics have access to those computers so we will handle those problems if and when they happen.

I am curious why others in your stake have access to the clerks' computers.
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mkmurray
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#8

Post by mkmurray »

Richard Simon wrote:Thank you for the warning. Only the clerks and bishopbrics have access to those computers so we will handle those problems if and when they happen.

I am curious why others in your stake have access to the clerks' computers.
Well the two EQ presidencies in our ward print their own attendance rolls, manage and print their own HT assignments, enter HT results, manage quorum callings, and print off other various reports that help them do thier work.

As you can imagine, many other auxiliaries would have the same needs. In my opinion, there is no way you could not let them have access to the computer and MLS. We have such high turnover in our ward that our presidencies are constantly needing to know who the new members are and which ones have moved out. This affects just about every report in the computer, HT and VT assignments, callings, etc. They need updates frequently.
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aebrown
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#9

Post by aebrown »

Richard Simon wrote:Thank you for the warning. Only the clerks and bishopbrics have access to those computers so we will handle those problems if and when they happen.

I am curious why others in your stake have access to the clerks' computers.

I can't speak for jdlessley, but it is certainly contemplated in the design and documentation of MLS that people with "organization" rights will be able to login to MLS. The most obvious use case is for a Relief Society secretary to enter Visiting Teaching records, and for Elders quorum and High Priest group secretaries to do the same for Home Teaching. In my stake, most of the wards have secretaries that login to MLS to perform these functions.

Also, it has been approved to install PAF on administrative computers so that members who don't have access to a computer can do Family History work. This would typically be in a building where no Family History Center was present.
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Mikerowaved
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#10

Post by Mikerowaved »

In our Ward, so many auxiliaries need to access the MLS computer for the exact reasons stated above that you almost need an appointment to use it, especially on Sunday. :( Somedays I wish there was a way to access the MLS database, even on a read-only basis, from a 2nd PC in the room, but I know this isn't going to happen anytime soon.
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