How do Network Admins deal with MP3 issues?

[David Reed]

I was wondering what tools, if any, anyone uses to audit their network
(servers, shared folders, networked desktops, etc) for compliance with MP3
requirements?

Surely with the way things are, I'd be interested to know how others are
handling their users who may download and install programs such as iMesh,
Grokster, etc, and downloading .MP3 files.

How are other Network Admins dealing with this subject?

 

[Guest]

Are you going to check their portable CD players to see if
they have CDs that are in "compliance"? I mean, they always
-could- put the CD in a CD-ROM drive and then where will you
stand? Why not just tell them not to have mp3s? Why not
just tell them that if they do, that they must have made the
mp3s from their own CDs? Perfectly legit (as if that even
has to be said).

DR [Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:22:44 -0400]:

I was wondering what tools, if any, anyone uses to audit their network
(servers, shared folders, networked desktops, etc) for compliance with MP3
requirements?

Who's running the company there, the RIAA? haha

 

[David Reed]

You may not like it, and I KNOW I don't. But that doesn't change the fact
that as a Network Administrator, I have a responsibility to provide
reasonable protection of my employers resources (network) against illegal
content (mp3, mov, etc). I don't like it any better than you do. But that
doesn't matter, as it's a responsibility that someone in these positions
should accept.

Should I let my companies network become infected with viruses, just because
viruses are illegal, so why deal with them?

David

Are you going to check their portable CD players to see if
they have CDs that are in "compliance"? I mean, they always
-could- put the CD in a CD-ROM drive and then where will you
stand? Why not just tell them not to have mp3s? Why not
just tell them that if they do, that they must have made the
mp3s from their own CDs? Perfectly legit (as if that even
has to be said).

DR [Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:22:44 -0400]:

I was wondering what tools, if any, anyone uses to audit their network
(servers, shared folders, networked desktops, etc) for compliance with MP3
requirements?

Who's running the company there, the RIAA? haha

 

[Dmitry Korolyov]

Viruses by themselves are not illegal; their activity, however, is hazardous
and may be illegal.
It is impossible - yes impossible meaning that total cost of implementing
and supporting some system which will monitor for illegal mp3 files will
always supercede the economical effect of doing so.
It does not hurt, however, to go to your file server, do a *.mp3 search and
hit Shift+A - Shift+Del - Yes sometimes

--
Dmitry Korolyov
(e-mail address removed)
To e-mail me, remove "nospamformorons"
from the address.

You may not like it, and I KNOW I don't. But that doesn't change the fact
that as a Network Administrator, I have a responsibility to provide
reasonable protection of my employers resources (network) against illegal
content (mp3, mov, etc). I don't like it any better than you do. But that
doesn't matter, as it's a responsibility that someone in these positions
should accept.

Should I let my companies network become infected with viruses, just because
viruses are illegal, so why deal with them?

David

Are you going to check their portable CD players to see if
they have CDs that are in "compliance"? I mean, they always
-could- put the CD in a CD-ROM drive and then where will you
stand? Why not just tell them not to have mp3s? Why not
just tell them that if they do, that they must have made the
mp3s from their own CDs? Perfectly legit (as if that even
has to be said).

DR [Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:22:44 -0400]:

I was wondering what tools, if any, anyone uses to audit their network
(servers, shared folders, networked desktops, etc) for compliance with MP3
requirements?

Who's running the company there, the RIAA? haha

 

[Mike D]

Correct, policies and management involvment are crucial. They own the system
more than you do. In my experience, they will gladly support policies but
might be a little reluctant to enforce them... Go figure.

Politics and moral issues aside, you can monitor or deny MP3 storage with
storage admin products (see QuotaServer from Northern; although they mention
this particular application-- controlling MP3s-- don't get it just for
that). You can also track down downloads with any number of network tools,
from protocol analyzers to IDS or proxy. It'd be a good idea to use one of
these for a while to asses the extent of your problem-- it's nice to plan
ahead but only if you know it'll be worth it.

Mike D

 

[David Reed]

Well, I'm sure that helps. I don't disagree!

But in some certain employment situations, that's not likely to happen.
This is one of those cases.

David

 

[David Reed]

Hi Mike,

Thank-you for your thoughtful suggestion. I will look at that product, and
see if it suits our needs. Sounds possible.

Thanks again,

David

 

[David Reed]

Hmmm...

That -is- an interesting point of view, however...

David

Hmm, how about this one:

writing a virus is a work, written virus is an intellectual proeprty, and
reverse engineering a virus (which antivirus vendors do) is a violation of
DMCA

If you take it way too serious, consider myself kidding. I do realize
viruses being harmful.

That depends on where you live. In some places, just WRITING a virus is
illegal, even if you never have the intent to distribute it.

Viruses by themselves are not illegal; their activity, however, is hazardous
and may be illegal.
It is impossible - yes impossible meaning that total cost of implementing
and supporting some system which will monitor for illegal mp3 files will
always supercede the economical effect of doing so.
It does not hurt, however, to go to your file server, do a *.mp3

search
and

hit Shift+A - Shift+Del - Yes sometimes

--
Dmitry Korolyov
(e-mail address removed)
To e-mail me, remove "nospamformorons"
from the address.


You may not like it, and I KNOW I don't. But that doesn't change

the
fact

that as a Network Administrator, I have a responsibility to provide
reasonable protection of my employers resources (network) against illegal
content (mp3, mov, etc). I don't like it any better than you do. But
that
doesn't matter, as it's a responsibility that someone in these positions
should accept.

Should I let my companies network become infected with viruses, just
because
viruses are illegal, so why deal with them?

David

Are you going to check their portable CD players to see if
they have CDs that are in "compliance"? I mean, they always
-could- put the CD in a CD-ROM drive and then where will you
stand? Why not just tell them not to have mp3s? Why not
just tell them that if they do, that they must have made the
mp3s from their own CDs? Perfectly legit (as if that even
has to be said).

DR [Mon, 8 Sep 2003 13:22:44 -0400]:
I was wondering what tools, if any, anyone uses to audit their network
(servers, shared folders, networked desktops, etc) for

compliance
with

MP3
requirements?

Who's running the company there, the RIAA? haha