Employee Monitoring software

H

hpirs4n

n00b
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
20
Hi, I am looking for a solution to monitor employee desktops. I have looked at a couple of programs which monitor single displays fine, but for users with multiple displays, I can only see what is happening on the first display. It would be ideal to have a solution which allows me to view dual monitor setups. Thanks in advanced!
 
Thanks for the reply! I have looked at spectorsoft but I want real time access and view of an employees desktop. Imagine a security camera monitor with views from 10 different cameras. These cameras would be the users' desktops in this case. I have no trouble finding many programs that will allow me to view a single monitor but for users with multiple monitors, I can only see the main display.
 
Synchroneyes might work for you, although the last time I worked with it, the client PCs had some knowledge that they were being viewed I believe.
 
VNC works fine with dual screens... They look like one but WIDE screen when you view it.
 
Use a Group Policy, restrict sites via Firewall... and you shouldn't need to monitor anyone.
 
Thanks for the replies. I took a look at Synchroneyes and I like its ability to view multiple screens. It does have a lot of features which cater towards classrooms. It seems to be expensive for this reason. This software will be implemented in a business environment. As for the user knowing they are being watched or not, I would actually prefer they know they could be viewed at any time. My intentions aren't to trick people into getting fired rather I want them to be reminded that they must be working when they are getting paid. I can't block specific sites because the line of work we do requires access to a lot of sites. The employees must be able to get to all sites on the internet, however, I will know if they are browsing the site for work or if they are browsing with intentions of wasting time. That is the reason I must be able to see their desktop on multiple displays. Any other thoughts? I appreciate them!
 
IMO, any admin that thinks they need to be able to eves-drop on their users need to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. It would be better to put a content filter in place that logs ALL traffic. Then if there is a question if the employee is using company resources for personal use, you could pull a usage report and evaluate all their traffic.
 
You need some serious security overhaul if you have this problem. If you're willing to shell out cash on spying on employees, might as well pay a security admin to set up some rules on the firewall.
 
I am not looking to filter websites to employees. I am looking for a solution to see a user's desktop in real time. Users need access to websites. It is up to whoever monitoring that employee to make sure they are browsing in a way which is applicable to their job. Seeing a log of websites the user has been to is useless for us. Thanks for the suggestions though.
 
Carloswill and supergper have it right, in today's environment I can't possibly imagine a scenario where you would want to much less need to view anyone's desktop in real-time just to see what they were doing especially since there are a plethora of other options to ensure that your employees are following company policy.

Website filtering these days can filter based on categories and or sites, so if you're worried about your employees looking at pr0n you can filter that but just log everything else and allow them to view it. Then when you think you have a problem go to the logs for the system and see where they've been. A better use of your time and money by far. If the log has been useless to you my guess is that your webfiltering wasn't that great or maybe setup wrong as it is much more effective than what you're proposing, plus it will show a history of page views instead of what they were doing when you were peeking in on them.

Besides, unless you're managing a sweatshop in Malaysia somewhere chances are you have adults working for you... treat them as such.

Also, if your IT dept has enough time to sit around watching their users work... please share your secret as you must be the most efficient, well run, 99.99999% uptime group on the face of the planet
 
hpirs4n said:
Users need access to websites. It is up to whoever monitoring that employee to make sure they are browsing in a way which is applicable to their job.
Click to expand...

How is viewing someone going to cnn.com via a log file vs them doing it in real time any different? The logs are evidence and you can present them with facts in hand vs saying "I saw you..."

It really comes down to filtering and properly setting up your network. If you allow open access to the entire Internet w/o any restrictions and then expect users not to surf the web on their downtime or breaks, you're setting them up for failure. Not trying to debate this but I feel that Firewalls and ACL's are created for a reason which is to let you do other more important things than watch web traffic.
 
I understand you guys are just trying to help, but we are not going to setup firewall rules. Giving employees full access to the internet has been an executive decision and is not the discussion of this thread. I am simply asking for any solutions available to do what I have described. Logs are not has effective for a few reasons. What if a user goes to a youtube page but never watches a video? What if the user is spending 10 minutes watching a video on that page? There job may be to go to the page but they certainly aren't suppose to watch 10 minutes of video. Another reason logs are ineffective is that the do not keep track of what users are doing when they are not accessing the internet. They could be playing games, watching movies, etc.

The point is that we want to the user to know they may be watched. I have been surprised at how many people come to work and simply play solitaire on their PC for 8 hours. It is unacceptable in a work environment.
 
Some schools use vision in the lab. It gives you the ability to monitor their uses. Its kind of pricey, but it sounds what you are looking for.
 
hpirs4n said:
The point is that we want to the user to know they may be watched. I have been surprised at how many people come to work and simply play solitaire on their PC for 8 hours. It is unacceptable in a work environment.
Click to expand...

It is the employee's manager's responsibility to ensure they are working. not IT's.
 
I wish the OP's boss was using some real time desktop viewing software right now so he could see this thread.
 
Blitzrommel said:
It is the employee's manager's responsibility to ensure they are working. not IT's.
Click to expand...

I didn't see him say he was in IT anywhere, but it's a reasonable assumption.

I see how the monitoring software makes sense in his example, employees just playing solitaire when they're on the clock. But really that can be taken care of by simply removing the games. I know the image(/s) our profiles are based off of do not have games on them to begin with.

Even if they're just playing the games when they're on their break, it should be company policy to LEAVE the work area when you're on your break. I don't leave my desk when I'm on my break though. :D So guilty as charged. AND I'm posting on [H]... but I get to do so in between taking phone calls.
 
Here let me say it again:

supergper said:
IMO, any admin that thinks they need to be able to eves-drop on their users need to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation.
Click to expand...

It's self explanatory. You need to step back and re-evaluate the situation. You shouldn't NEED to be able to watch in real time. With the right filtering software you will be able to see what they were doing on exactly what pages and how long they were there for. If you are worried about them playing games it sounds like you need to setup some better Group Policies. Just because you have content filtering running, doesn't mean you have to block anything, it basically just allows you to have hard evidence of the users actions. I think you are looking for the wrong solution. There are much better ways to accomplish what you are after (grounds to discipline/fire users). As far as playing games all day, does your company not hold employees accountable for the work they do (or don't do)? How is performance measured for raises and promotions? If someone is playing games for 8 hours a day it should show up pretty quick on performance reports. If they are still able to meet (or exceed) performance standards and play games for 8 hours, then maybe the performance standards need to be re-evaluated.
 
hpirs4n said:
The point is that we want to the user to know they may be watched. I have been surprised at how many people come to work and simply play solitaire on their PC for 8 hours. It is unacceptable in a work environment.
Click to expand...

If you can't tell that they're playing solitaire for 8 hours based on the quality of thier work (or the complete lack of work entirely...) what are you paying them for in the first place?

On a side note, you do realize that most of the responses you're going to get here are from employees who are at work taking a break from their drudgery? :p
 
This sounds like an HR issue. I don't believe you can just "evesdrop" on anyone computers, without the employees knowing, and without some sort of Company Policy in place.

The employees need to know they are being watched on their desktops in real time. The company could get sued if no policy is in place.

I would inform your boss about this action.
 
Or you can get video splitters and setup an elaborate closed circuit system.
 
Rampage1329 said:
lol, he just wanted monitoring software.
Click to expand...

Not really, but anyway.

A closed circuit system with the video signal split from the computer would have zero hit on computer performance. Since there is no software to install on the computer users won't notice. It'll be a significant investment in the beginning, but you'll be able to record and monitor in real time what is going on.
 
I suggest an elaborate series of IP cams setup behind/above each user, watching their every move. This would then be piped into a theater-like room with a huge wall-to-wall screen for big brother to watch over everyone.
 
blk95civicex said:
I suggest an elaborate series of IP cams setup behind/above each user, watching their every move. This would then be piped into a theater-like with a huge wall-to-wall screen for big brother to watch over everyone.
Click to expand...
haha, like "The Truman Show" for the execs. :D
 
Computer monitoring software is actually out there in use guys.....nothing wrong with it, the computers belong to the company, company has a right to install them after effecting an Employee Computer Use policy manual.

Products like SpectorSofts Spector CNE is pretty cool. No the goal isn't to sit there 8 hours a day and watch what employees are doing for 8 hours a day. The goal is to be able to go back to recorded sessions and read reports that the product creates...when reviewing a particular troublesome employee.

A lot of smaller businesses don't have higher end firewalls and content filtering appliances which allow more robust filtering and logging...they don't have a full time staff to manage those, nor should they. But software such as this..easy to install, setup, and have a regular office manager be able to review it, easy to use.
 
Spector works pretty good as a record of what's going on, Ive put in it a computer lab that had about 300 students in and out of it and it was easy to hook the teachers up to review what thier students were doing on thier lab time. And it creates a nice evidence trail for any problems that do come up.
 
I looked at vision6 from Geneva Logic and it too was more targeted to classrooms. Geneva Logic also makes a program, On-Sight, which looks like it will do exactly what I need.
 
Blitzrommel said:
It is the employee's manager's responsibility to ensure they are working. not IT's.
Click to expand...

My first thoughts.

IT's job needs to occasionally monitor what websites are being accessed, or just outright block certain content: porn, gambling, hacking... whatever.

Management's job is to make sure their employees are doing their job.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Computer monitoring software is actually out there in use guys.....nothing wrong with it, the computers belong to the company, company has a right to install them after effecting an Employee Computer Use policy manual.

Products like SpectorSofts Spector CNE is pretty cool. No the goal isn't to sit there 8 hours a day and watch what employees are doing for 8 hours a day. The goal is to be able to go back to recorded sessions and read reports that the product creates...when reviewing a particular troublesome employee.

A lot of smaller businesses don't have higher end firewalls and content filtering appliances which allow more robust filtering and logging...they don't have a full time staff to manage those, nor should they. But software such as this..easy to install, setup, and have a regular office manager be able to review it, easy to use.
Click to expand...

I think most of us mentioned some sort of recorded session, but the OP explicitly stated several times he wanted real-time monitoring.
 
So let me be an ass for a second.

Let's say you DO get some type of real time monitoring software. Let's say an employee visits a site they are not supposed to, or plays Solitaire for eleventy billion hours while on the clock.

What exactly is this "real-time" monitoring going to do for you? When you see someone doing something they are not supposed to, are you going to jump up and scream "OMGZ!!!!!!!11!11! I CAUGHT YA!!!!!!!11!1!1!!!"?

I don't see a problem at all with what you want to do, honestly. It is the company's network, and they're free to use it as they see fit. But what I do have a problem with is your approach. It makes NO SENSE whatsoever that you want monitoring software, but refuse to make your life a whole lot easier by simply setting up group policies and firewall rules. Preventative maintenance is MUCH better and easier than sitting and monitoring LIVE every move someone makes.

So you never really pointed out. Are you with security for your company, or are you with IT? This may have a bearing on your approach. If you were with security, it'd make things a whole lot clearer, but if you are with IT, your approach is set up for epic fail.
 
I think the real question we all have to ask ourselves is: Who's going to be monitoring the people monitoring (Monitor the monitor).
 
I really don't get it why would you need some sorta spy software to monitor your employees ? I don't get it like for instance here at work we have a total of 16 cameras installed i just got the green light to go ahead and and build another DVR System, They want another 16 Cameras as of 16 wasn't enough their are now going to be a total of 32 Cameras installed, I asked the Supervisor what was the reason for this He simple responded " theirs to many employees taken advantage and their for we need to cover every angle of every corner. This is absolute Fucking Ridiculous. So more then likely I'm going to be having a camera behind me now and I'm in the IT Department, Great. I think you should take ajm786 advice and set up proper Group Polices,
 
blk95civicex said:
I suggest an elaborate series of IP cams setup behind/above each user, watching their every move. This would then be piped into a theater-like room with a huge wall-to-wall screen for big brother to watch over everyone.
Click to expand...

Hah, they can't even play tic-tac-toe without the iron fist coming down on em.. those lazy bastards.
 
Please let us all know what company you work for so that we don't have to EVER get involved with this clusterfuck.
 
|CMF|SoulAssassin said:
I really don't get it why would you need some sorta spy software to monitor your employees ? I don't get it like for instance here at work we have a total of 16 cameras installed i just got the green light to go ahead and and build another DVR System, They want another 16 Cameras as of 16 wasn't enough their are now going to be a total of 32 Cameras installed, I asked the Supervisor what was the reason for this He simple responded " theirs to many employees taken advantage and their for we need to cover every angle of every corner. This is absolute Fucking Ridiculous. So more then likely I'm going to be having a camera behind me now and I'm in the IT Department, Great. I think you should take ajm786 advice and set up proper Group Polices,
Click to expand...

They've got the right. I'd be pissed if I was monitored too. Out on the floor where vendors, customers, etc can walk right in the door: understandable. In an office space? Come on.

http://dedicatedmicros.us/ I suggest you check that out for DVR. Works very well, great remote viewing, easy to setup.
I've only got 16 cameras, two being PTZ, so I use this model: http://dedicatedmicros.us/?id=112
Might call them and see what they suggest for 32 cameras, but I know Dedicated Micros system has been very good for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top