Upgrade to Sonar 3.2.12 today!

Sonar 3.2.12 is available for immediate upgrade if your current version is at 3.2.11. This latest version is packed with new features and enhancements, including easy iPad authentication and dynamic web classification filtering.

Sonar Easy Mobile and AD Pass-through Authentication

Probably the biggest new feature in Sonar 3.2.12 is the new authentication method that enables true single-sign on in Active Directory environments, and easy authentication for iPads and other mobile devices in any environment (OpenLDAP, Apple Open Directory or Novell eDirectory).

With AD pass-through authentication, when users log in to the domain, they are immediately authenticated by Sonar as well. No more Java applets popping up; with pass-through authentication your users don't even know that it's there.

Similarly, with mobile devices such as iPads or MacBooks or any other computers which aren’t part of the domain, users logging in with their domain credentials are immediately authenticated by Sonar. And they remain authenticated as they move from classroom to classroom, starting up and shutting down different applications.

Both methods are unintrusive, yet fully track usage and ensure compliance with your users' group profiles!

Move from Static Web Categorisation to Data Cloud URL Filtering

The vast size of the Internet coupled with the unique browsing habits of individual customers means that traditional static web categorisation technology is no longer sufficient to effectively protect your network and users from emerging web threats including malware and other malicious content while ensuring compliance with your organisation’s Internet usage policy in today’s dynamic Web 2.0 environment.

That’s why in Sonar 3.2.12, we moved from static web categorisation using a local database to real time cloud based classification:

Unprecedented breadth of web coverage
Global and diversified data sources process billions of transactions daily: providing the most accurate, up-to-the-minute analysis and categorisation
Zero-hour security: cloud URL filtering detects threats early, since it identifies outbreaks on the way to users, instead of reacting to their pain.
Lightweight, economical local clients receive and store only the data you actually need, eliminating resource-intensive updates
Your local cache is specific to your organisation’s browsing behaviour and needs
New and enhanced categories mapped to your existing categories

Data cloud filtering is more flexible, comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date than traditional static filtering. A local cache combined with real-time cloud based lookup when a user tries to access an uncategorised website ensures users are continuously protected from malware and other malicious content while the company’s internet usage policy is adhered to.

How does it work?

The majority of web requests (commonly 99% ) from within your organisation can be retrieved directly from your local cache. For a URL not stored in the cache, Sonar will send out a request to the cloud to receive the latest, most relevant and accurate classification, which is then stored in the cache for future reference. Unless a new, previously uncategorised request is made, there is no need to access the cloud.

Static vs Dynamic Filtering

The biggest benefit of filtering "in the cloud" is the sheer size of it. No longer limited by size restrictions of local databases, the cloud provides unprecedented breadth and depth of web coverage.

One of the other benefits of dynamic real-time URL filtering is that any unclassified URLs are classified on the fly. Any misclassifications are easily reported and once rectified, your local cache is updated within 24 hours. With static filtering technologies, on the other hand, any new or reclassified URLs won't be available until the next scheduled update, which can be weeks.

Nested Groups in Open LDAP and Apple Open Directory

Nesting groups is a quick and easy way to set up access permissions for a large number of users. It also helps centralise your user management tasks as users enter and leave your organisation every year.

For example, you've created three student Groups: Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and you've granted each group the access entitlements that are appropriate. Then you create a new web application that contains the school holiday calendar, which you want members of all groups to see. LDAP group nesting image

There are a few possible solutions. You could share the application with all three departmental groups. But you may have more applications that you want the whole organisation to see later, too. Or create a new group called MySchool and add all your groups to that. This solution still increases your work, for instance if a teacher resigns, you must remove them from all associated groups.

The best solution however, would be to nest your three departmental groups within the new MySchool group. This way, if you remove a student from the Grade 1 group, the change automatically carries over to the MySchool group!

Sonar now supports nesting of groups in Apple, Novell and Microsoft directory environments, saving you even more time and taking away the administrative burden associated with managing your groups!

Easier User Management with Unlimited LDAP Replication

You can replicate LDAP settings to an unlimited number of Sonar appliances. Whenever you add or update a new group, create or update web filter classifications for a group or link a group to a Sonar group, these changes can be replicated to all your other Sonar appliances.

Faster Backups

No more downtime when backing up the Sonar operating system or the log files including email! No more scheduling of backups after hours. The backup process no longer requires Sonar to shut down and logging off all users. These backups now take place in the background without affecting users or the Sonar operating system, so you can run them whenever it suits you.

Furthermore, to speed up the Sonar operating system backup, email messages are now no longer part of this process, they have been included in the log file backup instead. The OS backup will now generally take about 10 minutes.

To find out more or to upgrade to Sonar 3.2.12, phone Blue Reef Customer Support on ++61 3 9898 8000 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it now.