General Product Information
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What is the difference between the Standard and Enterprise Editions?
Please see the feature comparison matrix in the description pages for
Standard and
Enterprise Edition.
Is there a trial version of the software available for evaluation?
A 30-day free trial version of SFR is available on the
Downloads page.
Does the trial version have any restrictions?
It is a fully functional version of the software but data older than 48 hours
is progressively deleted.
Upon expiry of the trial period, logging will stop but you can continue to use
SFR to view reports on historical data till all of the data is deleted.
Do I have to reinstall if and when I move from the trial version to the fully paid version?
No. All you need to do is enter the new paid licence information into SFR.
What are the system requirements for SFR?
For the end-user the requirements are very simple: a Java enabled browser that
can connect to the server hosting SFR. The server component has two parts:
the reporting application and the
database. The reporting application is written in Java and can be installed
on any system that supports Java (such as Windows 2000 or XP, Linux,
and Unix) and has at least 512 MB RAM. The database's system requirements
depend on the kind of database you use. For MSDE 2000 and MS SQL Server
2000, you need at least 5GB free disk space, and 512 MB RAM. For
PostgreSQL 7.3 you should have Red Hat Linux 9.0, 5GB free disk space and
512 MB RAM.
How many users can access the application simultaneously?
The number of users is limited only by the capacity of the server that hosts SFR.
There is no restriction imposed by the licensing terms.
SFR runs in a browser. Does that mean I can run it from home?
Yes. In fact you can run it from any browser as long as the browser can access your SFR server.
Your administrator might have to configure your corporate system to allow it.
Does SFR run on Netscape?
Yes. Netscape 7.0 (or later) with Java (Sun) Plug-in ver 1.4.1_01 is supported.
What browser versions does SFR support?
Currently the following browsers are supported: MS Internet Explorer 5.0 (and higher)
for Windows; and Netscape 7.0 (or later) with Java (Sun) Plug-in ver 1.4.1_01 and
Firefox 1.0
I have an Apple computer at home. Will I be able to view the reports on my computer?
Compatibility for Apple is not currently available.
How secure is the data when it is sent to the browser over the Internet?
The data are not encrypted and thus readable if intercepted. However all data are
in a proprietary format and sequence that is meaningful only to SFR.
How do I buy SFR?
Please see the Purchase SFR page to view your
purchase options.
Can SFR monitor more than one firewall at a time?
The Standard Editions support only one firewall. The Enterprise Edition can support
a mixed set of multiple firewalls.
Is there a limit to the number of users or Web sites that I can monitor?
There is no restriction by the licence. However, you might face performance
issues when using lower powered machines to run SFR.
Installation, Configuration, Administration and Back End |
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How large is the installation?
About 100 MB
Do I have to be a network manager to use this product? Do I have to understand network
protocols like http and ftp?
Non-technical staff can easily use SFR. 'Tool tips' provide brief explanations on technical elements.
What security features are available in the application? Can I restrict access?
Access to the data can be restricted through standard operating system security features.
SFR itself does not have additional built-in security features.
What happens if we lose our SFR password?
On request, our technical support service will provide you with a super password
to clear your old password. You will then have to set a new password.
Is a database back-up necessary, or does SFR take care of this?
There is a built-in, completely automated maintenance process that does all the
necessary maintenance on a daily schedule.
What languages are supported?
Currently SFR is available only in English.
Can employees remove their own name from the Users list?
No.
Ways to use this application |
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What about upgrades and service packs? How much do they cost?
Service packs are free. Please see the Purchase page
for upgrade costs.
Is there any mechanism to alert me of any suspicious activity?
Yes, there is a built-in mechanism that sends email notification of any continuous
refusals for connection attempts originating from the outside of the firewall.
What firewalls are supported?
Currently, Checkpoint's FW-1 (ver 4.1, NG), Cisco's PIX (5.x, 6.x), Cisco IOS Routers,
NetScreen (OS 3.x, 4.x, 5.x), BorderWare (ver 6.5), SonicWall 6.4.x, Raptor, Stonegate
and 3Com SuperStack3 Firewalls are supported.
What firewalls do you plan to support in the future?
Fortinet, Watchguard, Cyberguard, and MS Proxy are some of the other firewalls
that will be supported in the future.
How much human effort is required to run the application?
Almost none. Database maintenance is carried out automatically on a daily schedule and
the administrator is alerted in case any problems are encountered.
Does SFR automatically resolve IP addresses?
Yes. It has a proprietary smart algorithm for resolving both external and internal
IP addresses in real time.
I don't have a firewall. Can I still use this product?
No.
Aside from connection information, what else can SFR tell me?
SFR's reports can show you bandwidth use over any time period, illustrate the
percentage of available bandwidth you're using, and determine if your ISP's
performance matches your service agreement.
Reporting and Database Information |
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How quickly can I generate a report?
In only a few seconds, with just two or three clicks.
Are the reports available in real time?
Yes. Log consolidation happens immediately and continuously.
Does SFR store raw logs?
The Enterprise Edition allow the storing of raw logs. Raw logs are stored in ASCII
files. Standard Edition does not have this feature.
I want to create a specific report not available from SFR. How can I do that?
You can access the database directly using standard database access tools and
create the reports.
Can other applications access the log data in the database?
Yes. The database has no restrictions to accessing the consolidated log data.
What is the database engine that is used in the application?
The database can be MSDE 2000 (the only option for Standard Edition), MS SQL Server
2000 or PostgreSQL 7.3.
Can I use SQL Server instead of MSDE?
Yes, but only with Enterprise Editions.
Can I use an Oracle database?
Oracle is not supported at this time.
Can I export the data to an external application?
Yes. Consolidated log data stored in the database can be accessed using standard
database access tools. Raw logs are stored in ASCII files and can be used as
input to other applications.
Can I exclude users or Web sites from the reports?
Yes, by applying filters.
How can I return to previous "favorite" reports after I view some other reports?
You can save reports using the "Snapshots" feature on a per-session basis for easy
recall.
What is the format of the database?
The database format is either MS SQL Server or PostgreSQL depending on what is
installed.
Can I view activity relating to only specific Web sites?
Yes, by applying filters.
Must the database be on the same server as the SFR reporting application?
No, the database can be on a separate server without any signicant reduction
in performance. SFR communicates with the database using JDBC over TCP/IP.
Can I view activity by departments?
Yes. You can define user groups by department and view activity by group any time.
Do the filters I apply affect other SFR users?
No. Filters and other settings affect only the browser session in which they are applied.
In fact, you can run SFR in multiple browsers on the same machine and use separate
settings for each.
Can I save my reports so I don't have to recreate them?
Yes, but this is possible only for the duration of the session in which you saved
the reports.
Can I see the addresses of machines that are repeatedly refused entry to our firewall?
Yes. The Refusal Source report identifies refused IP addresses and machine names.
Can I create comparison reports such as user activity for this month and last month?
A consolidated report of this kind is not possible but you can produce two separate
reports and then compare them.
Does SFR notify me if the firewall is down or out of service?
No. This feature is not available at this time.
Support and Training |
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What kind of end-user support is available?
SFR has a complete online help document that covers all aspects of viewing and
printing reports. However, the interface is intuitive enough that even users
without specialized skills can become comfortable with SFR in minutes!
What kind of administrator support is available?
The online help covers all common installation scenarios, and gives a complete
explanation of how the application functions. Additional technical support is
readily available on request.
What kind of technical support is available?
Technical support by email is free. Phone support for the first 30 days after
purchase is free. For paid phone support, please refer to the
Tech Support page.
How much does technical support cost?
Please refer to the Tech Support page.
