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Network server installation method - Site License preferred setup

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Included in this section:

Why install TerminatorX centrally rather than locally?
Where are the files for TerminatorX?
Choose which applications you want TerminatorX to block
Set the timings - scan interval and list refresh interval
Create the data file
Put TerminatorX in a secure folder on the server
Set up TerminatorX for a standard user
Give different groups or types of users appropriate banned lists
Ban future programs as they become a nuisance
What to do if TerminatorX also blocks an OK program or web site

 

Why install TerminatorX centrally rather than locally?

It is much more sensible, for larger networks, to place TerminatorX and some of its associated files in a folder that you have created on a network server and start TerminatorX running on each workstation using logon scripts as each user logs into the system. Advantanges of this method are:

• As the users need only be given read and execute rights to the network server folder, they can not interfere with TerminatorX's data file - a list of blocked applications. As TerminatorX is started before thay are logged in, the can not prevent it starting up.
• TerminatorX's 'banned list' data file is stored centrally. Updating the single copy would update the banned list for the whole network. Changes can be propagated within one minute to every user.

The disadvantage with the method is that is is a manual setup method and can not be done with the Setup Program.

 

Where are the files for TerminatorX?

Unless you selected a different folder, TerminatorX's files have been placed into C:\TXSiteTrial2

The files for TerminatorX Monitor, which remotely monitors user's attempts to access banned programs and web sites can be download from here.

 

Choose which applications and web sites you want TerminatorX to block

There is a program called TerminatorX Data Generator20.exe in the C:\TXSiteTrial2 folder. This creates the data files called Xlist20.txt that tells TerminatorX which programs and web sites that you want to block.When you run TerminatorX Data Generator20.exe, you will see:

On the left there is a list of groups: 

             

Choosing Messengers for example gives a list of messenger programs: 

             

To select a program to be blocked for your users, click on the box next to it. To block Yahoo Messenger, you just click the box next to it:

           

The button de-selects all the applications in the chosen group. The button ticks all the boxes in the group.

 

Set the timings - scan interval and list refresh interval

Choose the intervals for scanning and list update using the boxes provided:

            

Values allowed in the boxes are between 1 and 60 inclusive.

The top value is the number of seconds between sweeps through all the user's open windows (their open applications) looking for banned applications and web sites. In the above picture, TerminatorX will look through all applications once each second and close down any applications that you have selected to block.

The lower value is the number of minutes between TerminatorX re-reading the banned list data file (xlist20.txt) containing the window titles of applications to block. In the above picture, TerminatorX will update itself by re-reading the banned list file every 10 minutes.Say, for example, your users start to use Morpheus (a file sharing application which can be used for downloading illegal software, music and videos) and you want to block this. You can change the setting for this using this Data Generator program as shown in the previous section.  

 

Create the data file

To save the settings click on which creates the new xlist20.txt data file. You can also save and reload lists of blocked applications using the File menu:

            

 

Put TerminatorX in a secure folder on the server

 

As hinted at in the previous sections, the best method for installing TerminatorX is by creating a secure folder on the network server and placing the TerminatorX executable files and its banned list data file in it. Then users can be forced to start TerminatorX when they log in, by changing their logon scripts:

• Create a folder on the network server that can be mapped as a drive in the user's login/logon script.
• Change the user's access rights to that folder (and any files in it) so that they can't delete or modify files within it - only read and execute them. This means that they can not alter the list of banned applications.

For setting Novell Netware access rights, some information is available here
For Windows server access rights, some information is available here

• Copy TXtrial20.exe into that folder. Copy the xlist20.txt data file you created using the TerminatorX Data Generator into that folder. If you are using the Monitor Program (see other instructions), also copy your Xnetlist.txt file to the folder.

 

 

Set up TerminatorX for a standard user

For extra information about setting up logon scripts click here
For more information about setting up novell login scripts click here

Having created a secure folder on the network server and copied TerminatorX and its data file to it, the next stage is to set up the logon or login script for a standard user:

• Place the file msvbvm60.dll into the windows system folder on the user's workstation.
  
  

  usually	c:\windows\system in WIN 95, 98, SE and ME
  and	c:\winnt\system32 in 2000, NT and XP

  
  
  Check that the user has read/write access rights to the registry.

       The trial version of TerminatorX the registry and an error will
  occur if reading and writing are not permitted.

  Next we need to alter the user's login/logon script to:

  • Map a drive letter to the folder containing TXtrial20.exe and xlist20.txt
  • Run TXtrial20.exe
    

  Examples might be (you will have to use the correct server and folder names):
  

  On an NT server network use:	NET   USE   X:  \\SERVER01\SECUREPART start   X:\TXtrial20.exe
  On a Novell Netware network use:	MAP   ROOT   X:=\\SERVER1:APPS\TERMX @X:\TXtrial20.exe

  
  
• Log the user on, start up one of the banned applications and check that it disappears. (Please remember that TerminatorX is invisible while running)
   
  Note that it is possible to use the UNC pathway to run TerminatorX rather than map a drive letter. You can then have a single login/logon line to run TerminatorX:
  
  

  start    \\SERVER01\SECUREPART\TXtrial20.exe	on an NT server network
  @\\SERVER1:APPS\TERMX\TXtrial20.exe	On a Novell Netware server network

 

 

Give different groups or types of users appropriate banned lists

Look at this section if you want different banned lists for different groups of users, otherwise skip to the next section.

• If TerminatorX operates correctly for one user it should do the same for many. Try altering the login script for a group of users - if that facility is available with your Network Operating System.
  
• Make sure that you place a copy of msvbvm60.dll into the windows system folder on all your workstations or if your workstations have lots of memory (256MB or more) place it in the secure network folder.

In an educational establishment you may want to ban MSN messenger for students but leave it available for the teachers. Using this as an example:

• Set up a folder on the network server for staff and another for students.
  
• Use TerminatorX Data Generator 2.0.exe to alter the list of prohibited applications within each xlist20.txt file so that they are appropriate to each group - staff and students.
  Place copies of TXtrial20.exe and the appropriate xlist20.txt in each folder.
  
• Alter the login scripts of the staff and students to map the drive letter to the appropriate folder. Then TerminatorX runs from that folder and picks up the appropriate list.

 

 

Ban future programs as they become a nuisance

What to do if

• a new messenger becomes available
• your students or employees start using a program or web site that is not in the tickbox standard list

 

1. Looking at the window title and deciding on the text to block.

Run the application or look at the web site and note the title bar of the window. I will use Windows (or MSN) messenger as an example although this has already been included in the tickbox selection list. The window title bar looks like:

           

Please see some examples.

You will need to decide what part of the title is present whoever is using it. In this case the whole of the title is the same each time Messenger is run. Put that part between asterisks

            i.e. *Windows Messenger*

- note that there are no extra spaces and that capital letters appear
for the W and the M as in the application's window title.

The asterisks (*) substitute for one or more letters so the above would also match:

How to use Windows Messenger - Microsoft Internet Explorer

if a tutorial was being viewed, and would close down the Internet Explorer window.Consider another example. Imagine that a new file sharing program becomes available called My New File Sharer and its window title looks like:

The session will change each time it is used. The login name can also change depending upon which student or employee is using it. The part that does not change is My New FS - note the capital M, N and FS. You place the unchanging part between asterisks to get:

*My New FS*

That is the text that you enter into the data generator program.

 

2. Putting the text into the TerminatorX Data Generator program

Using the My New FS example above, you can then add your banned application to an existing group as follows:

• Select the group which fits your new banned application (in this case the file sharing group).
  
• Click on the button and enter the name of the entry.

             and click OK.

• Then enter the text for that name:

            and click OK.

The name of the entry My New File Sharer should now appear in the group:

           

3. Creating a new group

It could be that the new program or web site does not fit into an existing group. To make a new group you can by click on the button. This will ask you for a name for the group: 

           and click OK.

 

 

The new group will appear in the list:           

 

You can add entries to the group as detailed above in the sections above

 

What to do if TerminatorX also blocks an OK program or web site (optional)

Occasionally TerminatorX works too well and blocks something that you have not chosen. If the window title of a program or web site that that you did not intend to block accidentally matches one of the entries which are searched for, then TerminatorX will close that program or web site down.

For example, during a year when the Olympic Games are to be held, there may be legitimate interest in web sites about them. If the online games section is detecting Games as part of the window title, then "false positives" may occur and some Olympic Games web sites get shut down.

Please see some examples.

To rectify this you will need to start TerminatorX Data Generator 20.exe and choose the Exceptions group:

           

You can put extra entries in this section to specifically allow selected web sites or programs. To use the Olympic Games as an example, you could set up a new entry in the Exceptions group:

           

which we will set up to allow any window with Olympic or OLYMPIC in its window title

The entries will be *Olympic*,*OLYMPIC* as shown below: 

           

The new setting will now show in the exceptions list: 

           

Once the new settings have been entered, you will need to click on the button and then copy the new xlist20.txt file to the secure server folder alongside TXtrial20.exe.

The new settings allowing the extra access will become active within a few minutes when TerminatorX re-reads the replacement xlist20.txt file.