Components > Network Agent

Network Agent

Applies to

Web Filter v7.6

Web Security v7.6

Web Security Gateway v7.6

Web Security Gateway Anywhere v7.6

V10000 v7.6

V10000 G2 v7.6

V5000 G2 v7.6

Description

Network Agent works with Filtering Service to enable protocol management, bandwidth-based filtering, and reporting on bytes transferred.

In a stand-alone software deployment (i.e. Filtering Service is not integrated with a third party gateway, firewall, or routing device), enables HTTP and non-HTTP filtering

In an integrated software deployment, enables filtering for protocols not managed by your integration product and provides enhanced logging information

Placement

In a Websense appliance-based deployment, Network Agent is already installed on any Web security-mode appliance.

In a software-based deployment, Network Agent must be installed on a machine that can see the Internet requests from the internal network as well as the Internet response to those requests. By connecting to a span or mirror port on a router or switch, Network Agent can monitor all Internet requests.

Important  Do not install Network Agent on a machine: Running Microsoft ISA Server. Running a firewall. Network Agent uses packet capturing that may conflict with the firewall software. The only exception is a blade server or appliance with separate processors or virtual processors to separately support Network Agent and the firewall software.

In busy networks, filtering performance improves if Network Agent is installed on a separate machine from Policy Broker, Policy Server, and Filtering Service.

To share load, multiple Network Agents can be installed on separate machines, with each one monitoring a separate IP-address range. The ranges combine to cover the entire network, but must not overlap. Overlapping ranges result in double logging of Internet activity. If the entire network is not covered by instances of Network Agent, some machines are not filtered and their Internet traffic not logged.

IP-address ranges for Network Agent are configured in the TRITON - Web Security module of the TRITON Unified Security Center after installation. See the Network Configuration topic in the TRITON - Web Security Help for instructions.

 

Important  If you install Network Agent on a machine that cannot monitor the targeted traffic, Websense features such as protocol management and Bandwidth Optimizer cannot perform as expected.

Special Considerations

During a custom installation, Network Agent can be installed at the same time as Policy Server and Filtering Service. If Network Agent is installed on a separate machine, Filtering Service and Policy Server must be running before you install Network Agent. The installation cannot proceed if Policy Server and Filtering Service cannot be located.

If you use multiple instances of Network Agent, it is a best practice to have no more than 4 Network Agents per Filtering Service.

Components > Network Agent