How can internet monitoring help cut costs?

In specific regions, similar to a dial-up internet concept, internet charges are based on the time spent browsing the web.  In this given scenario, an administrator would not want a user to use valuable work time researching something that does not benefit the company; this is something that I would consider a double loss, because, as most know, time is money.

To address this, an internet monitoring tool may be used to block access to specific sites or domains that are known to be non work-related.  Adding to this concept, most ISPs in the States base their charges on bandwidth available to the network.  Keeping unnecessary streaming media out of the workplace can drastically reduce monthly charges, and bandwidth allotted can be reserved for far more fundamental applications.

In addition, malware is a growing problem in the workplace, as it is becoming more widespread across the web and can pose great organizational threats.  The use of an internet monitoring tool can essentially filter internet traffic with the use of built-in scanning modules, which can help reduce the amount of viral threats that are brought into the workplace.

Not only is the ability to block specific internet traffic beneficial, but the ability to monitor traffic can also be a positive. Take a monitoring scenario where a productive end user’s browsing habits are reviewed and projected to other end users in a modeling process. Perhaps this user has more credible sites in his favorites listing, or quite possibly, these frequently used sites are easier to navigate. Using the specific practice of modeling positive employees can help create a more productive and efficient workplace.

So what are your thoughts on Internet Monitoring and how it can benefit your organization?  We must keep in mind that the internet has a lot to offer, but maintaining a healthy respect for it can increase its effectiveness as a tool in the workplace.

CSID – Called Subscriber Identification

CSID is a string which identifies the fax receiving party’s station or number.  This string can be programmed in the fax machine or fax application, and can be a combination of letters and/or numbers.  More frequently, this CSID value will be composed of strictly numbers, as it may help identify the number being sent to.  In addition, CSID is commonly associated with TSID (Transmitting Subscriber Identification), and the two are used almost interchangeably.  The TSID is the string which identifies the fax sending party’s station or number.  The CSID is provided to the sending party in the initial phases of the faxing process.

CSID is one of the more basic routing methods and allows for a fax to be routed based on the CSID/TSID of the sending party.  In order for this routing to occur, the CSID/TSID must match exactly as the number is programmed in the sending party’s device.  Be sure not to confuse CSID with CLID (calling line identification), as many fax applications in an analog environment do not support routing based on CLID.

DTMF/DID

• DTMF – Dual-tone multi-frequency

DTMF is a telecommunication signaling technology that utilizes touch-tones for routing over an analog line.  The concept of DTMF routing is similar to DID routing (description found below) except a digital environment is not necessary.  It is still necessary that you purchase a DID block, but the tones may either be supplied by your Telco provider directly, or you may have a gateway device internally that converts a digital to analog signal; the tones may be provided from this device directly if it supports DTMF signaling. Read more on DTMF technology.

• DID – Direct inward dialing

DID is a feature offered by a Telco provider for use with a customer’s PBX (Private Branch Exchange); additionally, DID may be referred to as DDI (direct dial-in) in European regions.  The DID feature involves the implementation of one or more trunk lines tied to the customer’s PBX, and associated with the line(s) is a range of telephone numbers.  When calls are presented to the PBX, the DNIS (Dialed Number Identification Service) is transmitted, which allows routing to a direct extension.  Typically, the DNIS ranges from four to ten digits, but most commonly it is the last four digits of the number dialed. Read more on DID technology.

Both DTMF and DID routing allow for individual routing to a user without having the overhead of an individual line for each user.  Instead of a one to one relation, both of these technologies focus on bandwidth consumption.  As an example, if you have 500 users who receive faxes, but on average receive twelve faxes consistently, one of these would be a suggested routing method (depending on your telephony environment).

OCR – Optical character recognition

OCR is the technology that allows for the conversion of handwritten or typed printed material to a digital form, to be edited or manipulated by a computer.  In the case of faxing, OCR software may be implemented in combination with faxing software to parse the contents of the received fax job in order to route based on keyword(s) found within the document.  This is a more common routing method in a smaller environment where limited telephony variables are available.  A user may have ten users and only one or two fax lines, but can still perform routing to individual users.

Line

There is no acronym for line routing, as line routing is pretty self-explanatory.  Line routing involves the ability to route one line to one user (or group, in given scenarios).  This may be used more commonly in an environment where all faxes are to go to a general user or mailbox, such as a Human Resource Professional.  These fax jobs may be further analyzed and manually distributed based on the fax contents.

MSN – Multiple Subscriber Number

MSN routing is similar to DID routing, but MSN routing does not require the purchase of DID numbers.  MSN technology relies on ISDN circuitry and allows for tying multiple numbers to one line; these numbers do not have to be contiguous in nature.  Most commonly, MSN technology is used in European regions. Read more on MSN technology.

When discussing technology and computers, ‘OCR’ is the common abbreviation for Optical Character Recognition and involves the electronic translation of scanned, handwritten or typed text images into a digital form that a computer can manipulate.

All OCR systems include an optical scanner for reading the text, and also include sophisticated software for analyzing and processing the image.  This sophisticated software utilizes algorithms and identification mechanisms in order to review the curvature and outline of the provided text for proper recognition.  Although some OCR options may utilize hardware and software in combination to achieve desired results, the more frequently used and cost effective option is strictly software based.

OCR is widely used to convert books, magazine articles, and documents into electronic files in order to create a digital record-keeping system.  This makes it possible to edit the text or quickly search for a word or phrase in what was once data in a printed form.

Now you may ask, “What does OCR have to do with faxing?”  To answer this, most faxing applications may utilize OCR as an option for routing.  Some smaller environments may have more basic telephony systems and cannot afford the overhead of multiple lines for unique recipient routing, and this is where the OCR technology may become very valuable.

A suggested implementation of the OCR technology being utilized with a faxing application would be in an environment where resumes may be faxed to a Human Resources department.  As a job opening becomes available, keywords may be implemented in an OCR module of the faxing application to define the position; this allows for saving much time in unnecessary resume review.  Because an OCR module review may take a fraction of the time of a human review, a Human Resource professional may be able to focus on other delegated duties.

The GFI FAXmaker faxing application provides an optional OCR module which can be used to route to a single employee based on the name, and also allows for routing based on keyword(s).  Although OCR is not a 100% effective technology (handwritten text may be harder to parse and analyze), it is still a great option for any small business, and its effectiveness continues to progress as the technology improves.