[487] in Resnet-Forum
Re: Lab security
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dane Spearing)
Fri Feb 17 19:38:52 1995
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 1995 16:26:48 -0800
From: Dane Spearing <dane@rescomp.stanford.edu>
To: resnet-forum@MIT.EDU, tmiller@falcon.bgsu.edu
From the messages posted regarding lab secruity thus far, it seems
that we at Stanford are the most "liberal".
Residential Computing at Stanford maintains over 80 small clusters
(ranging in size from 2 to 19 computers per cluster) in the residences,
fraternaties, and co-ops across campus. Our security consists of
lock down plates and cables that fix the CPU, Monitor, Keyboards,
and printers to the table. In addition, all of our equipment is "branded" with
"Property of Residential Computing, Stanford University" into the plastic.
Other than that, we have no "active" security such as alarms, fiber
alarms, cameras, or any of that.
Despite this, we've only had 2 computers (out of 350) stolen in the past
2 years.
I think that the reason for this is that the students have a very strong
sense of comminity around here, and know who should be and should not
be in their clusters. They (usually) lock the door behind them, and
challange those who they do not recognize.
In addition, if a computer does get stolen from a residence cluster,
and it is determined that it was stolen due to negligence on the
part of the local residents (such as forgetting to lock the door,
or admitting a non-resident), then the local residence hall is
financially responsible for replacing the stolen equipment.
The same holds true for excessive damange to the equipment.
Needless to say, this provides quite an incentive to protect
their equipment.
Both of the computers that were stolen in the last two years
were due to doors being left open by the residents, and those
houses have been charged for the replacements.
In general, Stanford is very "open" with respect to it's equipment.
In some dorms on campus, the networking equipment (hubs, repeaters)
are accessable to students (in basement halls, etc). We've had
no tampering that I'm aware of.
Dane Spearing --- Residential Computing --- Stanford University
dane@rescomp.stanford.edu -- (415) 723-4800
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~dane/dane.html
