Bandwidth Usage and File Sharing Applications Policy

Policy

In response to excessive Internet bandwidth usage, unauthorized file-sharing servers, and and increase in spyware/malware infections, IT&S implemented guidelines for monitoring and managing these shared network resources. Guidelines for bandwidth usage have been in place since Fall 2001 (updated Summer 2006) and are communicated to each incoming student as part of their IT&S training. This training includes a discussion of the College's Network Acceptable Use Policy (NUAP), and students are required to agree to abide by the NUAP as a condition of accessing the College's network.

Every user of the College network, equipment, communications systems, and/or College-owned software (all hereafter referred to as the network) will comply with the following standards:

  1. The network will not be used to violate any College policies; city, state, or federal laws; or contracts and agreements entered into by the College.
  2. It is not acceptable for a user to gain, or attempt to gain, unauthorized access to another user's computer/networked server/network device or Internet data history and e-mail (Only Guilford College Information Systems personnel have this authority).
  3. It is not acceptable to use this network to disrupt the functions of this network or other networks; it is also not acceptable to use this network to distribute viruses or other programs that would disrupt, damage, or destroy computer software and/or equipment.
  4. No computer may act as a file-sharing or peer to peer server to the Internet in order to protect the college's Internet connection from being swamped by external users obtaining files. Furthermore, IT&S strongly recommends that users do not enable any kind of file sharing, even when it's only available on campus.

Please see the NUAP for information on sanctions that may be applied if a student violates the NUAP.

IT&S continues to stress that for student-owned computers, it is the students' responsibility (and it is to their benefit) to know what programs are running on their computer, to understand what those programs might be doing, particularly with respect to transmitting files to and from other computers or the Internet, and to run up-to-date anti-virus software. The IT&S Help Desk can provide general assistance on these issues, but the Help Desk cannot recommend or support file-sharing software.

If you have any questions, please contact the IT&S Help Desk at 316-2525.