Shark Tank: Whaddya mean that's the problem?

25.01.2006
This law firm has 60 users and a 256Kbit/sec. connection to the Internet -- and a problem with the network getting bogged down. "After some investigating, I flagged the high-use sites as eBay, a job search site and ESPNradio," says an IT pilot fish there. "Aha! I had found the problem. People were listening to streaming radio."

Fish goes to the firm's executive committee, explains the problem and gets a go-ahead to filter out sites that have absolutely no business purpose for the firm.

Hmm, thinks fish, eBay can legitimately be used at a law firm, so that can't be blocked. And the firm can use the job site for recruiting, so that has to remain available too.

But certainly the radio can go. Fish sets up filters to block any streaming audio from radio sites.

"I got a frantic call the next day from one of the attorneys who was on the executive committee," fish says. "He said he had a major problem and needed me immediately.

"I hoofed it over to his office and saw the filter message on his screen. He wanted to listen to his ESPNradio and ordered me to open it back up.