Automate Antivirus updates for NT WS4... 1

[Hobbes]

Hi all,
I need to figure out a way to automate antivirus updates for my users. (God knows they won't do it on their own) We're using McAfee as our antivirus software. I'd like to have it run from a login script type of affair, since having 100 users do an autoupdate at the same time would probably have a detrimental effect on network performance. Anyone out there know of a white paper or set of directions to do this (or be kind enough to explain it to me in detail)? (Also, I'm assuming it would be similar for those stragglers still on Win98?) We're using NT4 server as our network OS.

Thanks in advance,
Hobbes

 

[Dak2k]

I am currently trying to do a similar thing using scheduled tasks on each of the PCs. If you have Internet Explorer 5.5 installed, it upgrades the Schedule function and allows you to create 'job files'. These can be copied to a Tasks directory in WINNT.


The jobs can run any task - we are using it to run Norton Liveupdate on a server which downloads the new definitions from the internet, then jobs on the clients download the definitions from the local server. This reduces the load on our Internet pipe.

You can also set the jobs to run under different conditions - at a certain time every, a certain day every month, once the machine has been idle for X minutes.

The job files can be copied from the server to the client machine using xcopy, so it only copies them if the don't already exist thus reducing the load at logon, and once they are there the will do the update whenever they are set to.

The only problems I have found so far are that you have to have IE5 installed to get this new functionality, and I can't seem to get the jobs to run on Logon even though there is an option to do this. (See thread621-44931)

Hope this helps!

 

[Pistol34]

You could download the superdat.exe files to a antivirus directory. Then use groups to fire of the install process.
The syntax isn't right, but the logic works.

If day = XXX and usergroup = Accounting then
\\Server\Share\superdat.exe
end If

OR

Use the scheduler to run the superdat.exe at night or early morning. If the file hasn't changed so what.

The do have server software that allows scheduled software updates. The server software downloads the update and the clients hit the server for updates on the scheduled days and times. I have tried this with Mcaffe. To many problems. I switch to Inoculate.

 

[dsi]

Start the McAfee VirusScan Console and tweak the properties of the Automatic DAT Update. We have ours set to run daily at a particular time. The users will not even know that it is happening. You can have them copy from a local network or from a remote network (ftp.mcafee.com/pub/antivirus/datfiles/3.x)

I am not sure if this will be the easiest way to handle 100 computers since this setting is controlled at the workstation. The solution posted by Pistol34 may better suit your needs.

 

[kevinnaomi]

I would agree that if you are using McAfee 4.5.1 that the autoupdate function would be best. As for the network traffic... in the settings you can set it to randomize up to any amount of time. I have it set for 10am update with 1 hour randomize. This means users PC checks anywhere between 0900 and 1100.
If you are using SMS or some distribution software, you can use the MSI_INST.exe to export settings of a machine that you have setup with the settings you want. Or you can add a line in the login script so that when user`s logon, they automatically import the settings.
There are many ways to do this.
If you have your hands on the latest McAfee, 7.0, there are lots of interesting tools in there as well.

 

[iainm2]

Hi Hobbes, I have entirely automated the update of Mcafee Antivirus accross 5 sites which are located from Grimsby to London. All the updates are automatic with no user intervention. The DATs, SDATs and ini files are automatcally downloaded and distributed to each location by a workstation. It has been running for 6 months now trouble free. If you would like info on how to do it I would be happy to send you my work notes by email.

 

[Niall22]

We used to use Microsoft Systems Management Server to push the updates out to all our clients but now we have ePolicy Orchestrator which is management software designed by Network Associates to update their products and modify policy settings for their products. You can find out more about it on their website under enterprise anti-virus management solutions.

http://www.nai.com

Niall

 

[davthocur]

Hello Iainm2,

I would be interested in seeing you you were able to eploy the updates. I've been working on that for a while and haven't gotten to far.
Please help davidtcurran@hotmail.com

 

[djhawthorn]

Try this, its a FAQ I wrote a while ago for automating the McAfee updates via a logon script.

http://www.tek-tips.com/faqs.cfm?spid=55&sfid=2585

MCSE NT4/W2K

 

[dougtran]

How do you get around the "administrator priviledge" problem?

Thanks,
doug