Once an update package has been checked into the master repository and replicated to the distributed repositories, the agents on the managed systems still need to know when to go to the distributed repositories for updates. This is unnecessary if you are using global updating.
You can create and configure update client tasks to control when and how managed systems receive update packages. If you are not using global updating, creating these tasks are the only way you can control client updating with ePolicy Orchestrator.
If you are using global updating, this task is unnecessary, although you can create a daily task for redundancy.
Considerations when creating update client tasks
Consider the following when scheduling client update tasks:
• Create an Update client task to update DAT and engine files daily at the highest level of the System Tree that is inherited by all systems. If your organization is large, you can use randomization intervals to mitigate the bandwidth impact. Also, for large networks with offices in different time zones, run the task at the local system time on the managed system, rather than at the same time for all systems, to help balance network load.
• Schedule the task at least an hour after the scheduled replication task, if you are using scheduled replication tasks.
• Run update tasks for DAT and engine files at least once a day. Managed systems might be logged off from the network and miss the scheduled task; running the task frequently ensures these systems receive the update.
• Maximize bandwidth efficiency and create several scheduled client update tasks that update separate components and run at different times. For example, you can create one task to update only DAT files, then create another to update both DAT and engine files weekly or monthly — engine packages are released less frequently.
• Create and schedule additional tasks to update products that do not use the agent for Windows.
• Create a task to update your main workstation applications, such as VirusScan Enterprise, to ensure they all receive the update files. Schedule it to run daily or several times a day.
Global Threat Condition: Elevated
