Alpha version of the new on-premise Avast Business Management Console

Hello everybody,

I’m glad that we can share an exciting news with you - today we are launching the alpha version of the new on-premise Avast Business Management Console. Together with the latest AV engine, the entire solution combines the best from exAVG and exAvast.

An ideal solution for companies who need to manage their protection of devices from one central place.

What can you expect?

  • Latest WIN and MAC Antivirus is manageable via this Console so you can protect both systems.
  • Protection for workstations as well as for servers.
  • Two types of Antivirus deployment.
  • Lightweight “agent” installer which will automatically download the Antivirus once installed.
  • Near real-time synchronization between Antivirus and the Console. - any change you made will be synchronized right away. Whatever happened on an endpoint, you will be aware of that right away.
  • Automatic updates or manual updates of Antivirus as well as virus definition.
  • Update mirror server will save your bandwidth.
  • Ability to arrange your devices into the groups for better management.
  • The detailed configuration of policies so you can tailor a behavior of Antivirus exactly to meet your needs.
  • A variety of tasks: scan, update, shutdown, reset, send a message, helps to react on occurred situations.
  • Ability to schedule even recurrency of a task as well as run just one-time task.
  • Easy to read reporting which provides insights into areas of threats tasks for a given time frame.
  • Notifications which lets you know whenever something important happened.
  • The virus chest accessible directly inside the Console.
  • …and more features will come soon.

Known bugs

  • “Agent” (component which brings mirror functionality and will bring remote deployment in the future) is AVG branded and digitally signed by AVG
  • Deployment options are now limited. MSI is not available, Advance settings are not available
  • “Agent” uninstall does not uninstall Avast Antivirus client
  • Unable uninstall AV component one-by-one (license issue)
  • Manual steps to setup mirror is needed

Where to get installer?
Please note: This is not an antivirus installer. You are about to install a solution for management of your devices,
a management console through which you will be able to download and install the antivirus.

Step1. Choose a console type

  • Docker image - available via Docker hub

  • This type is multi-platform and requires more advanced IT admin skills

  • Follow the instructions on how to run the console

  • Windows installer - available to download here

  • Open the .exe file and go through all the installation steps

  • We are highly recommend install into Virtual Machine or test environment

Step2. Get your trial license

  • Download a trial license file.
  • This license has an expiration period of 60 days.
  • You can upload this file once inside the console (both Docker and Windows).

Step3. Sign-up to the console and upload the trial license

  • Sign-up and create your company account
  • Once on the dashboard you can upload the above-mentioned trial license file
  • Click the “add devices” button to download the installer of agent

We would appreciate any feedback from your side, not only obvious bugs but also any comments regarding things that doesn’t make sense from your point of view, or any suggestion for improvements.

One last thing we want to share a little secret with you - this version of the Management Console will be available also as a Cloud version.

Thank you and looking forward to your feedback.
Martin

The agent asks for update even when an updated version is installed (see picture).

If you installed an AV Client before Tuesday 14.03.2017, could you, please, reinstall it? Due to a bug in an Alpha AV version, VPS and Program updates won’t work properly. However, during Alpha/Beta phase, the Console and the Client will be both reporting that a new Program version is available (your screenshot). This is expected behavior, because we don’t support a standard release information for Alpha/Beta builds. It will be fixed once a final version is released.

Hello everybody,

we hope that you like the new On-Premise version of the Management Console. We would appreciate any feedback from your side, which will help us to shape future of the product that will perfectly help you to achieve your goals.

You can either share them here or feel free to send them directly to me svobodam@avast.com

Thank you in advance
Martin

We are trying this new version as we have to have windows 10 functional on windows 10 for mass rollout this summer, Case number 129166.

So I created a test server, installed and took me a long time where to find how I get the workstation installler so we can incorporate inot our SCCM windows 10 test image.

Going into add device I can see the download the installer option but every time I try I get error, sorry we cannot do this. Please see attachment.

Given the time constraint here we need to test this ASAP, so either I am doing something wrong or you need to provide a workable installer for workstations for an SCCM image.

More info needed under the Devices view, at least, the same info we have in AEA Console: IP Address, VPS version, engine, OS…

We need an option to export reports to PDF, Word or Excel and we need to customize them, at least, with the customer logo.

Console info and machine info is not the same.

Thanks for your feedback. Bugs will be fixed in final version and all feature suggestions will be considered. The ability to export report is already on the plan for future releases.

Is no beta-phase planned…?

You mean, whether we already have a date for the final release? If so, then yes, we have a plan but it is internal information - hopefully, you understand. However the “waiting time” won’t be long :wink:

NP Martin I/we can wait… :wink:

One month has passed - any news?

Yes, see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=200135.0

Sorry replied in the wrong thread.
I was already using the beta version!