Newbie question on best way to install

Avast Business Avast Distributed Network Manager
1

Hi all,

Just downloaded the demo versions of Server, Professional & ADNM. I have the following network scenario:

Win Server 2003 x64 - Domain Controller running Active Directory & Exchange 2007
Win Server 2003 x32 - Running a dedicated application (fairly resource hungry)
Win Server 2003 x32 - Running a dedicated application & backups
Win Server 2003 x32 - Running a dedicated application with SQL Express and the print server
20 x XP Pro workstations.
(all machines meet/exceed the required hardware specs)

I am assuming I’ve download the correct packages. I don’t think (or know whether) I’ll need the Exchange plug-in. All inbound & outbound mail is routed through a 3rd party scanner/filter (Mailguard) anyway.

My questions are:

  1. Do I just install the ADNM on a server and it will take care of installing the server/workstation versions onto the other machines?
  2. How resource hungry is ADNM/Server Ed? Is it advisable to run it on the server with Exchange? Or safer to put it on one of the others?
  3. Is install & configuration pretty straight forward, or do I need to plan for a few days to get it up & running?

Any other advice suggestions would also be welcome.

Thanks.
Ray

2

Hi Ray,

1. Do I just install the ADNM on a server and it will take care of installing the server/workstation versions onto the other machines?

ADNM server is basically just a front-end to a MS SQL database that holds information about the “A/V state” of all servers and workstations on your network. I’m sure you already knew that though.

It will be the application that you use to distribute avast to all other machines on the network. It basically controls almost every aspect that pertains to avast on every client on your network. From scheduling, configuration, installation, removal, etc.

How resource hungry is ADNM/Server Ed? Is it advisable to run it on the server with Exchange? Or safer to put it on one of the others?

As for resources, as I explained before, it is a front-end to a SQL database. Although it doesn’t use many processor cycles, it may run your memory usage up a bit. For 20 workstations and 4 servers though, I wouldn’t call it “resource-hungry”. You can probably install it on your backup server, or your SQL server and as long as it has about 4GB of RAM, I don’t think you’ll notice a darn thing.

3. Is install & configuration pretty straight forward, or do I need to plan for a few days to get it up & running?

Well, experience is worth more than anything, as most things in I.T., but I’d have to say that it’s pretty easy (I install in just an hour or two, usually). Especially since your environment is so small. You’ll install the ADNM server, get the license file and import it, create some deploy tasks (one for workstations, one for servers, for example), configure settings for your computer group, then schedule some update / reporting tasks (update virus definitions everyday at so and so time, then update the full program once a week on Monday mornings at 6 or something like that).

Once that’s done, you can do a discovery task (which finds what computers are on your network), then deploy avast to all of them. After that, you’re pretty much done.

The ADNM manual will be a good help in starting this. It’s available on this page: http://avast.com/eng/download-adnm.html
Direct link here: http://files.avast.com/files/eng/adnmag.pdf

All in all, it will take a bit to get used to, just like starting to use any program, but it’s pretty simple once you get used to it.

Welcome to the forum, and let us know if we can help you any further!

3

Thanks a lot Skythe and thanks for the quick response. I’m heaps more confident now, so I might as well jump in!

Hopefully my only posts from now on will be on how simple it was ;D

Ray

4

some points from me too:

  1. ask your boss to get budget for a new hardware server so you can migrate you exchange server OFF from your domain controller, unless your running
    SBS this is worst case scenario installation

  2. exchange is network demanding, so is ADNM even tho not hungry, it demands good network, when exchange is getting more busy with handling email to/from outside and handling more clients (inside with outlook or outside via web/mobile/imap/pop) it needs more network resources so that will start to collide with avast since avast needs to serve clients with the requests they do (checking policies/updates every 30 minutes i believe) and deploying new installations and updates and all that… better not to have them together
    your enviroment is still small right now, so first check if its goin to grow (either in users or more mail traffic) then u can decide to get a new server and place ADNM + exchange there together despite above point

5

I agree with WPN. Exchange shouldn’t be installed on your domain controller, but I understand when certain businesses can’t afford to purchase a new server to separate services.

Again, since your network is still quite small, it may be fine for now, but later on you may find that it’s best to separate your services.

Anyway, you’re welcome for the advice, and I hope that it works well for you :wink: