Specifications

nodes and you only have one repository, those 5,000 nodes are pulling a total of 180 GB of data from
that one repository when the deployment task is executed. To keep that repository from being
overwhelmed, you must randomize your deployment.
Many customers forget to enable randomization on their tasks and choose a specific time for their task
to run such as noon on a daily basis. If you haven't configured randomization and you deploy a
product or signature update at noon on a daily basis, this generates a significant spike in traffic to
your repositories at that exact time. This could impact network performance.
Randomization is critical to any client task that uses bandwidth. Always calculate how much bandwidth
the deployment needs by taking the size of the deployment package, multiplied by the number of
nodes targeted, divided by the number of repositories used. For example, VirusScan 8.8, which is 36
MB, deployed to 1,000 nodes, pulled across 3 repositories, equals 36 GB of data. That 36 GB of data is
being pulled across three repositories which equals 12 GB per repository.
36 MB (VSE) * 1,000 (nodes) = 36 GB (total) / 3 (repositories) = 12 GB per repository
The following formula calculates the bandwidth needed to move the 12 GB of data per repository
randomly over a 9-hour workday. The total equals 1.33 GB of data per hour pulled from each repository.
12 GB (per repository) / 9 (hours) = 1.33 GB per hour
Updating products
Product updates use the agent to update content such as VirusScan Enterprise DAT files, engines, or
product patches.
Client tasks
Updating products
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ePolicy Orchestrator
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4.0 and 4.5 Best Practices Guide
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