Specifications

Click Next to configure the schedule for this task.

The key to a good update task is updating several times per day at completely random intervals.

Many users think since McAfee releases its signatures once per day then configure the clients to

only look for updates once per day. A client can check for updates several times per day at the

nearest repository without any negative impact to bandwidth or the repositories. If no update is

available the client simply checks again at its next scheduled interval. The network impact is small

since the client is looking for a tiny file that is less than 1 KB during each check. This little files tells

the client if any new files are available.

The following example starts the task at 9 a.m. and is randomized for 3 hours and 59 minutes. This

makes all clients check their nearest repository from 9 a.m. to 12:59 p.m. for the selected content.

This process starts again at 1 p.m. since the task is configured to run every 4 hours. This continues

for 23 hours, which is 8 a.m. the next morning and starts all over again the next day at 9 a.m. This

example updates six times per day at completely random times throughout the day. Also, if the

user is away for several days or weeks their computer executes this task 10 minutes after it is

turned on.

You can reduce or increase how often your clients check for updates depending on your

organization's policy. For example, you can have the task run every 6 hours which means clients

are updating only 4 times per day. The most important thing to remember is make your

randomization window as large as possible. If you are updating every 6 hours then configure your

randomization for 5 hours 59 minutes.

Many users fail to take advantage of the maximum randomization

window. They might be updating every 6 hours but randomization is set

for only 15 minutes. This means if the task is starting at 9 a.m. the

clients will be updating from 9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. If you have 10,000

nodes running this task, they are all checking their repositories in that

15 minute window. Those repository connections significantly impacting

network bandwidth. Always randomize your task as much as the window

you have chosen allows.

Client tasks

Updating products

McAfee

ePolicy Orchestrator

4.0 and 4.5 Best Practices Guide