Symantec 10551441 - AntiVirus Corporate Edition Installation Manual page 28

28 Introducing Symantec AntiVirus
How Symantec AntiVirus works
Communication for virus definitions updates
Communication occurs during the process of updating virus definitions files.
When you use the Virus Definition Transport Method to update virus
definitions, communication occurs between managed computers to verify
whether virus definitions files are current. Communication occurs in the
following ways:
Primary servers communicate with their secondary servers to verify that
■
virus definitions are current. If a primary server finds that virus definitions
on secondary servers are not current, it pushes new virus definitions files to
those computers.
Parent servers communicate with the clients that they manage to verify
■
whether virus definitions are current. If a parent server finds that virus
definitions on managed clients are not current, it pushes new virus
definitions and configuration data to those computers.
When you use LiveUpdate to update virus definitions, communication occurs
automatically when LiveUpdate is initiated on the client. During a scheduled or
manual LiveUpdate session, clients communicate with an internal LiveUpdate
server or the Symantec LiveUpdate server to verify that their virus definitions
are current. If virus definitions are not current, the client pulls virus definitions
updates from the contacted LiveUpdate server.
Communication for status information
Symantec AntiVirus clients provide status information to their parent servers.
By default, a client sends a small packet (less than 1 KB) called a keep alive
packet to its parent server every 60 minutes. The packet contains configuration
information about that client. When a client's parent server receives a keep alive
packet that indicates that the client does not have current virus definitions files
or configuration data, the parent server pushes the appropriate files to that
client.
Note: Symantec AntiVirus uses the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for client-
server communication. Because some router policies block UDP packets when
they are sent between routers, you may need a computer that is running
Symantec AntiVirus server on both sides of each router in your network.