Pull Tasks - McAfee EPOLICY ORCHESTRATOR 4.0.2 Product Manual

Deploying Software and Updates
Product and update deployment
Requirements
These requirements must be met to implement global updating:
• A SuperAgent must use the same agent-server secure communication key as the agents
that receive its wake-up call.
• A SuperAgent is installed on each broadcast segment. Managed systems cannot receive a
SuperAgent wake-up call if there is no SuperAgent on the same broadcast segment. Global
updating utilizes the SuperAgent wake-up call to alert agents that new updates are available.
• Distributed repositories are set up and configured throughout your environment. McAfee
recommends SuperAgent repositories, but they are not required — global updating functions
with all types of distributed repositories.
• If using SuperAgent repositories, managed systems must be able to "see" the repository
from which it updates. Although, a SuperAgent is required on each broadcast segment for
systems to receive the wake-up call, SuperAgent repositories are not required on each
broadcast segment, but the managed systems must "see" the SuperAgent repository from
which to update.

Pull tasks

Use pull tasks to update your master repository with DAT and engine update packages from
the source site. DAT and engine files must be updated often. McAfee releases new DAT files
daily and engine files less frequently. Deploy these packages to managed systems as soon as
possible to protect them against the latest threats.
With this release, you can specify which packages are copied from the source site to the master
repository.
NOTE: EXTRA.DAT files must be checked in to the master repository manually. They are available
from the McAfee website.
A scheduled Repository Pull server task runs automatically and regularly at times and days you
specify. For example, you can schedule a weekly Repository Pull task at 5:00 a.m. every
Thursday.
You can also use the Pull Now task to check updates in to the master repository immediately.
For example, when McAfee alerts you to a fast-spreading virus and releases a new DAT file to
protect against it.
If a pull task fails you must check the packages in to the master repository manually.
Once you have updated your master repository, you can distribute these updates to your systems
automatically with global updating or with replication tasks.
Considerations when scheduling a pull task
Consider these when scheduling pull tasks:
• Bandwidth and network usage. If you are using global updating, as recommended, schedule
a pull task to run when bandwidth usage by other resources is low. With global updating,
the update files are distributed automatically after the pull task finishes.
• Frequency of the task. DAT files are released daily, but you may not want to use your
resources daily for updating.
• Replication and update tasks. Schedule replication tasks and client update tasks to ensure
the update files are distributed throughout your environment.
136 McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator 4.0.2 Product Guide