Sophos Enterprise Console
To publish security software on a web server:
1. To find out the path of the shared folder to which the security software has been downloaded, known as the bootstrap location: a) In Enterprise Console, on the View menu, click Bootstrap Locations.
In the Bootstrap Locations dialog box, the Location column displays the bootstrap location for each platform.
b) Make a note of the path up to but not including the
CIDs
folder. For example:
\\server name\SophosUpdate
2. Make the bootstrap location, including subfolders, available on the web server. For instructions, see Sophos knowledgebase article 38238 .
6.2 Configuring software subscriptions
A software subscription specifies which versions of endpoint software are downloaded from
Sophos for each platform.
The Download Security Software Wizard sets up a default subscription called “Recommended.”
This subscription includes the recommended versions of any selected software.
If you want to add software to your subscription or subscribe to a version other than the
recommended one, configure the subscription as described in Subscribe to security software
(page 68).
If you haven't completed the wizard after you installed Enterprise Console, see
Run the Download
Security Software Wizard
(page 70).
6.2.1 What types of updating are available?
For each platform (for example, Windows), there are several software packages representing different types of updating and containing different versions of endpoint software.You can choose which software package to download from Sophos for further deployment to endpoint computers by selecting one of the following updating types in the subscription.
Updating type
Recommended
Description
This is the default package. If you use this package, Sophos updates your software regularly (usually every month) with:
Fixes for issues discovered by customers.
New features that are ready for general availability.
If you install Enterprise Console for the first time and accept the default settings, this is the version that you will be on.
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help
Updating type
Preview
Extended
Previous
Recommended
Description
This package is aimed at IT and security administrators.
If you use this version, you receive new features before they are released in the
Recommended version. This means that you can test and evaluate them, perhaps on a test network, before they become generally available.
Note: Sometimes the Preview package gives you the same software as
Recommended. This happens when no new features are ready to be tested in customer environments.
The Extended version is aimed at customers who have a strict or conservative process for installing updated software on their network.
If you use this version, you receive the same updates as the Recommended channel but with a delay of several months. This means that any issues in the product have been identified and fixed long before it is installed on your network.
The previous version of the currently recommended package.
This version can be useful for you if you want a little longer to test new software before you roll it out to your network.
Previous Extended
The previous version of the current extended package.
This version can be useful for you if you want a little longer to test new software before you roll it out to your network.
Fixed versions
See Fixed version software packages
(page 67).
Note: We may change the packages over time. For more information about currently available software packages, see Sophos knowledgebase article 119216 .
The Download Security Software Wizard sets up a subscription that specifies the recommended versions of any selected software.
The actual versions downloaded will usually change each month. To check what actual software versions are downloaded, in the Software Subscription dialog box, select the package you want to check and click Details.
6.2.2 Fixed version software packages
A fixed version is a version that is updated with new threat detection data, but not with the latest software version each month. An example of a fixed version of Sophos Endpoint Security and
Control for Windows is "10.3.15 VE3.60.0". It consists of a three-part version identifier—major release identifier (10), minor release identifier (3), and maintenance release identifier (15)—and threat detection engine version (VE3.60.0).
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Sophos Enterprise Console
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Using fixed packages
By default, the use of fixed version software packages is disabled (under Tools > Configure Use
of Fixed Packages). They are not displayed in the Software Subscription dialog box and you cannot subscribe to them.
If in an earlier version of Enterprise Console you were subscribed to a fixed software version and didn't change your software subscription before upgrading, the use of fixed packages will be enabled automatically during the upgrade.
Tip: If you are subscribed to a fixed software version, we recommend that, to ensure best protection, you change your subscription to a "recommended" package. For more information
about software packages, see What types of updating are available?
(page 66)
If you haven’t used fixed version software packages before but want to do so, you can enable the use of fixed packages under Tools > Configure Use of Fixed Packages. When the use of fixed packages is enabled, they are displayed in the Software Subscription dialog box and you can subscribe to them.
Note: If you use role-based administration, you must have the System configuration right to configure the use of fixed packages.
If you disable the use of fixed packages while you are still subscribed to a fixed package, you will still be subscribed to that package and it will continue to be downloaded until you unsubscribe from it. However, you won’t be able to view or re-subscribe to another fixed package.
If you have remote consoles, changing this configuration option in one of them will take effect in all consoles. If you have enabled the use of fixed packages in the registry as described in Sophos knowledgebase article 117348 , the registry setting will take effect only on the computer where it has been configured, and it will take precedence over the configuration option in the console.
Lifecycle of fixed packages
Fixed versions are downloaded for as long as they are available from Sophos. If a fixed version is due to retire, you will see an alert in the Update managers view next to any update managers that are subscribed to that version. If email alerting is active, the administrator will also receive an email alert.
When a subscribed fixed version is retired, Enterprise Console will automatically redefine the subscription to use the oldest fixed version that is still available.
For more information about Sophos Endpoint Lifecycle Policy, see Sophos knowledgebase article
112580 .
6.2.3 Subscribe to security software
If you use role-based administration:
■
You must have the Policy setting - updating right to edit a software subscription.
■
You cannot edit a subscription if it is applied to an updating policy that is applied outside your active sub-estate.
For more information about role-based administration, see Managing roles and sub-estates (page
19).
help
To subscribe to security software:
1. On the View menu, click Update Managers.
2. In the Software Subscriptions pane, double-click the subscription you want to change, or click the Add button at the top of the pane to create a new subscription.
The Software Subscription dialog box appears.
Alternatively, if you want to create a copy of an existing subscription, select the subscription, right-click and click Duplicate Subscription. Type a new name for the subscription and then double-click it to open the Software Subscription dialog box.
3. In the Software Subscription dialog box, edit the name of the subscription, if you wish.
4. Select the platforms for which you want to download the software.
5. By default, you are subscribed to a "Recommended" package.You can also select a non-default package (for example, if you want to preview new features). To do so, click in the Version field next to the platform you want to change the package for and then click again. In the drop-down list of available versions, select the version you want to download (for example,
"Preview").
To learn what other packages are available, see
What types of updating are available?
(page
66)
After you have subscribed to the security software, you can set up subscription email alerts. For
more information about subscription email alerts, see Set up software subscription alerts (page
176).
If you created a new software subscription, configure the update manager to maintain it as described in
View or edit update manager configuration
(page 58).
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