No more headaches for network administrators responsible for remote work force. Sophos Anti-Virus has announced Remote Update, a new application that easily updates remote computers with the latest virus protection and upgrades of Sophos Anti-Virus software.
Designed to integrate with the Sophos Enterprise Manager suite, Remote Update lets IT managers perform hassle-free updates of the latest anti-virus protection on all their remote computers, such as laptops and desktops outside the network.
Historically, network administrators have had difficulty ensuring the security of remote computers used by employees, leaving the corporate network vulnerable to infection. Remote Update ensures that all computers, regardless of whether they are permanently connected to the company network or not, are still protected against the very latest virus threats.
"With the number of viruses in the wild increasing every day, organisations need to take proactive steps to protect themselves," said Brian Burke, senior research analyst of Internet security software at IDC. "Telecommuters and 'road warriors' are one of the most vulnerable points in an organisation's security network, and administrators have had a traditionally difficult time enforcing strict security measures. Sophos's Remote Update application combats one of the biggest security concerns of this vulnerable population."
Remote Update installs Sophos Anti-Virus on company computers outside the network, monitors for new virus protection, and updates as required. It ensures that employees working from home or on the road are able to remotely access a central installation directory on their company's website or network via the internet, their wide area networks (WANs) or their local area networks (LANs).
Remote Update can be configured to limit the amount of bandwidth it uses to ensure that other applications are not hindered by virus updates. To keep bandwidth requirements to a minimum, Sophos virus protection updates are typically only 1-2 KB in size, while the monthly product update or upgrade is as small as 250 KB. This compares favourably to rival products, which are typically 50-100 times larger. Sophos already has a number of customers taking advantage of this product, including Provident, the international financial services group specialising in personal credit and motor insurance.
"At Provident, we have around 700 remote users, spread across the entire country. With up to 800 new viruses being discovered each month, keeping these remote users up to date with their virus protection is a priority," said David Hopkins, network systems support analyst at Provident. "Sophos's Remote Update makes updating those working from home or on the road a breeze - allowing us to remain confident that all our computers are running the very latest virus protection." Keeping systems up to date with the most recent virus protection updates is a key to an effective anti-virus solution. Remote Update transforms what could be a tedious or even difficult task into a straightforward procedure.
As an integral part of Sophos's award-winning Enterprise Manager suite, Remote Update is designed to reduce administrative overheads and ensure that the level of anti-virus protection is consistent throughout the entire organisation.