Avast for Business
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So I'm evaluating Avast for Business and I'm really liking the functional tools and layout of the administrative console.
I like that I can configure different groups, Windows, Servers and Mac which is to be expected.
I love the different scan function levels.
What I can't find is scheduling, which is a bit disturbing. Maybe I'm just overlooking this feature, but I don't want my servers to have a deep scan running at 9AM M-F.
Additionally I want to configure startup scans of my systems, and scheduled scans daily at certain times.
Does anyone know where this feature is located?
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IIRC, Avast has two different consoles for their Antivirus... One for "Small Business" and one for "Enterprise" ... Which version are you using?
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The Small Business Cloud Platform.
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Ah, cool. I'm not familiar with that one at all.
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So in checking with Avast Support, they have no scheduling functions at all from their Management Portal. All scheduling (currently) has to be setup directly from the client.
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O.o
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Why did you pick this one?
At SpiceWorld I met the Cylance folks (new Artificial Intelligence AV). There claim is that their system is so smart it doesn't need updates. They do around 2 updates a year they claim. It works on the principal that their software understands what bad code snippets look like and if there are enough of them in a executing code, it kills the object from running.
Their proof that their solution works involves downloading the last 100 entries uploaded to VirusTotal.com (where AV coalition members dump samples of virus they've run into) to a machine and run them on test machine. They did the same thing on a machine with McAfee, McAffee didn't fair so well.
I'll be doing this test myself in the next two weeks or so, doing a side by side with Webroot. Now to figure out how to record it.
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@Dashrender said:
Price is the only deciding factor at this point in looking for alternative AV solutions.
And Free is very difficult to beat, additionally Avast is a least a know AV provider compared to many others that offer a free solution. Who have no central management. (Kind of a critical part for a business)
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@Dashrender said:
Why did you pick this one?
At SpiceWorld I met the Cylance folks (new Artificial Intelligence AV). There claim is that their system is so smart it doesn't need updates. They do around 2 updates a year they claim. It works on the principal that their software understands what bad code snippets look like and if there are enough of them in a executing code, it kills the object from running.
Their proof that their solution works involves downloading the last 100 entries uploaded to VirusTotal.com (where AV coalition members dump samples of virus they've run into) to a machine and run them on test machine. They did the same thing on a machine with McAfee, McAffee didn't fair so well.
I'll be doing this test myself in the next two weeks or so, doing a side by side with Webroot. Now to figure out how to record it.
I talked to Cylance after Spiceworld last year. The solution was really cool but they had a floor of at the time 500 units. I was at about 1/5th of that. It also didn't help that their price was way over the top of almost any AV solution on the market except the big ones.
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Yeah, they mentioned the floor or 500 (which is now 100 for Spiceheads).
The price as you mentioned is pretty high - $55/seat, though if you sign up for 3 years, they give you the third year free, making it $36 a year/seat. That brings it more in line with the rest. -
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@scottalanmiller said:
@DustinB3403 said:
The Small Business Cloud Platform.
Is that one free.
For business?
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@Dashrender said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@DustinB3403 said:
The Small Business Cloud Platform.
Is that one free.
For business?
One of the "big" ones just went free for business, but I can't remember who it was.
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Avast for Business is free, but it appears to be lacking one critical functional; Scheduling (from the admin console).
It can be configured on the client computer directly, but this is less than ideal.
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@DustinB3403 said:
Avast for Business is free, but it appears to be lacking one critical functional; Scheduling (from the admin console).
It can be configured on the client computer directly, but this is less than ideal.
Why do you want scheduled scans? I rarely run them. Catching things that are running is what is really important.
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It's just a standard feature to be able to scan your systems daily, and weekly at set times. I just kind of expect to be able to so the AV isn't scanning 4TB of data during the work day.
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@Dashrender said:
@DustinB3403 said:
Avast for Business is free, but it appears to be lacking one critical functional; Scheduling (from the admin console).
It can be configured on the client computer directly, but this is less than ideal.
Why do you want scheduled scans? I rarely run them. Catching things that are running is what is really important.
I like having them run daily, but at night.
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I understand that it's been a staple of AV for years, but I wonder if it's time is done?
Just like the idea that AV based on definitions, that idea is done. If you're AV works based on that, I think I would just skip it altogether anymore.
Now if they include known bad website filtering, disable USB, etc... then it might be worthwhile.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I like having them run daily, but at night.
In this age of trying to save power by shutting down the PCs at night, not sure how likely this is? Can the AV turn the PC on at night, then off when done?
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Scheduling for me is for my servers, not the work stations.
