Panda GateDefender Integra version 1.10.00.0000 verfuegbar

Version 1.10.00.0000 of Panda GateDefender Integra incorporates a new anti-spam engine that notably improves performance and spam detection in real time.

The new system uses algorithms that calculate a unique set of identifiers for each message (Advanced Message Fingerprinting) and a global network made up of 180 million users sharing information. The system can process over 3,000 million messages every day in 160 countries and updates its knowledge base every 45 seconds. Also, it uses a local cache that ensures service continuity even if server connection is lost.

How to apply the upgrade

Version 1.10.00.0000 of Panda GateDefender Integra is available in the following formats:

• DVD, available from the Downloads area of the website.
  Check how to download the latest version of Panda GateDefender Integra.
• On-demand upgrade from the GateDefender Integra console.
  From the administration console, select Update, System software upgrade and click the New available version tab.

NOTE: Once Panda GateDefender Integra is upgraded, check the version by clicking the View version details button in the Current versions section.

Additional information

Version 1.10.00.0000 of the Panda GateDefender Integra system software (firmware) also upgrades the rest of the modules to the following versions:

• Anti-malware engine version: 5.1.3.1
• Anti-spam engine version: Cloudmark 3045.1.0.29
• Web filtering version: 0.00.04.1392
• IPSec module version: 2.4.5
• IPS module version: 2.6.1.3

ISO Download via http://pandatechnik.de/144

• Wiederherstellung und Update eines Gatedefender Performa / Integra (Oktober 19, 2007)
• Panda Gatedefender Integra 100/300 How-to’s (November 9, 2007)
• How-To – Panda Gatedefender Image Wiederherstellung (Januar 21, 2008)

Admin Secure 4.02.30 Installation Requirements

Panda AdminSecure Administration Server

• Processor: Pentium III 800 MHz. The processor requirements may increase as the size of the network increases. For large networks (more than 500 computers), it is advisable to have a dedicated computer.
• Memory: 256 MB of RAM, although around 1 GB is recommended for large networks.
• Operating system:

• Windows NT4 SP
• Windows NT4 Terminal Server
• Windows 2000
• Windows Server 2000 SBS
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2003 SBS
• Windows 2003 R2
• Windows XP 64 bits
• Windows Server 64 bits
• Windows Vista 32 bits

  In Windows NT4 SP6 Windows Installer 2.0 must be installed.

How to create an installation package with an updated PAV.SIG

The main objective of this FAQ is to detail the process of generating an installation package with an updated PAV.SIG file.

This process is suitable for companies with slow communication lines as it would prevent them from collapsing when the protection ( Panda Security for Desktops, Panda Security for File Servers etc…) is installed.

• Installation of the package with an updated pav.sig:

1. From the console, go to Tools–> Updates and repositories–> Packages.

2. Select the protection you wish to install , for example, Panda Security for Desktops, and click on Generate Installer…
   The package contains three files:

   • *.EXE

   • *.DAT

   • *.

     INI
     In the case of Panda Security for Desktops, the files are:
     AVTC.EXE, CRC.DAT and CONFAVTC.INI

3. Edit the *.INI file.

4. Add the following line to the file:

   [files]
   pav.sig=\pav.sig
   

5. Save the changes.

6. Copy an updated PAV.SIG file ( either from the SIGNATURE folder or from the download area at the Website ) in the same directory where the three installation files are located.

7. Copy the four resulting files in the machine where the protection is going to be installed and run the *.EXE file.

   In the case of Panda Security for Desktops, the file to execute is AVTC.EXE.

NOTE:

The name of the configuration files vary depending on which protection is going to be installed:

Panda Security for Desktops (Windows NT-2000-XP) confAVTC.ini

Panda Security for File Servers (Novell NetWare) confAVNW.ini

Panda Security for File Servers (Windows NT-2000-2003) confAVNT.ini

• Welche Scan-Ausschlüsse (Exclusions) sollten gesetzt sein? (März 25, 2009)
• Verzeichnisausschluesse in der Panda Admin Secure (November 22, 2007)
• SQL compatible versions (Dezember 3, 2007)

How to determine which data engine should be used: MSDE or SQL server

One of the essential components of the AdminSecure architecture is the Database. When installing AdminSecure you can choose between different data engines:

• MSDE 2000: Free Microsoft data engine (AdminSecure, AdminSecure 2006, AdminSecure 2007)
• Microsoft SQL Server 7 or 2000 (AdminSecure, AdminSecure 2006,AdminSecure 2007)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and SQL Express 2005 (AdminSecure 2006, AdminSecure 2007).

The typical installation will always use MSDE as the data engine. If an SQL server database already exists in the network, it is advisable to use it for the following reasons:

1. It offers the user additional functions, such as including our database in the periodic backup copies so that they can be restored if necessary.
2. MSDE has a series of disadvantages compared to SQL, which are particularly significant in corporate environments.

   • It supports multiple connections, but from 5 connections onwards, the computer´s performance may degrade or slow down, due to the monitoring process performed on the system by the workload governor.

   • Maximum size of the database: 2 GB
   • Maximum RAM supported: 2 GB RAM
   • Does not support machines with more than two processors.

If the database in MSDE has more than 5 concurrent batches of queries, an log file is generated in the database log. This log is located in:
C:\Program files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$PADMINISTRATOR\LOG
And will contain lines like the following:
2004-01-23 09:45:23.96 spid11 This SQL Server has been optimized for 8 concurrent queries. This limit has been exceeded by 2 queries and performance may be adversely affected.
2004-01-23 10:09:16.11 spid10 This SQL Server has been optimized for 8 concurrent queries. This limit has been exceeded by 1 queries and performance may be adversely affected.
2004-01-23 10:10:16.27 spid5 This SQL Server has been optimized for 8 concurrent queries. This limit has been exceeded by 1 queries and performance may be adversely affected.

When this happens, the query is not lost, but it is queued, and therefore, the functionality of the application is not reduced. However, bear in mind that this will greatly reduce the performance of the computer on which the database is installed.

Companies that do not have an SQL Server need to decide whether to perform an installation based on MSDE or to install an SQL server to house the database. The following factors must be considered when taking this decision:

• The capacity of the computer on which the database will be stored.
• Whether the computer will be dedicated exclusively to the database or not.
• The number of computers whose antivirus protection will be managed through AdminSecure.
• Frequency of the self-diagnosis and data collection jobs.
• Number of virus detected warnings generated in the computers protected by the antivirus.

Based on these factors, a series of hypothetical situations in which to perform each type of installation can be established:

• Small and medium-sized networks with a low number of virus warnings could work with either an MSDE database or an SQL Server.
• As the number of computers to be managed and the number of viruses detected increase, it is advisable to use an SQL server. In these networks, MSDE could work correctly but concurrent query errors would be generated in the database log and the performance of the computer on which it is installed will be slightly degraded.
• In large networks, with more than 300 computers and many virus warnings, it is highly advisable to use SQL Server 7, 2000 or 2005 (SQL 2005 included) to house the AdminSecure database. These networks could work with an MSDE database but the low performance of this engine could affect the smooth functioning of the console.
• In general, the following guidelines must be considered for all types of networks:
  • Installing the database in a different computer from the one with the repository installed will allow the computer to work more smoothly. Therefore, in networks with a large number of computers, it is advisable to install an additional repository, which the majority of the computers will connect to.
  • Install AdminSecure and the database in a computer that easily meets the minimum requirements.
  • Increase the intervals for communicating with the workstations. You can do this through the AdminSecure console in Tools > Options > General > Advanced settings.

It is important to highlight that, if after installing AdminSecure using MSDE as the database, you decide to migrate to an SQL server in order to improve performance, you do not need to completely uninstall the product.

There are two basic methods for checking if low performance is a result of the 5 concurrent workload “throttle” on the database engine:

• Check the database logs.
• Use the DBCC command, which is available with all editions of SQL Server and especially useful in MSDE situations. Four parameters can be used with the DBCC CONCURRENCYVIOLATION command, which are DISPLAY, RESET, STARTLOG and STOPLOG.

The following link contains more information about the features and restrictions about MSDE and additional details of the DBCC command:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=%2Fservicedesks%2Fwebcasts%2Fen%2Fwc021402%2Fwct021402.asp

• SQL compatible versions (Dezember 3, 2007)
• Welche Scan-Ausschlüsse (Exclusions) sollten gesetzt sein? (März 25, 2009)
• Verzeichnisausschluesse in der Panda Admin Secure (November 22, 2007)

AgScan.exe plug-in: Functions and definition

Among other functions, versions 4.xx of AdminSecure incorporate the so called Preventive Protection Strategy (PPS). In turn, this functionality implements the new component AgScan.exe.

Its main functions are:

· To scan the network for computers that do not have the communications agent installed

· Detect communication problems.

This process is carried out by default once a day (12.00 pm computer time) and at the start up of the computer.

The frequency of this scan can also be configured from the AdminSecure console. In order to do so, go to the classic view, select Dashboard and click Settings.

Internal functioning

AgScan.exe pings each computer in the network IP by IP. It sends ICMP (Internet Control Message Control) messages to supervise communications in each computer. 

Traffic generated by AgScan.exe is negligible in large networks, as it only sends a ping and establishes a maximum of two connections via TCP/IP.

• Welche Scan-Ausschlüsse (Exclusions) sollten gesetzt sein? (März 25, 2009)
• Verzeichnisausschluesse in der Panda Admin Secure (November 22, 2007)
• SQL compatible versions (Dezember 3, 2007)

SQL compatible versions

On a Customized AdminSecure installation, the following SQL server versions can be detected: SQL 7, 2K and 2005.
Earlier versions of SQL will not be detected.

From AdminSecure 3.05.xx version onwards, the installation of the AdminSecure database in SQL in cluster is also possible.

Bear in mind that:

• MDAC must be installed in the computer where AdminSecure is about to be installed, in order for the virtual SQL server to be displayed in the drop-down menu during the Customized installation process.
• There could be loss of information while balancing the server from one node to another. If during the balancing process the AdminServer tries to insert information in the database, this information is lost and moved to the ErroneusCOMMSGs folder.

• AdminSecure 2006 supports both MS SQL 2005 and its MSDE versions.

• How to determine which data engine should be used: MSDE or SQL server (Dezember 3, 2007)
• Welche Scan-Ausschlüsse (Exclusions) sollten gesetzt sein? (März 25, 2009)
• Verzeichnisausschluesse in der Panda Admin Secure (November 22, 2007)