Avast SBS Suite Install Question

[MegaRich]

Hi, I'm getting set to install the SBS Suite, and I was wondering what the best practices are to install the software. I've searched the forum, I'm aware of the difficulties in doing SBS installs, but I have seen no definitive answer to this question:

Do I install the Avast SBS Edition on my SBS Server, then the ADNM

or

Do I install the ADNM and push the NetServer edition to my SBS Server?

I can't find any documentation that explains which approach is the best, and I'd love to know if there are advantages or disadvantages to either set up.

Thanks!

[MegaRich]

250 views and nobody has the answer?

Surely I'm not the only person Installing Avast on SBS. I'm just trying to find out what the best practices are for installation. I've seen a lot of posts where people have installed the ADNM and then deployed the NetServer Edition, but if this is the best practice, why does the SBS Suite come with a separate download for the Standalone SBS Server Client?

If this has been covered before, I'm just not finding it on this forum. There's little to no documentation on the SBS Suite either.

[scythe944]

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=41775.0

As for answers to your questions:

Do I install the ADNM and push the NetServer edition to my SBS Server?

Yes, ADNM is just the console tool to configure / report / and push avast installations.  It is not an A/V product by itself.

Do I install the Avast SBS Edition on my SBS Server, then the ADNM

ADNM first. Once installed, you can use it for 60 days to trial it out before purchasing licenses for your computers.  Deploy from ADNM to your server and client computers.  Once you pay for the license, insert it with the AMS tools and you'll be set to go until the license expires.

why does the SBS Suite come with a separate download for the Standalone SBS Server Client?

Because some people like to actually install the product manually instead of using the ADNM console.  I'm not really sure why, but Avast gives that option too.

All you should be really worried about is getting ADNM installed on your server and working properly.  Then, just create a server install task, and a client install task.  Then, run the tasks on the appropriate computers once you have detected them.

Refer to the ADNM Administrator's guide for more information(http://files.avast.com/files/eng/adnmag.pdf), as well as the link that I posted earlier.

Come back anytime if you have more questions.

[MegaRich]

Hey! Thanks for the reply. I suspected this was the case and that some people simply would prefer standalone clients (although I can't fathom why you'd not run managed clients in an SBS environment) but I wanted to be 100% sure that I'm doing it the "right" way and that nothing significant about the installation process has changed.

I use Avast extensively - it's the only solution that I advocate for my clients, and as such I have administered and installed ADNM in the past, I am familiar with the tool and the deploy options, the hitch I met up with is that I am just in the process of pre-building a SBS 2008 server for a client and when I went to grab the ADNM installer, I noticed that there was the standalone client as well as the ADNM. I just wanted to verify that I've been doing this right all along and that this server is optimal before it goes out the door.

I would be very frustrated if a few months from now they have some kind of issue that requires support and I hit a "Well, why did you install it LIKE THAT?" roadblock. One can never be too informed or prepared.

Thanks again!

[scythe944]

Sure, no problem...

I hope the installation guide that I started (and others finished) will help guide you in your ways.

[SuperFlyBoy]

Sure, no problem...

I hope the installation guide that I started (and others finished) will help guide you in your ways.

Hi,

Just wondering if your install guide (which refers to SBS2008) would work for SBS2003 also?

I think it should...

[scythe944]

Hi Superfly,

Well actually in 2003 SBS it's a lot easier.  If you download the ADNM with MSDE, it should basically install itself with little or no "special attention" required.

2008 is a pain because the bundled version of MSDE is old, so 2008 has problems with it, which is why we all had to manually download Sql express 2005 or 2008, specify the login information and create an instance, then tell Avast what to connect to.

In 2003, you pretty much just follow the ADNM Administrator's guide: http://files.avast.com/files/eng/adnmag.pdf

ADNM with MSDE can be obtained from this page: http://www.avast.com/distributed-network-manager#tab4

Also, if you have problems, please start your own thread.  It's hard for people to support and follow two conversations at the same time.

Thanks!