Centralized updates without Perl?

[DearHeart]

Please help me to solve the following problem, I have searched the forum but cannot find a solution.  I deal with SOHO clients that have between 1-10 PCs connected in a workgroup configuration.  There is typically one shared Internet connection via 56K or ISDN modem.  I have the following questions:

1) How do you centralise the iAVS and program updates so that each PC does not download the files and bring the Internet connection to a grinding halt?
2) How do you do the update on a PC that do not have an Internet connection, e.g. from a stiffy or CD?

In RAV there is a very good feature that allows you to create a network share on one PC which becomes the server.  The other PCs then get their updates from file://UpdateDir which saves on bandwith since only one download is done.  
I have looked at the solution (http://www.avast.com/i_idt_149.html) that suggests the usage of Perl files but it is not viable to install ActivePerl on each of these client sites that do not have a network administrator and the solution is also rather complicated for a non technical person.  Also, the process must take place automatically without user interaction.  I do not know if I have missed something obvious but this is quite a problem.

[kubecj]

The mirror program for Avast4 is in works. This time it will be standard win app, but the setup (various inis, def files, copying and stuff) will be similarly obscure  

On the other hand:
1) You have to do it only once
2) You can always contract somebody to do it.

Re perl: I don't understand this typical win-admin reluctance to use/install perl. Why does that matter if it's exe file or *.pl script file? Just wondering...  

[DearHeart]

Hi Jindrich

Thanks for the reply!  Well, I also love Perl and have written quite a bit of code with it.  My point is this:  How can RAV provide such a simple and straight forward solution through a share on the network and yours have to be complicated?  I like avast! much better than any of the other AV programs I've used but this really bugs me  

BTW my client's PC normally lack the resources to accomodate ActiveState Perl, and, if the phone me to do the update?  How about a thousand clients phoning me to do a process that works great on a single PC?  Remember, the users are secrataries, managers, clarks etc.  The process should be totally invisible!

[kubecj]

Huh? I'm missing your point now, please, explain  

You install mirror tool on _one_ computer and setup all computers to check the shared folder/web folder. This is how's it done with perl scripts in mirror for version 3 and how it will be done with win32 app in mirror for version 4.

[DearHeart]

My point is that I charge a specific rate to install an AV solution at my customer and don't want to spend extra time installing Perl and editing files.  With RAV and (I've just checked) and F-Prot one just selects the option to update from the network.  One click, type the network shared location and it's done.  avast! is superior in many aspects and I want to become a reseller in South Africa.  I am just trying to help to bring this single aspect of avast! up to the standards set by others