Jay's 44

Mac os9 software deployment from a 2000 server

Hey alls

I need to get a group ( 10 or so ) of mac pc's on some kind of an auto-update program for anti-virus. Virex (a mcafee product) is the virus scan the mac's use and we use mcafee ePO orcestrator ( which is a deployment software...NOT compatible with mac). Anyone know of any programs that will tell a mac to auto-download something from a windows server?

Yep...thats it

TIA!

GTZ

Assuming that you are using TCP/IP and not Apple Talk, the updates would be a function of the AV software. If it is capable of auto updates you should be able to tell it the path to look for the files. Shouldn't matter what type of server software you run.
But who writes viruses for a Mac anyway?

Randy

elvisizer

i've never heard of anything that can make a mac pull patches from a windows server, unless MS's services for macintosh has had that capability added in Windows Server 2003 (we haven't evaluated that version yet at work). . .But why are you even trying to do that?? Virex has it's own autoupdate function that can pull updates from mcafee directly .. . . .Or are the macs not able to access the web? If they can't, you might just want to email the updates to the mac users periodically so they can install them themselves, or just put them on a server on your network that the macs CAN access and give everyone instructions for how to install them . . . .It's not like that's very hard in Virex, and since they're running OS 9 you don't have to worry about the users' accounts not having enough rights to do the install. Unless you're actually using Multiple Users under OS 9. If you are, well, ick. stop being so masochistic.

About virii for macs, there aren't really many mac-specific ones out in the wild anymore, but every couple of years, one or two new ones do crop up. the real concern with macs is SPREADING virii, usually macro virii in word or excel documents. Since the MS office file formats are the same on both macs and pc's, a macro virus can infect your normal.dot template on your mac, which will embed the macro virus into every document that you create . . . . so, even though the virus can't do anything to your mac (which also means you probably won't even notice that you've been infected with a virus), you could be spreading them to PC's where they CAN do some damage. While you don't have to go nuts updating the definition files everyday, it IS a good idea to have virus protection on your mac, especially if you regularly share files with PC's.

can you tell i'm a mac/pc admin during the day?

Jay's 44

Well we just recieved licensing for the Virex....and I know jack**** about Mac's and dont have time to look up an alternate route...We didnt even know there was a mac network within the network tho because someone moved the mac server into the same room as all the mac users...so their server isnt being backed up or anything which...sucks...


thanks for the help!