Customer Reviews

Configuring Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is mis-titled. It is 99% about Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition (NAVCE) 7.6, NOT the current Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition (SAVCE) 8.x. It only mentions a few of the many differences between the two products (usually in footnotes and sidebars). The cover prominently displays a "Free 1-year Upgrade" via the syngress.com website. As of this writing there are no upgrades available. SAVCE 8.x has been out for over a year now. I would expect to be able to download upgrades that cover SAVCE. Further, while lacking in coverage of SAVCE, the book instead goes off-topic and delves into setting-up and configuring your DNS servers and backup solution.

This is the first title I've seen that collects everything you need to know about Symantec Anti-virus into one organized place. The various chapters clarify information that is scattered throughout the online documentation and various mailing lists and discussion groups, and expands on those topics even further. The exercises provide wonderful step-by-step guides to perform the real-world tasks that you'll perform when installing and configuring Symantec Anti-virus on a corporate network.

There is next to nothing in this book about SAVCE 8.x. It may be a fine resource for NAVCE 7.6, but it's not at all as it is advertised. I agree with the previous reviewer who had this opinion. (I don't usually write reviews, but this book upset me.)

This book tells you everything you need to know about configuring the corporate edition of Symantec AntiVirus. Chapter 1 is an intorduction to NAVCE, including information on viruses, worms, trojan horses, etc. Many of us will be able to skip this chapter, but it is well written and provides a good starting point for using NAVCE and understanding Symantec security response. It also begins covering the Symantec Product Specialist certification. Chapters 2-6 are meaty and provide information on designing an antivirus infrastructure, understanding Symantec System Center, using Central Quarantine, configuring NAVCE 7.6 servers, implementing it to client PCs, and a ton more. Chapter 7 is on upgrading and then chapters 8, 9, 10 are on more intermediate and advanced topics like securing the environment. The last few chapters are on troubleshooting, handling virus outbreaks, disaster recovery etc.

I skipped very little of this book, finding something of value in each chapter. There are notes throughout (with names like Designing and Planning and Damage and Defense). Most are helpful and provide good tips/examples. The faq's at the end of the chapters are good -- not fluff like a lot of the books I read.

There are also a lot of tutorials, numbered steps walking you through configurations. They are all easy to follow without being tedious. Overall, very very good.