You can configure interaction with the Update Server using the Manager. You can pull updates from the Update Server on demand or you can schedule update downloads. With scheduled downloads, the Manager polls the Update Server (over the Internet) at the desired frequency. If an update has been posted, that update is registered as “Available” in the Manager interface for on-demand downloaded. Once downloaded to the Manager, you can immediately download (via an encrypted connection) the update to deployed Sensors or deploy the update based on a Sensor update schedule you define. Acceptance of a download is at the discretion of the administrator.
Automatic update to Manager, manual update from Manager to Sensors — This option enables Manager server to receive updates automatically, but allows the administrator to selectively apply the updates to the Sensors.
Manual update to Manager, automatic update from Manager to Sensors — This option enables the administrator to select updates manually, but once the update is selected, it is applied to the Sensors automatically without reboot.
Fully manual update — This option allows the security administrator to determine which signature update to apply per update, and when to push the update out to the Sensors. You may want to manually update the system when you make some configuration change, such as updating a policy or response.
Fully automatic update — This option enables every update to pass directly from the Update Server to the Manager, and from the Manager to the Sensors without any intervention by the security administrator. Note that fully automatic updating still happens at the scheduled intervals.
Real-time update — This option is similar to fully automatic updating. However, rather than waiting for a scheduled interval, the update is pushed directly from Update Server to Manager to Sensor. No device needs to be rebooted; the Sensor does not stop monitoring traffic during the update, and the update is active as soon as it is applied to the Sensor.