Page 1 of 8

Updated LU Security Software

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:27 pm
by lajackson
Never hide your light under a bushel when a thimble will do.

A very observant member of this forum has noticed some new software at the MLS download site. When I downloaded MLS 3.1.3 I did not look under this link because it says it has not been updated recently. This, however, is not true.

Under the link:

Local Unit Security Software
(Updated 19 April 2007)

there are two new and improved items:

Computer Management Software (20M)
(Updated 22 December 2009)

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Software Installer
(Updated 22 December 2009)

A note says that the second item will remove Symantec and install the new security software. There is no note with the first link.

Hence, my question. (You saw that coming, right?)

Do we just run the Local Unit Computer Management Software? Are there any instructions? Are there any unexpected hazards or equipment limitations? Or should I just wait until someone else tries it first and reports back? [grin]

Larry Jackson

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:47 pm
by techgy
lajackson wrote:A very observant member of this forum has noticed some new software at the MLS download site. When I downloaded MLS 3.1.3 I did not look under this link because it says it has not been updated recently. This, however, is not true.

Under the link:

Local Unit Security Software
(Updated 19 April 2007)

there are two new and improved items:

Computer Management Software (20M)
(Updated 22 December 2009)

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Software Installer
(Updated 22 December 2009)

A note says that the second item will remove Symantec and install the new security software. There is no note with the first link.

Hence, my question. (You saw that coming, right?)

Do we just run the Local Unit Computer Management Software? Are there any instructions? Are there any unexpected hazards or equipment limitations? Or should I just wait until someone else tries it first and reports back? [grin]

Larry Jackson
I like you're final recommendation :rolleyes:. I'm a little reluctant to make any changes to my current desktop software w/o some indication from CHQ giving some details or at least a note saying that we should proceed.

I'd hate to start 2010 poorly.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:13 pm
by russellhltn
The first link is to a new version of LANDesk. I'm not sure what's planned. I could see that being useful for units on broadband, but I'm not sure how it would benefit dial-up units.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:31 pm
by jdlessley
It looks like the second link uninstalls Symantec and installs the Sophos firewall and Sophos antivirus/malware. If the Sophos updater is implemented the same way it is in the FHC computers then the update to LANDesk is needed to for the daily updates to Sophos. Since FHC internet connections are broadband I don't know what the functionality for dialup administrative computers would be like.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 3:53 pm
by pete_arnett-p40
The Family History side of the church did their deployment of LANDesk and Sophos anti-virus several months ago and it appears that most of the issues with Sophos have been resolved (networked printers and software deployment) and now it is time for the Administrative (MLS) side of the church to do our deployment

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 9:31 pm
by techgy
pete_arnett wrote:The Family History side of the church did their deployment of LANDesk and Sophos anti-virus several months ago and it appears that most of the issues with Sophos have been resolved (networked printers and software deployment) and now it is time for the Administrative (MLS) side of the church to do our deployment
Perhaps. But I'd still feel much better if I was able to run this on a test box prior to dumping it onto a ward administrative computer. I've got a spare that I can use that's set up with the Desktop 5.5 system, Symantec, etc. It would be an interesting experiment to use this box as a test to gain a little confidence in the process.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:01 pm
by russellhltn
I'm planing on trying a stake machine first.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 10:34 pm
by techgy
RussellHltn wrote:I'm planing on trying a stake machine first.
Frankly I'm not sure which would be worse. To have the stake presidency upset because their MLS machine is down or a Bishop. I'm on vacation this week so if I have a chance amidst the other challenges of my free time, I'll give this a shot on a spare system.

Which of the two upgrades should be run first? Would it be better to run the AV install which would remove the symantec system followed by the desktop management install or....What happens to the Desktop 5.5 software?

Lots of questions very little information.

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 11:16 pm
by aebrown
Techgy wrote:Which of the two upgrades should be run first? Would it be better to run the AV install which would remove the symantec system followed by the desktop management install or....What happens to the Desktop 5.5 software?
Desktop 5.5 is simply a name for a collection of software. It consists of:
  • LANDesk system management software
  • Symantec Antivirus
  • A backup/restore system accessible when the system starts
  • Various applications
So the answer to your last question is that nothing really happens to Desktop 5.5 itself because it doesn't exist as a single entity. I really doubt that it matters what order you do the installation. It may not even be necessary to install the new Computer Management Software; no one has given any indication that it is a new version of LANDesk at all.

My stake has been running a beta version of the Symantec Remover / Sophos Installer for several months. The first time I ran it was on top of a Desktop 5.5 installer. All it did then was remove Symantec and install Sophos. The second time I ran it was on top of a Local Unit Security Suite install (on a new system that did not have Desktop 5.5). Again, all it did then was remove Symantec and install Sophos. It worked fine with the existing version of LANDesk that was part of LUSS.

I don't know if the new LANDesk install is required for the new A/V solution, but I doubt it. It certainly was not required for the beta version of the new A/V solution. My guess is that the new Computer Management Software install was created primarily because the old LUSS included Symantec, and of course we wouldn't want to install that, now that the new Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Installer would simply uninstall Symantec anyway.

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:20 am
by russellhltn
Techgy wrote:Frankly I'm not sure which would be worse. To have the stake presidency upset because their MLS machine is down or a Bishop.
Bishop. They have a number of things that have to be done as part of year-end. While the stake also has desires to get things done, I don't think they are under the same kind of deadline pressure.

Since all of our units are running Desktop 5.5, I'll just do a backup before trying it out.