Change client-server communication settings

Use pull mode instead of push mode to control how often the management server downloads policies and content updates to the client computers. In pull mode, the management server can support more clients.

Increase the heartbeat interval so that the client and the server communicate less frequently. For less than 100 clients per server, increase the heartbeat to 15-30 minutes. For 100 to 1,000 clients, increase the heartbeat to 30-60 minutes. Larger networks might need a longer heartbeat interval. Increase the download randomization to between one and three times the heartbeat interval.

See Configuring push mode or pull mode to update client policies and content.

For more information about setting heartbeat intervals, see the Symantec Endpoint Sizing and Scalability Best Practices white paper.

Randomize and reduce the number of content updates

Content updates vary in size and frequency, depending on the content type and availability. You can reduce the effect of downloading and importing a full set of content updates by using the following methods:

Adjust scans to improve computer performance

Virus and spyware scans minimize the effect on your client computers' resources. You can also change some scan settings to improve the computers' performance without reducing protection.

For example, you can configure scans to ignore trusted files or to scan when the computer is idle.

See Adjusting scans to improve computer performance.

See Customizing Auto-Protect for Windows clients.

Reduce database client log volume

You can configure the logging options to optimize storage requirements and comply with company policies that control retention of logged data.

The database receives and stores a constant flow of entries into its log files. You must manage the data that are stored in the database so that the stored data does not consume all the available disk space. Too much data can cause the computer on which the database runs to crash.

Perform database maintenance tasks

To increase the speed of communication between the client and the server, you should schedule regular database maintenance tasks.

See Scheduling automatic database maintenance tasks.