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MR4

Updated: 21 May 2010 | 36 comments
tommyhawk's picture
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I just got wind of MR4 in December - what's the scuttle?

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Dr. Watson's picture
15
Nov
2008
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I think Mr4 is already out for Beta Testing ... maybe paul could tell us more about this....:)

pbogu's picture
17
Nov
2008
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It's in internal beta program.

And they have few things to fix...

Paul Murgatroyd's picture
17
Nov
2008
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MR4: 
 
  • Support for Windows Server 2008 for SEPM, along with EBS2008 and SBS2008
  • Windows Authentication to SQL Server
  • Resumable client update downloads from SEPM
  • Defect fixes

 

 

thats about it 

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint

SAM_SHAIKH's picture
18
Nov
2008
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HI Paul,

 

Any Pointpatch inline before the release of MR4? If yes when PP is expected to get release.

 

Further, any release date for MR4?

 

Rgrds,

SAM

 

 

Paul Murgatroyd's picture
19
Nov
2008
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no MP's or PP's before MR4. RTM is mid December, GA will be early January, Fileconnect posting will be sometime between those dates.

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint

NickF's picture
19
Nov
2008
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Any news on what defects are/are not being worked on?

Paul Murgatroyd's picture
19
Nov
2008
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nothing public facing at the moment, a full list will be published in the release notes when MR4 is out.

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint

cable mite's picture
11
Dec
2008
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Says Jan 6, 2009 here

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/release_details.jsp?pid=54619

 

So that means another month of no reports.

------------------------------------------------------------
MR99 will fix it all.

hussain khan's picture
11
Dec
2008
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can any body tell me what enhanced features are in MR4??

walter abel's picture
11
Dec
2008
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That's the GA date Paul was talking about.

Dr. Watson's picture
14
Dec
2008
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support for windows server 2008

support for windows auth for SQL

issue fixes

 

as per my limited knowledge ;)

 

cheeeers ... :)

Eugene Vadets's picture
25
Dec
2008
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Hello!

does anybody know when will the Russian version be released?

Lady Tropic's picture
25
Dec
2008
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I really really hope they add more function to the notifications section.  I'd like to be notified for port scans and other attacks.  I just can't believe that got overlooked.

PeterGust's picture
25
Dec
2008
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A couple of requests for next SEPM release.
Please remove the limit in the SEPM client list.
The client list can only show 30 items (if I remember correct),
that is very annoying when I use a 24" monitor at 1920x1200.
When I sort clients, the sorting is only done in the visible client list (current page).
The sorting should be done on ALL clients in current folder.
Please save current column location between client deletion/move.
//Peter
Dr. Watson's picture
25
Dec
2008
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"If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it." ... ;)

 

This option can be customized ... You may go to the clients tab and change the default value "30" for view clients to the value you want

 

 

cheeers ... :)

ShadowsPapa's picture
26
Dec
2008
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>>When I sort clients, the sorting is only done in the visible client list (current page).
The sorting should be done on ALL clients in current folder.<<

 

I FULLY AGREE!

That bit bugged me for ages. Then when you sort, and hit that column header and want to reverse that sort, it usually won't. In my experience, running this on multiple computers, you usually get one shot at it. Once sorted, you can't reverse the sort by hitting the column header again, like you can in explorer when sorting files, say, by date.

 

When I sort, I should be able to see ALL machines running, say, a certain build and not have to look through 12 pages of clients, sorting each and every page, the sort sometimes not working (JAVA bug, I'm sure)

 

JAVA stuff is ok, but it's just slow and buggy. Too bad it must be JAVA based.

 

And yes, go to the client tab, view the clients listing, on the left under tasks heading, choose set display filter and type in a number. I just tested with 50 and it showed me a listing of 50. My resolution is best at about 28 so that's what I use.

I suppose you could type in 1200 and then see a larger listing when you sorted................

Message Edited by ShadowsPapa on 12-26-2008 07:28 AM
Loel Wooldridge's picture
26
Dec
2008
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Bill,

I really don't think you'd want to plug 1200 into that filter. When I run the console directly on the better of my two SEPM servers (still at 11.0.3), a PE1705 with 2xdual-core Xeon and 4GB RAM and set it to anything greater than 200, it takes a l-o-o-ong time to refresh, even with only the default 'View' selected. It's nearly unusable with any of the more complicated views if you try 300 or greater. Also, when you log off/on or restart, the custom filter setting reverts to the default, 20, at leat on the SEPM box.

 

With reference to the sorting issue, try double-clicking the headings - MUCH more reliable.

 

And yes, it is VERY, VERY sad that Symantec have decided to stay with a Java interface for this console and plan to move to Apache+tomcat, retaining php and Java, instead of moving to C++ and .Net using the MS MMC. All the blather about this direction being so great because it decouples Symantec from MS' 3-4 year technology refresh (IIS versions) seems to me to be more of the ABMS crew's bleating. One of the statements in this forum somewhere was that this way, Symantec could update the web servres whenever they wanted to by issuing a patch via an update to the app. What update? Which type: full version, MR, MP, PP? They can't even update the app properly to keep up with Sun and the Java releases, much less rewrite the app to accomodate security fixes in tomcat - or php which is wellknown for being full of security holes.

 

All of this rewriting will be done to accomodate Apache, but they can't commit to MS' upgrade cycle and very well known patch cycle?

 

Sorry about the rant, but when I hear stuff like that it just raises my hackles. Too little real info from Symantec, and too much of a disconnect in what little we hear.

 

Hoping for better,

Loel

 

ShadowsPapa's picture
26
Dec
2008
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LOL! Yes, I hear you - 1200 was sort of a tongue-in-cheek statement. Meaning, yeah, you could sort them ALL if you put them all on a single page!

But I agree, JAVA is slow and unreliable.

I am not glad they went the JAVA way. Too many things break with JAVA updates, just look at the Cisco stuff that is SLOW or painful each time there's another update. We've had a fit with the Cisco interfaces running in Java and now I've got to shut down the console each time I leave or it will be frozen the next day.

I have ALWAYS considered JAVA to be too slow for serious work, or work involving large numbers (as in this management console!)

.NET? What a joke! We've got a .net app that sits in the taskbar and waits for a simple "hot-key" combo to launch and take a screen shot then email it to our central IT for troubleshooting an app. It actually takes - get this - MORE memory than Outlook when it's running! Plus, all the .net versions and upgrades and patches........ and it's slow, too. We've got another app they are writing with .net in the background. Since it was launched a few weeks ago, the biggest complaint is "slow".

I fully agree - it should be written in a clean language that doesn't rely on updates that can and often DO break Java applications or applets.

I find the following with this move to JAva for their console:

*IT's SLOW!!

*It takes seconds to respond to each click. FAR from instant or even reasonable response to a mouse click, and copy n paste is a pain at best.

*I can't leave it running, I've got to shut it down and restart it or it will literally die or crash.

*I found it totally broke a couple times due to Java security updates.

Did I say it's SLOOOOW?  LOL I can't stress that enough. This new console is VERY slow.

I hate the fact that when I click it acts dumb and sits there, and I click a couple more times thinking it's locked (which it HAS done to me several times!!) and then I FINALLY get a change.

This new console actually crashes on me just as often as the old SAV one did!

When I change tabs or screens, I get this "progress screen" probably to distract me and not let me see how long it's taking, and on dual monitors, it does the progress screen on the other monitor, not the main one I'm using to see the console. Annoying, I know, it's not broke, but annoying.

Everything I've ever used written with Java is SLOOOOW.

This needs to be a true EXE written in a real programming language that's fast, lean and clean and doens't rely on buggy, slow and VULNERABLE Java. Imagine, a console for a security product that uses Java which has had more security patches/updates than most browsers have had lately.

Lady Tropic's picture
28
Dec
2008
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Did you do the fastCGI extension?  I couldn't believe how much that sped up my console.

ShadowsPapa's picture
29
Dec
2008
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>>Did you do the fastCGI extension? <<

 

?????????????

 

Maybe I'll learn something today - never heard of it!  Is this published somewhere? Part of SEP/SEM??

Where, how, what, what does it do?

reza akhlaghy's picture
29
Dec
2008
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Hi Bill,

 

FastCGI is a addon (to IIS) created by Microsoft which is located under Tools\NoSupport folder of CD2. It will speed up execution of PHP scripts but I had bad experience with it due to some refresh problems. Knock yourself up! :smileywink:

ShadowsPapa's picture
29
Dec
2008
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found it in the non-supported folder on CD2 and printed the PDF to read it. Well, that's some manual work there, can't just click "install"!

A bit scary knowing how fragile IIS is at times.

The good part, I stop the server, take a snapshot, restart it (taking all of 5 minutes tops) and give it a try.

IF it fails, I simply go into VMWare and "revert to snapshot", nothing lost, no permanent damage done.

And with 2 manager servers, I suppose I could make the change on ONE of them, use the console to connect to each in turn and see how they perform - one with and one without.

 

Paul Murgatroyd's picture
30
Dec
2008
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FastCGI does help, a lot of the reporting performance is down to the performance of CGI extensions on IIS, which is out of our control... thats where FastCGI comes in - its so good that Microsoft now install it by default on IIS7 in Windows Server 2008.

 

Of course, moving to Apache helps CGI performance significantly too :smileyhappy:

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint

ShadowsPapa's picture
31
Dec
2008
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>>Of course, moving to Apache helps CGI performance significantly too <<

 

Not to mention security, too, I'm sure!

Lady Tropic's picture
01
Jan
2009
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Any results Bill?  I'm curious :)

 

~Jess

ShadowsPapa's picture
06
Jan
2009
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I installed and made the changes just today (first chance to get at it)

I did both SEM servers and restarted each in turn, just in case.

I have opened the console running it from my local computer and it so far seems quicker - I have not seen the "progress bar" for a while and changing tabs is faster.

We'll see!

Obsidianmoon's picture
06
Jan
2009
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Just Curious,

 

The file connect release date was suppose to be today 06-JAN-2009, and the hours are winding down for today, has there been another delay for the non-plat customers?  Really anxious to get my Symantec back, because quite frankly the other 3 solutions that I have used since JUL-2008 have been lets just say lacking compared to SEP.

 

Thanks!

Abhishek Pradhan's picture
06
Jan
2009
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Thats weird. You may want to call licensing and check why your fileconnect account ain't showing MR-4 for download.

 

As far as i Know, MR-4 made general availability by the last week of december 2008 itself.

 

Check with licensing, they'll be the best people to resolve this.

 

Abhishek Pradhan, PMP, MCT
Consultant | Microsoft Corp.
Blog: http://blog.abhishekpradhan.net | SIG Lead - Pune IT Pro (Microsoft Pune User Group) | http://www.puneusergroup.org

Obsidianmoon's picture
06
Jan
2009
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Well it seems the support area uses apache, got a real nasty 500 error.  I guess I will have to wait till

tomorrow to get the issue resolved. 

Thanks for the information!

Message Edited by Obsidianmoon on 01-06-2009 07:36 PM
Message Edited by Obsidianmoon on 01-06-2009 07:36 PM
DerekHo's picture
06
Jan
2009
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hi Bill,

 

How much the improvment in precentage do you think after install the fastCGI? I also want to try it. the SEP, BE and BESR are also very slow after changed to JAVA base with tomcat....

ShadowsPapa's picture
07
Jan
2009
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I'm with Mr. Pradhan - contact them. They must have missed something as it's been there for a while and we, as a cheap state agency (just kidding, boss!) have only "basic" support, not gold or platinum or plutonium, etc. and we got it back in December.

 

I like MR4 and so far, so good.

ShadowsPapa's picture
07
Jan
2009
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Well I left the console running over night on my desktop, it was on the reports tab.

I clicked the client tab and DID see the progress bar pop up, but for perhaps 1 second, then it was gone and I was there.

That's 1/5th of the time it was taking.

Of course, things happen like network traffic, SQL server busy, etc that cause normal minor delays as always but I do see this as being at least "twice as fast" as it was.

Now note that's only a DAY of using it since the change, but so far, I think it was worth it.

I have two SEM servers, so while I did one, I did copy and paste of all commands into a notepad text document so on the second server, I opened the command prompt, copied from the text doc, pasted into the dos box and the second install took perhaps 5 minutes - no typing at all, the first 1 I did as I was screwing up and attempting to run the commands from the WRONG directory! I could not figure out why I got the "file not found" error. DUH. My bad.

 

The instructions Symantec supplies in the PDF are spot on, correct and easy. (IMO, anyway) 

Only difference I saw was we don't have the 64bit install file they mention, only the 32 bit, but that's no issue as all of our servers are 32bit Windows Server2003.

justscott's picture
07
Jan
2009
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the FastCGI sounds like it adds a nice performance boost, but since it's 'non-supported', what's the worst that can happen? 

I assume that since it's included on the CD and Microsoft will be adding it that Symantec recommends this feature if not supports it..would that be correct?

 

* and I routinely set my display at 1000 without much of an issue.... However the sort is a major pain-specifically the sorting only on the current page and not all clients (stated previously).

 

Message Edited by justscott on 01-07-2009 01:37 PM
Paul Murgatroyd's picture
07
Jan
2009
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not a lot to be honest, its "unsupported" because its not been fully tested, but since all it is doing is accelerating PHP and CGI on IIS then it can't really cause that much harm.

 

IIS7 has FastCGI installed by default anyway, so we are effectively testing it completely as of MR4, because we have extensively tested SEPM on 2008.

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint

Timo Tausch's picture
08
Jan
2009
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Question: When will be MR4 out for the other languages besides english?

On fileconnect I'm only able to download the englisch MR4. All other packages are still MR3.

 

 

Paul Murgatroyd's picture
09
Jan
2009
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verying dates, starting from today.

 

German, French, Italian and Spanish should be available soon

Paul Murgatroyd
Principal Product Manager, Symantec Endpoint Protection
Endpoint twitter feed: http://twitter.com/symc_endpoint