Endpoint Protection

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  • 1.  Is this experience typical?

    Posted Mar 15, 2018 08:46 PM

    We installed SEP 14 in our 64 user network and it was a disaster. The Antivirus scan detected viruses imbedded in the individual mailbox files, which is good - but then it quarantined the entire mailbox ... one time for every instance of a virus ... leaving users with no functioning email history. Worse, in SEP14 the files were quarantined under filenames DIFFERENT than the name SEP logged in their internal logs, so the files could not be restored via the SEP utility and the Tech Support Department had to get specific help, for each file for each user, from Symantec's actual program engineering department! So the bottom line was that SEP quarantine files that it could not recover. This is not a rant, this is documented fact. Symantec had to issue two patches for SEP14 just to fix two of our three problems -- and the third problem is so severe that iy will not be fixed until SEP15.

    All of which are part of business. Things happen. But the deal-breaker is that after all the trouble and catastrophic loss of business, Symantec has invited us to BUY ... repeat -- BUY -- the upgraded versions of the software whan available. Software that will finally work as it should have worked in the beginning.   Calls, Emails and written letters to Symantec Corporate remain unreturned

    We even contacted Ingram Micro and asked THEM to contact Symantec and after 4 attempts even Imgram Micro admits that they cannot get the attention of Symantec.

    I'm not asking for new features.  It would be nice if Symantec understood a Unix-style mailbox and was able to isolate individual messages but I'm not asking for that new feature.  software that can accurately log and then restore files that it quarantined ... should not be too much to ask, should it?

    I've asked around my circle of gurus and the best I've heard is "Look.  Symantec doesn't have to be good - just better than Avast and McAfee and Kapsersky.  If yout think Symantec is arrogant just try one of the others"

     

    Can that possibly be true????



  • 2.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 16, 2018 02:42 PM

    Hi Darrel,

    I apologize for the what you have experienced with the product.  Do you have specific case numbers I can look into?  I'd be happy to take a look and see if I can get some more attention in the matter.

    Thanks,

    John Owens



  • 3.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 16, 2018 03:11 PM

    Hello Darrel,

    I found your case.  The fix for this will be in SEP 14.2 which has an ETA for late April early May.  If you have a current SEP 14 license you will not have to purchase another one for this build.  It would be available for you at no additional cost to download on Fileconnect.

    Thanks,

    John Owens



  • 4.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Posted Mar 16, 2018 03:46 PM

    As a workaround you can exclude the folder path of your email folder or the file extention used by the mailbox. https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO80920.html 



  • 5.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Posted Mar 16, 2018 06:13 PM

    John -- make no mistake - the tech support response has been superb.   The initial response from the offshore centers, not so much but I understand that 99% of support is people who can't seem to master the intracies of reading the instructions ... so first-line support is very often shallow.   Once the Duty Manager got involved and the case was transferred to the US based technical support they dug their teeth in and got INTO this and they found and duplicated and verified the problems with support that is as good as I've every experienced.

    That said, a few problems (I was told) won't be addressed until SEP 15 because they are so involved in the kernel of the protection engine --- and I won't get a free upgrrade even though it is to fix a difference between advertised behavior versus actual behavior.

    But what floors me ... what leaves me so bewildered ... the total and absolute uncaring by the Corporation itself.    A flagship product that can quarantine a file that the flagship product can't recover .... wouldn't you think that something THAT awful ... THAT embarrassing ... might actually get the attention of someone from the Corporate Office?   Nope -- they wouldn't spit on my head if my hair was on fire "If you have a problem that support can't address then you don't HAVE a problem!"

     

    In plain language - how do I justify putting 1024 more licenses in their bank when they've made it CLEAR that they don't care about me one way or another?

    I'm trying to find out if I have in some way been singled out for this arrogant and uncaring treatment or if this is the way they want the company to be.  

     



  • 6.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Posted Mar 16, 2018 08:41 PM

    John - Once we got back on shore the Tech Support was superb.   Some of the problems will be fixed in a future release of SEP14 but I was told that a big, core issue is so close to the innards of the system that a redesign would have to wait for SEP15 - and I was told that I could buy that.

    And remember -- ALL I WANT is for the program to behave as the documentation adverised it to behave when I bought it.

    The product quarantined the email history of a dozen key staff members and it took weeks -- WEEKS to get those emails during which I can unashamedly say that this company was crippled ... and all Symantec Corporate says is "If you have a problem call tech support, otherwise leave us alone."

    My question here is not about Tech Support - my question here is the Corporation behind it.  How can I justify buying 1024 licenses ... and giving that income to a company, that couldn't care if I lived or died?  IN FACT couldn't care less about the damage they caused?

    I'm asking if other people have experinced this same arrogant attitide and absolute uncaring from the company itself?

     



  • 7.  RE: Is this experience typical?

    Broadcom Employee
    Posted Mar 17, 2018 12:08 AM

    HI Darrel,

    Let me talk to some people and see what I can do for you. I don't believe customers with a current license will need to pay for SEP 15, but I will get confirmation on that and let you know.

    I'll have some more information for you on Monday.

    I hope we can resolve this matter and get you the attention you deserve as our customer.

    SIncerely,

    John Owens