| Product |
Cost |
Scalability |
Special Features |
Updates |
Reporting |
Limitations |
Reviews |
| Price includes a life-time subscription to updates. Extremely reasonably priced at $24.95 per user. |
Protects all Windows versions, Linux, Domino, Exchange, most Windows versions, Solaris, NetWare, MacOS, Palm OS, and Pocket PC 2002 with managed clients. Includes POP3, SMTP and IMAP4 scanning. |
Includes policy plans for outbreak management. Has TWO independent scan engines for extra protection. Free signature updates. Policy profile on notebooks changes automatically depending upon their location e.g. in the office or in a hotel. |
Definitions are automatically downloaded to the client as they become available. |
Implementation status reports can be built with a native report builder, LDAP or any ODBC-compliant tool. |
No management integration with eTrust’s access management and intrusion detection products. Have to select which anti-virus engine to install on each client, cannot have both on the same machine. No solution for Groupwise or SendMail. |
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| Reasonably priced around $55 per user. Annual fee is 50% of purchase price. |
Centrally managed suite of products. Protects most Windows versions, DOS, NetWare, OS/2, MacOS and Linux. Scans both POP3 and SMTP traffic. |
Automatically removes other anti-virus programs during install. Integrated firewall protection to prevent intrusion. End-user configuration can be locked. |
Definitions are updated 1-2 times a day. Clients poll the server for updates. |
Optional reporting module allowing custom reports of all anti-virus components. |
No auto-scan at start up. Lacks the ability to schedule scans. |
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| Wide range of prices depending upon where it is purchased, ranging from $14 to $72 per user for two years. |
Protects gateways, servers, desktops, notebooks & PDAs. Specific support for Exchange, Domino, most Windows versions, DOS, Linux, HP-UX, SCO, AIX, Solaris & NetWare. Centrally managed. |
Can manage Symantec AV scanners. End-user configuration can be locked. |
Definitions are automatically updated 1-2 times a day. |
Very detailed, easy to understand virus activity reports. Uses Crystal Reports. Particularly good for creating upper management reports. |
The central management tool, ePolicy Orchestra, is laborious to configure. |
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| Price starts at $75 per user. |
Suite includes separate products for servers, desktops, PDAs, Exchange, Domino, SendMail, TCP/IP and a firewall. All products are managed via Panda Administrator. |
All servers and workstations can be installed/managed from one source. |
Guarantees delivery of a disinfectant within 24 hours of being notified of a new virus. Definition updates are automatically on a schedule determined by the administrator. Engine updates are downloaded monthly. |
Offers reports of recent virus activity. |
If the software is installed automatically it is not possible to give the end-user any degree of control. Automatic definition downloads cannot be scheduled more frequently than once per day. Heuristics are disabled by default. |
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| Sold on a subscription basis, cost depends on number of users and options selected. Very reasonably priced, starting at $60 per user per year. |
Can be installed on a large variety of platforms including gateways, servers, desktops, notebooks: centrally managed (MMC option). Includes support for all Windows versions, DOS, OS/2, AIX, HP-UX, NetWare, Unix & MacOS. Protects PDA’s through synchronization. |
“Intercheck technology” —intelligent on access, on demand and scheduled scanning of infectable files. Cannot be disabled by end users. |
Definition files: downloaded to the designated location as they become available—clients are automatically updated. Engine: monthly. Simply save the update file in the designated location and clients will be automatically updated. |
Offers four configurable summary report templates. |
No firewall to prevent unauthorized access. No single user version. Windows 9.x clients require an agent to be installed. No heuristic scanner. |
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| More expensive than Sophos but does include an anti-spam solution: starting at $72 per user including support. |
Suite of centrally managed products including protection for: SMTP gateways, Exchange, Domino, Solaris, servers, desktops/notebooks & web servers. Can be managed via MMC interface. |
Complete network auditing to detect unprotected nodes and nodes protected by certain other anti-virus products. Client can be locked down—this is determined per user/group. |
Definition and Engine files are handled the same way: automatic updates as available to either the end-user or central location. |
Limited reporting capabilities. |
No support for Linux or MacOS. No remote installation option for Windows 9.x. |
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| Most expensive solution: starting at $92 per user per year including support. Includes content filtering. |
Centrally managed through web-based interface for Linux, Windows 2000/NT, Exchange, Domino, Netware, EMC Celerra and Solaris. Includes protection for PDAs. Scans both POP3 and SMTP. |
Emphasizes its roll-back capabilities and features for managing a virus breakout. Includes policies specifically for attacks such as attachment blocking during an outbreak. Possible to prevent end-users from disabling protection or give them some degree of control. |
Guarantees delivery of definition within 2 hours of receipt of new virus. Update interval is set by administrator—can be as frequent as every 5 minutes. |
Control Manager includes ten built-in reports to graphically illustrate virus/suspicious activity. Good format selection: PDF, Crystal, RTF & HTML. |
Each product has to be installed separately and then tied together in the management console. No support for MacOS. Servers and workstations are managed separately. |