Assigning distribution points manually

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Kaspersky Security Center Cloud Console enables you to manually assign devices to act as distribution points. We recommend that you calculate the number and configuration of distribution points required for your network.

Distribution point devices running macOS cannot download updates from Kaspersky update servers.

If one or more devices running macOS are within the scope of the Download updates to the repositories of distribution points task, the task completes with the Failed status, even if it has successfully completed on all Windows devices.

Devices functioning as distribution points must be protected, including physical protection, against any unauthorized access.

To manually assign a device to act as distribution point:

1. In the main menu, click the settings icon () next to the name of the required Administration Server.

   The Administration Server properties window opens.

2. On the General tab, select the Distribution points section.
3. Click the Assign button.
4. Select the device that you want to make a distribution point.

   When selecting a device, keep in mind the operation features of distribution points and the requirements set for the device that acts as distribution point.

5. Select the administration group that you want to include in the scope of the selected distribution point.
6. Click the Add button.

   The distribution point that you have added will be displayed in the list of distribution points, in the Distribution points section.

7. Select the newly added distribution point in the list to open its properties window.
8. Configure the distribution point in the properties window:
   • The General section contains the settings of interaction between the distribution point and client devices:
     • SSL port

       The number of the SSL port for encrypted connection between client devices and the distribution point using SSL.

       By default, port 13000 is used.

     • Use multicast

       If this option is enabled, IP multicasting will be used for automatic distribution of installation packages to client devices within the group.

       IP multicasting decreases the time required to install an application from an installation package to a group of client devices, but increases the installation time when you install an application to a single client device.

     • IP multicast address

       IP address that will be used for multicasting. You can define an IP address in the range of 224.0.0.0 – 239.255.255.255

       By default, Kaspersky Security Center Cloud Console automatically assigns a unique IP multicast address within the given range.

     • IP multicast port number

       Number of the port for IP multicasting.

       By default, the port number is 15001. If the device with Administration Server installed is specified as the distribution point, port 13001 is used for SSL connection by default.

     • Deploy updates

       Updates are distributed to managed devices from the following sources:

       • This distribution point, if this option is enabled.
       • Other distribution points, Administration Server, or Kaspersky update servers, if this option is disabled.

       If you use distribution points to deploy updates, you can save traffic because you reduce the number of downloads. Also, you can relieve the load on the Administration Server and relocate the load between the distribution points. You can calculate the number of distribution points for your network to optimize the traffic and load.

       If you disable this option, the number of update downloads and load on the Administration Server may increase. By default, this option is enabled.

     • Deploy installation packages

       Installation packages are distributed to managed devices from the following sources:

       • This distribution point, if this option is enabled.
       • Other distribution points, Administration Server, or Kaspersky update servers, if this option is disabled.

       If you use distribution points to deploy installation packages, you can save traffic because you reduce the number of downloads. Also, you can relieve the load on the Administration Server and relocate the load between the distribution points. You can calculate the number of distribution points for your network to optimize the traffic and load.

       If you disable this option, the number of installation package downloads and load on the Administration Server may increase. By default, this option is enabled.

     • Run push server

       In Kaspersky Security Center Cloud Console, a distribution point can work as a push server for Windows-based and Linux-based devices that are managed by Network Agent. A push server has the same scope of managed devices as the distribution point on which the push server is enabled. If you have several distribution points assigned for the same administration group, you can enable a push server on each of the distribution points. In this case, Administration Server balances the load between the distribution points.

     • Push server port

       The port number for the push server. You can specify the number of any unoccupied port.

   • In the Scope section, specify the scope to which the distribution point will distribute updates (administration groups and / or network location).

     Only devices running a Windows operating system can determine their network location. Network location cannot be determined for devices running other operating systems.

   • In the KSN Proxy section, you can configure the application to use the distribution point to forward KSN requests from the managed devices:

     Enable KSN Proxy on the distribution point side

     The KSN proxy service is run on the device that is used as a distribution point. Use this feature to redistribute and optimize traffic on the network.

     This feature is not supported by distribution point devices running Linux or macOS.

     The distribution point sends the KSN statistics, which are listed in the Kaspersky Security Network statement, to Kaspersky. By default, the KSN statement is located in %ProgramFiles%\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Security Center\ksneula.

     By default, this option is disabled. Enabling this option takes effect only if the I agree to use Kaspersky Security Network option is enabled in the Administration Server properties window.

     You can assign a node of an active-passive cluster to a distribution point and enable KSN proxy server on this node.

   • Configure the polling of Windows domains, domain controller, and IP ranges by the distribution point:
     • Windows domains polling

       You can enable device discovery for Windows domains and set the schedule for the discovery.

     • Domain controller polling

       You can enable network polling for Active Directory and set the schedule for the poll.

       If you use a Windows distribution point, you can select one of the following options:

       • Poll current Active Directory domain.
       • Poll Active Directory domain forest.
       • Poll selected Active Directory domains only. If you select this option, add one or more Active Directory domains to the list.

       If you use a Linux distribution point with installed Network Agent version 15, you can poll only Active Directory domains for which you specify the address and user credentials. Polling of the current Active Directory domain and the Active Directory domain forest is not available.

       You can enable device discovery for domain controllers.

       If you select the Enable domain controller polling option, you can select domain controllers for polling and also specify the polling schedule for them.

       If you use a Linux distribution point, in the Poll specified domains section, click Add, and then specify the address and user credentials of the domain controller.

       If you use a Windows distribution point, you can select one of the following options:

       • Poll current domain
       • Poll entire domain forest
       • Poll specified domains
     • IP ranges polling

       You can enable device discovery for IPv4 ranges and IPv6 networks.

       If you enable the Enable range polling option, you can add scanned ranges and set the schedule for them. You can add IP ranges to the list of scanned ranges.

       If you enable the Use Zeroconf to poll IPv6 networks option, the distribution point automatically polls the IPv6 network by using zero-configuration networking (also referred to as Zeroconf). In this case, the specified IP ranges are ignored because the distribution point polls the whole network. The Use Zeroconf to poll IPv6 networks option is available if the distribution point runs Linux. To use Zeroconf IPv6 polling, you must install the avahi-browse utility on the distribution point.

   • In the Advanced section, specify the folder that the distribution point must use to store distributed data:
     • Use default folder

       If you select this option, the application uses the Network Agent installation folder on the distribution point.

     • Use specified folder

       If you select this option, in the field below, you can specify the path to the folder. It can be a local folder on the distribution point, or it can be a folder on any device on the corporate network.

       The user account used on the distribution point to run Network Agent must have read/write access to the specified folder.

9. Click the OK button.

The selected devices act as distribution points.