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Administration Guide

Auto-Definition updates

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Auto-Definition updates

Fortinet provides weekly updates called Auto-Definition updates that contain support for the following:

  • Information on the latest Anti-Virus definitions
  • Support for new versions of Anti-Virus
  • Support for new operating system versions
  • Any new Vendor OUIs released by the IEEE Standards Association
  • New or modified Custom Scan options

Downloading these updates keeps your FortiNAC software current allowing your hosts and users to access the network easily without having to contact your IT department.

Typically, Fortinet provides an update file every Monday. If Monday is a holiday, the update is posted on the next business day. An alert is posted on the Fortinet web site in the Customer Portal when the update file is ready for download. For customers who prefer to download updates on a delayed schedule, Fortinet maintains the current update plus updates from the previous three weeks.

To implement Auto-Definition updates you must do the following:

  • Configure your FortiNAC server to communicate with the Fortinet download site. See for instructions.
  • Configure the schedule for retrieving and installing updates. See .

Download settings

To download auto-definition updates from the download site, you must configure a connection to that site.

Configure settings

Configure the connection settings for the download location so the Auto-Def Synchronizer, Agent Packages, and the Software Distribution Updates can be completed. You need to change the default settings if another server is used to host the auto-definition or updated distribution files.

To set the host and protocol settings for the System Update:

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Go to the System Update Settings section of the screen.
  5. Use the table below to enter the update settings. Contact Customer Support for the correct login credentials.
  6. Click Test to check that the settings allow connection to the Auto-Definition Directory and the Product Distribution Directory.

    Note

    Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our website for information about the distribution directory for the specific version you wish to download and install.

  7. Once connection to the server is established, click Save Settings.
Settings

Field

Definition

Host

IP Address, host name, or fully-qualified name of the server that is hosting the updates.

Auto-Definition
Directory

The sub-directory where the weekly anti-virus and operating system updates are located. Default setting for this field is a period (.). If you are downloading these files from a server on your network, specify the directory containing the updates.

If you prefer to download and install updates on a delayed schedule, you can choose system updates from one, two, three or four weeks ago by modifying this field with an additional sub-directory. For example, entering /week1 gives you an update that is one week old. Available directories are:

./week1 contains updates that are one week old.
./week2 contains updates that are two weeks old.
./week3 contains updates that are three weeks old.
./week4 contains updates that are four weeks old.

Product Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the product software files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated.

A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click the Test button to confirm the configuration.

Note

Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our web site for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

Agent Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the Agent update files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated. A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click the Test button to confirm the configuration.

Note

Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our web site for information about the distribution directory for the specific agent package you wish to download and install.

User

The user name for the connection.

Password

The password for the connection.

Protocol

HTTP—Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

HTTPS—Secure communication over HTTP.

SFTP—Secure FTP. This protocol provides a more secure connection.

FTP—File Transfer Protocol.

PFTP—Passive FTP. A more secure form of data transfer in which the flow of data is set up and initiated by the FTP client rather than by the FTP server program.

Buttons

Test

Tests the connection between the FortiNAC program and the update server.

Revert To Defaults

Returns the window to the factory default settings.

Auto-Definition updates

Fortinet provides weekly updates called Auto-Definition updates that contain support for the following:

  • Information on the latest Anti-Virus definitions
  • Support for new versions of Anti-Virus
  • Support for new operating system versions
  • Any new Vendor OUIs released by the IEEE Standards Association
  • New or modified Custom Scan options

Downloading these updates keeps your FortiNAC software current allowing your hosts and users to access the network easily without having to contact your IT department.

Typically, Fortinet provides an update file every Monday. If Monday is a holiday, the update is posted on the next business day. An alert is posted on the Fortinet web site in the Customer Portal when the update file is ready for download. For customers who prefer to download updates on a delayed schedule, Fortinet maintains the current update plus updates from the previous three weeks.

To implement Auto-Definition updates you must do the following:

  • Configure your FortiNAC server to communicate with the Fortinet download site. See for instructions.
  • Configure the schedule for retrieving and installing updates. See .

Download settings

To download auto-definition updates from the download site, you must configure a connection to that site.

Configure settings

Configure the connection settings for the download location so the Auto-Def Synchronizer, Agent Packages, and the Software Distribution Updates can be completed. You need to change the default settings if another server is used to host the auto-definition or updated distribution files.

To set the host and protocol settings for the System Update:

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Go to the System Update Settings section of the screen.
  5. Use the table below to enter the update settings. Contact Customer Support for the correct login credentials.
  6. Click Test to check that the settings allow connection to the Auto-Definition Directory and the Product Distribution Directory.

    Note

    Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our website for information about the distribution directory for the specific version you wish to download and install.

  7. Once connection to the server is established, click Save Settings.
Settings

Field

Definition

Host

IP Address, host name, or fully-qualified name of the server that is hosting the updates.

Auto-Definition
Directory

The sub-directory where the weekly anti-virus and operating system updates are located. Default setting for this field is a period (.). If you are downloading these files from a server on your network, specify the directory containing the updates.

If you prefer to download and install updates on a delayed schedule, you can choose system updates from one, two, three or four weeks ago by modifying this field with an additional sub-directory. For example, entering /week1 gives you an update that is one week old. Available directories are:

./week1 contains updates that are one week old.
./week2 contains updates that are two weeks old.
./week3 contains updates that are three weeks old.
./week4 contains updates that are four weeks old.

Product Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the product software files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated.

A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click the Test button to confirm the configuration.

Note

Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our web site for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

Agent Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the Agent update files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated. A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click the Test button to confirm the configuration.

Note

Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our web site for information about the distribution directory for the specific agent package you wish to download and install.

User

The user name for the connection.

Password

The password for the connection.

Protocol

HTTP—Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

HTTPS—Secure communication over HTTP.

SFTP—Secure FTP. This protocol provides a more secure connection.

FTP—File Transfer Protocol.

PFTP—Passive FTP. A more secure form of data transfer in which the flow of data is set up and initiated by the FTP client rather than by the FTP server program.

Buttons

Test

Tests the connection between the FortiNAC program and the update server.

Revert To Defaults

Returns the window to the factory default settings.