Auto-updates FAQ

Will the computers be updated automatically? Is the update downloaded before or after the restart?

The download happens before the restart, and the updated files are also prepared in this stage. After the restart, the updated files are still only prepared for use, and the currently installed version provides uninterrupted protection. The changes are applied after the next start of ESET Endpoint Antivirus.

I have approximately 3000 computers. Will all of the computers download the updates at the same time? Can I use a proxy for auto-updates with so many computers?

ESET offers the ESET Bridge, Mirror Tool and proxy solutions for larger networks, so updates are downloaded only one time from the internet and then distributed locally. Updates are smaller, typically 5–10 MB, and ESET will throttle updates during the first few weeks of availability. Therefore, not all clients will start the download simultaneously when connected directly to ESET servers.

Can I decide how many or which computers will be updated automatically? I do not want to download more than ten computers per hour, or I only would like to update ten computers for now and another computer after a couple of days.

Managed environments have an auto-update policy where you can specify the latest desired version. Wild cards (for example, 9.0.2032.*) are also supported. For more information, see the Automatic updates chapter in Online Help for ESET PROTECT or ESET PROTECT Cloud. Unfortunately, there are no other available options to limit auto-updates at this time. You can assign multiple policies for multiple groups.

Are auto-updates configured only by policy? Can I disable the policy if I do not want an ESET product to be updated?

If there is a Security and Stability hotfix for an ESET Endpoint product, the product will be updated even when auto-updates are disabled, as per the terms set in the applicable EULA. ESET uses Security and Stability Hotfixes to address critical issues and ensure maximum security and stability for your ESET product.

You can assign an auto-update policy to any group of endpoints, regardless of their current auto-update configuration. In non-managed environments, the user can locally configure auto-updates in the Advanced setup screen of an ESET Endpoint product.

What if I configure a policy to use the earliest available version? Even then, will ESET update my products?

Hotfixes and critical hotfixes (Security and Stability updates) are slightly different update categories. Regular hotfixes are assigned to auto-update with a standard priority when user settings are accepted. Critical hotfixes are applied top priority, regardless of user settings.

How will updates work in offline scenarios? When are users using the offline repository?

The offline repository also contains .dup and .fup files. The repository section has to be downloaded by the Mirror Tool, not the module update. For additional information, see Offline repository topic in Online Help for ESET PROTECT.

How do ESET products know that the update is required? From the repository? Is there data sent to the servers? If ESET plans to make an update one month after a version release, can ESET servers handle a worldwide release?

ESET products download auto-updates from the repository. Servers are ready for that, as critical updates are only a few kilobytes in size. ESET will not throttle critical updates on repository servers. However, there is an option to throttle server updates if the auto-updates are larger. The table below gives examples of hotfix sizes in the event of a differential auto-update.

If a differential auto-update fails, your ESET product may start a full update. It is still an auto-update with a functionality guarantee, but instead of a .dup file, a larger .fup file will be downloaded. For version 9.0.2032.2, it is 27MB. However, such a scenario is rare.

Will the ESET Endpoint Antivirus update release with throttling? If so, how long is the update throttled after release?

ESET throttles updates for the first few weeks after a new version is released to reduce the load on our servers and distribute the new version evenly.

Auto-updates will become one of the primary methods to upgrade. How does it work in detail?

ESET aims to have as many customers using auto-updates as are able. Having many earlier product versions available is difficult to support. The auto-updates feature works simply—.dup files are downloaded during the first module update check. The product is fully functional during the update procedure and protects the computer. The new version is activated after a restart. In ESET PROTECT (server-side), you can use a policy to specify the latest version you want to update to, or use wildcards. For more information, see the Automatic updates chapter in Online Help for ESET PROTECT or ESET PROTECT Cloud.

Is it correct that auto-updates work on 1/10? I am using ESET Endpoint Security 8.0.2028.1 now. What version will it update to if auto-updates run?

Updating products using auto-updates may be delayed due to throttling on repository servers. If a product update is released with throttling, automatic update checks may not receive it immediately. If the update is considered safe and stable, throttling may be reduced or removed completely so that all remaining clients receive the update.

The throttling procedure could take a different amount of time for each update. It varies depending on how many clients request the update, the traffic on our servers and other factors. This procedure is always evolving, and changes are happening all the time.

When will the auto-updates begin if I start a computer at 8:45 a.m. and shut it down at 5:00 p.m.?

Auto-updates will start with the next successful scheduled module update, at most one time every 24 hours.

When will the update run next if the computer shuts down while the auto-updates are running?

The update will run at the next scheduled update window. There is a robust fail-safe mechanism for the auto-update (formerly uPCU) procedure. After downloading the update and restarting the computer, the updated files are still prepared for use, and the currently installed version provides uninterrupted protection. The changes are applied after the next start of the ESET Endpoint product.

How can I run auto-updates immediately without waiting for a regular connection every 24 hours? Is there any other way to click Check for updates?

You can manually start the auto-update procedure only when you open the main program window and click Update > Check for updates. All other ways of starting module updates reflect the 24-hours Auto-update scheduler policy. You cannot remotely start an auto-update download at the moment. We will add this feature in the future.