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Reference Servers

One of the ways the OfficeScan client determines which of the Firewall Profiles or Web Reputation Policies to use is by checking its connection status with the OfficeScan server. If an internal client (or a client within the corporate network) cannot connect to the server, the client status becomes offline. The client then applies a firewall profile or web reputation policy intended for external clients. Reference servers address this issue.

A client that loses connection with the OfficeScan server will try connecting to reference servers. If the client successfully establishes connection with a reference server, it applies the firewall profile or web reputation policy for internal clients.

Take note of the following:

• Assign computers with server capabilities, such as a web server, SQL server, or FTP server, as reference servers. You can specify a maximum of 32 reference servers.

• Clients connect to the first reference server on the reference server list. If connection cannot be established, the client tries connecting to the next server on the list.

• OfficeScan clients only use reference servers when determining the firewall profile or the web reputation policy to use. Reference servers do not manage clients or deploy updates and client settings. The OfficeScan server performs these tasks.

• A client cannot send logs to reference servers or use them as update sources

To manage the reference server list:

• Networked Computers > Firewall > Profiles
  
  Networked Computers > Computer Location

1. If you are on the Firewall Profiles for Networked Computers screen, click Edit Reference Server List.

If you are on the Computer Location screen, click reference server list.

2. Select Enable the Reference Server list.

3. To add a computer to the list, click Add.

1. Specify the computer's IPv4/IPv6 address, name, or fully qualified domain name (FQDN), such as:

• computer.networkname

• 12.10.10.10

• mycomputer.domain.com

2. Type the port through which clients communicate with this computer. Specify any open contact port (such as ports 20, 23 or 80) on the reference server.

• To specify another port number for the same reference server, repeat steps 2a and 2b. The client uses the first port number on the list and, if connection is unsuccessful, uses the next port number.

3. Click Save.

4. To edit the settings of a computer on the list, click the computer name. Modify the computer name or port, and then click Save.

5. To remove a computer from the list, select the computer name and then click Delete.

6. To enable the computers to act as reference servers, click Assign to Clients.