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To understand how Security Manager Plus functions and keeps your network infrastructure secure, you need to know about the various components of Security Manager Plus solution. The primary components of Security Manager Plus (SMP) are :
- External Vulnerability Aggregator
- Central Repository Server
- Security Manager Plus Server
- Security Manager Plus Agents (optional)
External Vulnerability Aggregator
The External Vulnerability Aggregator resides at the AdventNet site and draws vulnerability information
from various security sources - mainly advisories from the CVE, SecurityFocus websites, bulletins from
the Microsoft website, and other vendor specific advisories, through E-mail and RSS Feeds.
Vulnerability and Windows patch information consolidation,
assessment for information authenticity and testing for functional
correctness is also carried out by the Security Manager Plus Enterprise Security
Team. The final analysis and data are correlated to obtain
a consolidated repository of vulnerability information - a
vulnerability database, which serves as a baseline for vulnerability
assessment in the enterprise (customer site). The modified
vulnerability database is then published to the Central Repository
Server for further use. The whole process of information gathering,
vulnerability assessment, patch analysis and publishing the
latest vulnerability database occurs periodically.
Central Repository Server
The Central Repository Server is a highly secure, comprehensive
database of all thoroughly analyzed vulnerability and patch
information, residing at the AdventNet site. Any update to
the Central Repository Server is automatically detected by the SMP server, situated at the customer site, as it is constantly checking for updates.
Security Manager Plus Server
SMP Server is located at the enterprise (customer site)
and subscribes to the Central Repository Server, to periodically
download the vulnerability updates. It performs device discovery
and assesses/scans the devices in the heterogeneous enterprise
network for open ports, vulnerabilities and missing patches
against the comprehensive vulnerability database, generates
reports to effectively manage the vulnerability assessment
process in your enterprise. All these actions can be initiated
from a universally accessible, web-console in a few simple
clicks.
Security Manager Plus Agents
The Security Manager Plus Agent is a light-weight software that is installed in a target machine. It acts as a worker to carry out the management operations as instructed by the Security Manager Plus server. The agent-based mode of management is an option that you can adopt, based on your enterprise network infrastructure set-up and requirements. It is an optional component that can be employed in target machines that are locked down or behind a firewall (or) to manage systems in present in different, remote geographical locations where a dedicated network tunnel is not feasible. In this case, the SMP agents talk to the SMP server over the internet, send & process information about the scan targets in the remote locations and managed from a central location.
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