Uninstalling the GUP SEP client and steps to restore after reinstall.

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

Before uninstalling and reinstalling the Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) client Group Update Provider (GUP), there are critical steps to accomplish, which can save time, resources and bandwidth.

The SEP client is essential in definition deployment after being assigned the role of GUP. The SharedUpdates folder of the GUP carries the virus definitions which are deployed to other SEP clients.
These definition updates are downloaded from SEPM by the GUP.

The SharedUpdates folder contains the definitions Delta and Full.zip packages which are retrieved from the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) and are then published to the other clients requesting updates.

Resolution

When uninstalling the SEP client GUP, make a backup of the SharedUpdate folder.

The SharedUpdates Folder is located at - 

SEP 11 - C:\Program Files\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\SharedUpdates

SEP 12.1 -

(32 bit machines) C:\Program Files\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\12.1.x.x.x\Bin\SharedUpdates.

(64 bit machines) C:\Program Files(x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\12.1.x.x.x\Bin64\SharedUpdates

When the SEP client is reinstalled, create the SharedUpdate folder (in the above location) and copy the backuped content from the previous step.

When assigned as a GUP by the SEPM, the reinstalled SEP client will continue to provide definition updates without needing significant definition package updates from the SEPM, saving significant bandwidth.

Of note, that the SharedUpdate folder is created on demand by the GUP depending on which definitions are requested by the clients it provides to.
This means:

• There is no point in backing up one GUP and restoring to another.
• The shorter the retention policy for definitions is, the sooner the definitions stored in SharedUpdates becomes invalid and new definitions need to be downloaded again.
• Consider increasing the time that clients can't communicate with a GUP in the LiveUpdate policy to ensure coverage for any maintenance period.

 

Applies To

Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.x and 12.1