Proxy use for Patch Management Data Feed and Vendor Update Downloads

Products

• Patch Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

This article describes an example method to obtain Patch Management related items from external sources using a proxy such that the Notification Server is not directly accessing sites outside of your network.

This example covers configuring a Squid proxy on an Ubuntu server in your DMZ that can access sites needed for Patch Management.

We will then show how to configure proxy settings in the console to redirect Notification Server external requests to the configured Proxy Server.

Resolution

Steps involved:

1. In this example, we are leveraging the Squid Proxy installed on an Ubuntu Server by following these directions
   1. https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/how-to/web-services/install-a-squid-server/
2. When Squid proxy server is configured and ready on remote Ubuntu OS, we need to specify it on "Notification Server Settings" page 
   Open Symantec Management Console > Settings > Notification Server Settings > open "Proxy" tab and specify proxy server URL and check the box to bypass proxy for local addresses > save changes
3. Once configured, PMImport data and vendor updates will be imported via the proxy instead of directly from the sites involved.