8.0.3 released today

I'm neither Sophos nor Akamai so I have just the external view (and moreover haven't followed the HE edition closely the last weeks) - so some of this is guesswork. Basically the product and the virus definitions are updated from the same warehouse as they are related (let's call it a package). The "database" - if you want to call it so - consists of a number of "libraries" (.vdl) - updated each month - and a set of usually some hundred identity files (IDEs) which in turn hold definitions and instructions for one or more threats and a constantly updated. Part of them are merged into the libraries at the next monthly update. The package contents are described in catalogs, checksummed and also signed so that the client can determine the consistency and authenticity of the download. Of course a server hosting a warehouse doesn't blindly update its contents but performs (at least) the same checks as a client. And naturally there has to be a mechanism which allows clients to get consistent data when it does an AutoUpdate (a process which will take more than a few milliseconds) during the time the server updates the warehouse. Finally it must be assured that the warehouse packages are at least at the level of the available installers (otherwise fresh installations would not be able to update).

Right now we have 7.3  and 8.0 packages in parallel - while 8.0 installations update on the 8.0 path the 7.3 do so on theirs (7.3.11 right now). It seems there is an issue getting 8.0.3C out through the distribution network. Whatever it is, it is likely "package" specific (only the "non-existing" 8.0.3C is affected - all other packages update normally). Don't ask me what the exact issue could be and who's at fault here.

Sorry for the lengthy introduction - now to your question: To check for potential delays in receiving protection updates (note that the level of protection is - with some really very rare exceptions related to the engine - the same whether you have threat data 4.76 with 420 IDEs or 4.77 with 223 IDEs) just visit the Download latest virus identity (IDE) files page and compare the numbers to those of your IDEs and threat data (as I described here). Any discrepancies should be small and correct "themselves" with the next (allow a few minutes delay) update.

Christian

I'm neither Sophos nor Akamai so I have just the external view (and moreover haven't followed the HE edition closely the last weeks) - so some of this is guesswork. Basically the product and the virus definitions are updated from the same warehouse as they are related (let's call it a package). The "database" - if you want to call it so - consists of a number of "libraries" (.vdl) - updated each month - and a set of usually some hundred identity files (IDEs) which in turn hold definitions and instructions for one or more threats and a constantly updated. Part of them are merged into the libraries at the next monthly update. The package contents are described in catalogs, checksummed and also signed so that the client can determine the consistency and authenticity of the download. Of course a server hosting a warehouse doesn't blindly update its contents but performs (at least) the same checks as a client. And naturally there has to be a mechanism which allows clients to get consistent data when it does an AutoUpdate (a process which will take more than a few milliseconds) during the time the server updates the warehouse. Finally it must be assured that the warehouse packages are at least at the level of the available installers (otherwise fresh installations would not be able to update).

Right now we have 7.3  and 8.0 packages in parallel - while 8.0 installations update on the 8.0 path the 7.3 do so on theirs (7.3.11 right now). It seems there is an issue getting 8.0.3C out through the distribution network. Whatever it is, it is likely "package" specific (only the "non-existing" 8.0.3C is affected - all other packages update normally). Don't ask me what the exact issue could be and who's at fault here.

Sorry for the lengthy introduction - now to your question: To check for potential delays in receiving protection updates (note that the level of protection is - with some really very rare exceptions related to the engine - the same whether you have threat data 4.76 with 420 IDEs or 4.77 with 223 IDEs) just visit the Download latest virus identity (IDE) files page and compare the numbers to those of your IDEs and threat data (as I described here). Any discrepancies should be small and correct "themselves" with the next (allow a few minutes delay) update.

Christian