Overview

  • Article

Applies To: Forefront Endpoint Protection

Microsoft® Forefront® Endpoint Protection 2010 (FEP) is a security and antimalware solution integrated into System Center Configuration Manager 2007, and the Forefront Endpoint Protection Security Management Pack is a security and antimalware management solution for servers and critical, high-priority computers, integrated into System Center Operations Manager 2007. Together, they are a software solution that provides security and antimalware management for desktops, portable computers, and servers. Together, they provide a lower total cost-of-ownership enterprise solution that enables desktop administrators in your organization to add security management to their day-to-day operations, within a familiar framework and without requiring specialized security knowledge.

FEP and the FEP Security Management Pack take advantage of the familiar administrative experience of managing and monitoring endpoints. They improve visibility for identifying and remediating potentially vulnerable endpoints, while lowering ownership costs by using existing infrastructure for both endpoint management and security.

The FEP client software deploys effortlessly to hundreds of thousands of endpoints by using existing System Center Configuration Manager agents, and provides highly accurate detection of known and unknown threats, as well as actively protecting against network-level attacks by managing basic Windows Firewall configurations.

FEP and the FEP Security Management Pack provide the following features:

  • Integration with your existing system management infrastructure

  • Proven antimalware engine

  • Reporting functionality

  • In FEP, policy-based antimalware management

  • In FEP, Firewall management

  • Seamless migration from previous antivirus solutions

Why Use Forefront Endpoint Protection

Forefront Endpoint Protection and the FEP Security Management Pack provide seamless integration with the management products you use on a daily basis.

The key benefits are described below.

Easy to Deploy

Forefront Endpoint Protection makes it easy for desktop administrators to roll out a large-scale endpoint protection solution to all user desktops and portable computers, while the FEP Security Management Pack makes it simple to roll out real-time alerting and reporting for servers and critical, high-priority client computers.

FEP comes complete with policy templates, for both recommended client configurations and typical server workloads, which are ready to use right out-of-the box, taking the guesswork out of security management. While no advanced customization is required, it is easy to customize policies to meet the needs of your organization. Forefront Endpoint Protection supports deployments that are built on the familiar System Center Configuration Manager software distribution infrastructure, while the FEP Security Management Pack, built on System Center Operations Manager, supports servers and critical, high-priority client computers. Using Forefront Endpoint Protection, you can deploy the client

  • Across various topologies to support non-domain-joined computers, endpoints at different branch offices, in addition to unmanaged (stand-alone) clients.

  • To seamlessly upgrade or replace previously installed security solutions.

  • On various Windows® operating systems.

Easy to Manage

Forefront Endpoint Protection and the FEP Security Management Pack offer both the desktop administrator and the server administrator a streamlined security management experience. Built on the familiar System Center interfaces, it gives administrators simplified access to the information and tools they need in order to keep their enterprise secure and running, including the following:

  • In FEP, policy-based administration

  • Remediation capabilities, including scanning and updating definitions on client computers

  • Current and historical reporting that enables administrators to answer critical security questions, such as:

    • What percentage of computers are currently protected?

    • Is antivirus software installed and turned on?

    • Are the latest definitions installed?

    • What malware was detected in the organization?

    • What computers currently have malware activity?

    • How can I improve my organizational security?

Forefront Endpoint Protection is built on System Center Configuration Manager, and the FEP Security Management Pack is built on System Center Operations Manager.

Unified Protection

Forefront Endpoint Protection delivers single-agent, multithreat protection for desktops, portable computers, and the FEP Security Management Pack provides management of servers and critical, high-priority client computers. Backed by a world-class response center and a dedicated community (Microsoft SpyNet®) serving millions of users, the FEP client includes:

  • Antimalware and antispyware

  • Rootkit detection and remediation

  • Critical vulnerability assessment and automatic updates

  • Integrated Windows Firewall management

  • Network Inspection System

The FEP client helps users stay secure and productive both at work and on the go with a lightweight, easy-to-use interface. It is built on the same antimalware engine as Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), which has been delighting millions of consumers with low false positives and high catch rates. Whenever possible, the FEP client automatically solves security issues as they occur without disturbing users, so users can stay safe and continue with their work without contacting their desktop administrators.

Decision Considerations for FEP and the FEP Security Management Pack

Both FEP and the FEP Security Management Pack provide best-of-breed security protection for desktops, portable computers, and servers. You can implement either FEP or the FEP Security Management Pack, or you can implement both to take advantage of the features of each.

Choosing when to implement each requires that you evaluate your security needs. Consider the questions in the following table.

If Then Your notes

You are already using System Center Configuration Manager to manage your enterprise

You can easily implement Forefront Endpoint Protection to integrate security into your computer management solution.

You are using System Center Operations Manager to manage your data center

You can implement the FEP Security Management Pack to monitor your servers and critical, high-priority computers.

You need real-time reporting and monitoring for any of your computers or servers

The FEP Security Management Pack can provide real-time monitoring and alerting for the servers (and high-priority client computers) you designate.

You are using the Desired Configuration Management (DCM) feature in Configuration Manager

Forefront Endpoint Protection provides additional DCM checks that allow you to report on the status of security areas within your Configuration Manager environment.

You are managing any branch offices or non-domain-joined clients

Configuration Manager supports both of these scenarios, and Forefront Endpoint Protection, built on Configuration Manager, can take full advantage of this support.

The desktop administrators in your organization are responsible for desktop security

If you have implemented Configuration Manager for desktop administration, your desktop administrators can work within the familiar interface of Configuration Manager.

You need historical reporting for malware events

Both Forefront Endpoint Protection and the FEP Security Management Pack are an option for you. Both maintain a historical record of malware information in your organization.