[comp.virus] Virus Protection and Universities

ACRAY@ECUVM1.BITNET (RAY) (02/08/91)

I would like to know what other universities are doing about buying
virus protection packages. We have a copy of Virex for our use but
would like to implement something in the labs. We have look at SCAN
but McAfee shareware site licences prices are exceptionally high.  The
minimum purchase is for use on 100 machines for $3250. We would
probably be better off buying just a few copies and putting them on
machines set aside for virus checking only.

Any thoughts from other university labs?

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Ray Drake                                 ACRAY@ECUVM1.BITNET
Microcomputer Consultant                  (919)757-6401
East Carolina University                  Greenville, NC  27858
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jackz@izuba.ee.lbl.gov (Jack Zelver) (02/15/91)

ACRAY@ECUVM1.BITNET (RAY) writes:
>I would like to know what other universities are doing about buying
>virus protection packages. We have a copy of Virex for our use but
>would like to implement something in the labs. We have look at SCAN
>but McAfee shareware site licences prices are exceptionally high.  The
>minimum purchase is for use on 100 machines for $3250. We would
>probably be better off buying just a few copies and putting them on
>machines set aside for virus checking only.
>
>Any thoughts from other university labs?

We too, tried to negotiate a site license for the McAfee software here
at the University of California Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.  Since
we have at least 500 IBM type systems, you can imagine what kind of
cost we were faced with.

Since we don't like to spend the taxpayer's money frivously (that's
YOUR money, folks!) we decided not to offer McAfee this huge windfall
for the privilege of locally distributing his software.  We ended up
negotiating a site license with IBM for their VIRSCAN software.  The
price is right for that one!

You might consider getting virus protection packages for a few people
and put them on special write-protected system floppies.  Then they
could be moved from system to system to check for suspected
infections.

Jack Zelver
jszelver@lbl.gov

JS05STAF%MIAMIU.BITNET@OHSTVMA.IRCC.OHIO-STATE.EDU (Joe Simpson) (02/15/91)

At Miami University we distribute Disinfectant for Macintosh computers.

We have a copy of Virex-PC for individual cleanup use.  Virex seems to
have a lower cost site license, but we really don't have a management
structure that is consistant with purchase of PC/Mac product site
licenses unless the cost is quite low.

I would also be very interested in how other universities are handling
the anti-viral problem.  Is anyone using F-Prot.  Does Fredrik
Skullasan (appologies to FS for spelling) have a site liscence policy?