Admin Console

Changing the licence number on all AVG clients

If you want to change the AVG License Number for all computers in the network, please do the following:

  1. Run AVG Admin Console.
  2. On the left navigation tree expand Licenses, and then click Shared settings.
  3. Double-click Shared settings in the Shared settings area.
  4. Enter the new license number, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click Shared settings, and then click Mandatory.
  6. Ask all stations for synchronization (select all needed stations, right-click one of the selected stations, and then click Synchronize settings).
  7. It is recommended to restart the client stations after this change.

Note: When reactivating AVG in your network with the new AVG License Number, please do not forget to enter the new AVG License Number into the AVG Admin Server as well. Using an expired AVG License Number in Admin Server limits the funtionality of Remote Administration (centralized updates, management of stations, etc.).

You can reactivate the AVG Admin Server with the new AVG License Number as follows:

  1. Run the AVG Admin Server Monitor.
  2. Click Server settings,and then on the General tab, click Change.

 

Setting up exclusions for Potentially unwanted programs in Remote Administration

If you need to exclude a certain "Potentially unwanted program" from any detection by AVG (for example if you are using an Ad-sponsored program or utility, which could be dangerous, but could also be used with your knowledge), you can exclude it from AVG detection by the AVG Resident Shield and  Complete Test in this way:

Please open the AVG Admin Console -> "Tools" menu -> "Shared settings for stations..." -> "PUP Exceptions" -> click on the "Add exception" button located in lower right hand corner of this dialog window.

Now find the file you want to exclude. If you are sure, the file is located in a certain folder on target workstations, disable "Any location - do not use full path" function and fill in the correct path. Now save these settings.

For this setting you will need an exact copy of the file that you want to exclude on the machine where the AVG Admin Console program is installed (at least for creating the exception). This is required to create the MD5 checksum "signature" of the exception file.

These exceptions can be used for "Potentially unwanted programs" only. If you set the exception for a viral file (Trojan horse, I-Worm, Worm, W32...), this file will be still detected by AVG tests and the AVG Resident Shield.

These exceptions are not used for the AVG Email Scanner.

 

How to exclude folder from AVG test in AVG Remote Administration

To exclude some folder from scheduled AVG test on the client stations, please proceed as follows:

  • Open AVG Admin Console
  • Open the level of settings you wish to edit:
    • for all stations connected to AVG Admin open menu Tools -> Shared settings for stations,
    • for stations in one group please right-click on the group -> Shared settings for group,
    • for one station please double-click on the station.
  • Browse to Schedules -> Scheduled scan.
  • Switch to tab What to scan and select Scan specific files or folders.
  • Specify which drives you wish to be scanned, separated by semicolon
    e.g. C:\; D:\; E:\;
  • To exclude the whole folder, please use the prefix '!'
    • ![path];
      e.g. !C:\Program Files; will disable scanning of the Program Files folder.
  • To disable recursion in some folder (so that the contents of that folder are scanned, but not subfolders), please use the prefix '-'
    • -[path];
      e.g. -C:\Windows\System32; will scan all files in the System32 folder, but not its subfolders.
  • The result in this example will be:
    C:\;D:\;E:\;!C:\Program Files;-C:\Windows\System32;
    everything on drives C:, D: and E:, apart from Program Files folder and System32 subfolders will be scanned.

Note:
For informaion on how to exclude folders from AVG test directly on the station, please see FAQ 3504.p

 

How to prevent station users from changing the AVG settings

You can remotely prohibit users from accessing specific parts of the AVG program via AVG Remote Administration. By default, all actions within AVG User Interface are allowed to be changed/interrupted by user.
There are three ways how to manage user's access:

1. Allowed actions
In order to disallow access to different actions on a local station please configure the Allowed actions options in the AVG Admin Console. The configuration can be set either in the Shared settings for stations/groups or individual station settings.

You can access this feature as follows:

  • Run AVG Admin Console.

Shared settings for stations

  • Choose the Shared settings for stations from the Tools menu.
  • Select the Remote Administration -> Allowed actions option from the left-tree menu.

Shared settings for groups

  • Right click the desired group and choose the Shared settings for group option.
  • Select the Remote Administration -> Allowed actions option from the left-tree menu.

Individual station settings

  • Right click the desired station and choose the Settings option.
  • Select the Remote Administration -> Allowed actions option from the left-tree menu.

By unchecking the available checkbox(es), you can forbid use of the feature for user on station.

In case you want to enable users to use unallowed actions after entering password, please tick the Activate password for access to unallowed actions.... In the newly opened dialog please fill in a new password (twice for verification). This password will be required every time the user tries to access disallowed action.

Alternatively, it is possible to set password for modification of mandatory settings. If the password is set, you can access Advanced settings on the client station and use the button Disable mandatory mode to temporarily allow access to mandatory (and thus locked) options. Please note that if you change some AVG configuration on the client this way, it will be reverted back to the value set in AVG Admin Console upon synchronization.

2. Mandatory settings
When an option is set as mandatory, the user on the station is not able to change it. The mandatory settings allows you to enable/disable various actions within the station settings. For more information please refer to FAQ 3734.

3. Scheduled scan cancelation
In case that you do not want to allow the local user to stop a running scheduled scan, please disable the User can stop a running task (enabled by default) within the scheduled scan. This configuration can be set either in the Shared settings for stations/groups or individual station settings.

In order to disable this action please proceed as follows:

  • Access the desired settings (for stations, groups or individual station settings) as mentioned above.
  • Select the Schedules option -> your scheduled scan from the left-tree menu.
  • Untick the User can stop a running task in the right part of the window.
  • Confirm changes by clicking OK and synchronize your stations.
     

WMandatory and non-mandatory settings of AVG Remote Administration

All settings values applicable for stations or groups can be defined as mandatory value or as an optional value (default settings).

The AVG Remote Administration includes settings hierarchy, which consists of three levels:

1. Shared settings for stations

  • AVG Admin Console -> Tools menu -> Shared settings for stations

Shared settings defined in Shared settings for stations always have higher priority then the others. It means, that items set as mandatory in the mentioned settings cannot be changed at any lower levels.

2. Shared settings for group

  • AVG Admin Console -> right click the desired group -> Shared settings for group

Shared settings defined in Shared settings for groups have higher priority than the particular station settings, but lower than the Shared settings for stations.

3. Individual station settings

  • AVG Admin Console -> right click the desired station -> Settings

Particular settings for stations have the lowest priority. It means, that all items set as mandatory in higher levels (mentioned above) cannot be changed there.

A value can be changed from optional to mandatory or vice versa as follows:

  • By ticking/unticking the value.
  • Right click on the lock icon -> the context menu contains the following options:
    • Mandatory - sets or resets the mandatory flag only for the lock you have clicked on.
    • All mandatory - sets mandatory flag to all items in the current dialogue.
    • All monitored - resets the mandatory flag for all items in the current dialogue.

The individuals levels are distinguished by icons next to each them. Generally, an item set as mandatory is marked by the black icon. The icon with red lock means, that the settings is already set as mandatory in Shared settings for stations. The icon with blue lock means, that the settings is marked as mandatory in Shared settings for group.

Synchronization
During the synchronization of station settings:

  • mandatory settings are transferred from the DataCenter to the station.
  • non-mandatory settings are transferred from the station to the DataCenter.

 

How to scan all local drives on a client

When setting up a scan on stations using AVG Admin Console, it is possible to include specified disk drives or folders into the scan. For example:

  • C:\;D:\;E:\Data

However, this type of setting may not work correctly for all workstations in your network since the hard drive configuration can differ on some of them. To make sure that all local drives will be scanned by AVG on all computers, you can use the following variable instead of the drive letters:

  • <Loc>

The <Loc> variable will tell AVG to scan all local drives, and can be also combined with exclusions, e.g.:

  • <Loc>;-C:\Data
    see FAQ 3731 for more information on how to exclude a folder from scanning

This can be used when setting up or changing a scan schedule in the AVG Admin Console:

  • Open AVG Admin Console
  • Open the level of settings you wish to edit:
    • for all stations connected to AVG Admin open menu Tools -> Shared settings for stations,
    • for stations in one group please right-click on the group -> Shared settings for group,
    • for one station please double-click on the station.
  • Browse to Schedules -> Scheduled scan.
  • Switch to tab What to scan and select Scan specific files or folders.
  • Type in the path you wish to be scanned.

 

Alert Manager configuration and options

The Alert Manager item in AVG Remote Administration 9.0 (latest versions) offers you an option to be informed about different AVG related events in your local network.

To access the Alert Manager settings please navigate to settings for all stations or group of stations or to single station settings. Than in the left navigation tree select the Alert Manager option.

Event list displays an overview of the enabled event actions. You can set the events parameters using the subtree items. It is possible to activate notifications via e-mail, save the event to NT event log of the specific station and also by sending the event to the AVG DataCenter. 

Available events are listed below:

  • Virus Vault object added
  • Virus Vault object removed
  • Virus Vault object restored
  • Threat found
  • Scan started
  • Scan finished
  • Update started
  • Update checked
  • Update finished
  • AVG startup
  • AVG shutdown
  • AVG component was unexpectedly terminated
  • License number changed
  • Identity Protection - a malware was detected
  • Identity Protection - the allowed list was changed
  • Identity Protection - an object was restored from the quarantine

Functionality of Alert Manager is similar to functionality of Notifications that are also part of AVG Remote Administration. More information about Notifications are available here. The main difference is, that Notifications can be specified globaly for all stations only. Alert Manager settings can be defined different way for groups of stations or just for one particular station.

 

Full access control in AVG Admin Console

It is possible to set Full access control to AVG DataCenter. Full access control can be set by opening the DataCenter menu (in the top menu of AVG Admin Console) and clicking the AVG DataCenter settings... option. Then you can select the Full access control in the lower part of the settings window.
The Access control settings dialog is divided into two areas. The smaller one is called Account list. Here, the list of all user accounts is displayed, as well as their state (Active or Inactive). After left-clicking on one of the accounts you will see its description under the list. The left-clicking also activates the second area of the dialog called Settings of account, which contains two tabs Account rights and Group access. In the account list you can do these following things too:

  • Create a new account - right-click anywhere in the Account list area and select the New account... from the context menu
  • Edit an existing account - right-click on one of the account within the Account list area and select Edit account... from the context menu (or double-click on one of existing accounts).
  • Clone an existing account - right-click on one of the account within the Account listarea and select Clone account... from the context menu.
  • Delete an existing account - right-click on one of accounts within the Account list area and select Delete account...from the context menu.

The Account rights tabcontains all actions accessible to the user of the selected account. To forbid an action, uncheck the checkbox next to its name. If you uncheck the checkbox next to the name of category (like Stations, Scans etc.), you will forbid all actions from this category.

The Group access tab allows you to set access rights to user defined groups of stations. Double-click on one of these groups to trigger a roll-down menu (or right-click on it to trigger the context menu with same contents). Now choose the permission type. You can give the user of the account the Full access to the group, allow him/her just to view the group by selecting Read only, or completely forbid him/her to access the group by choosing No access option.

 

AVG Firewall synchronization

AVG Remote Administration allows you to configure/monitor AVG Firewall settings on the client's computers. All settings values applicable for stations or groups can be defined as mandatory value or as an optional value (default settings) identical to the AVG station settings.

Within the AVG 2011 version it is possible to set as mandatory also individual items or rules. This option allows you to closely monitor the settings of AVG Firewall on client's computers in the network.

In order to ease the AVG Firewall configuration, Firewall settings does not differ from the client installation.

Firewall settings hierarchy consists of three levels:

1. Shared Firewall settings for stations

  • AVG Admin Console -> Tools menu -> Shared Firewall settings for stations

Shared settings defined in Shared Firewall settings for stations always have higher priority then the others. It means, that items set as mandatory in the mentioned settings cannot be changed at any lower levels.

2. Shared Firewall settings for group

  • AVG Admin Console -> right click the desired group -> Shared Firewall settings for group

Shared settings defined in Shared Firewall settings for groups have higher priority than the particular station settings, but lower than the Shared settings for stations.

3. Individual station Firewall settings

  • AVG Admin Console -> right click the desired station -> Firewall settings

Particular Firewall settings for stations have the lowest priority. It means, that all items set as mandatory in higher levels (mentioned above) cannot be changed there.

What Firewall settings can be synchronized with stations?

The following options can be synchronized with stations:

  • Remotely enable/disable firewall
  • Security settings
  • Network areas settings
  • Profile switch
  • Profile options (including remote profile switching)
    • Application rules
    • System services
    • Gaming mode settings

Note: If you need to set up more defined rules as mandatory at once, you can use the multi-select option.

How to get the AVG Firewall log from a station?

In case you need to get the AVG Firewall log from a station in your network, you can access such log directly within the AVG Admin Console this way:

  • Run AVG Admin Console.
  • Go to Stations -> Firewalls folder and right click the desired station.
  • Choose the All tasks -> Show Firewall log option.
 

How to remove obsolete Admin Servers from AVG Admin Console?

In case you have some AVG Admin Server that no longer exists showing in AVG Admin Console, you can remove them this way:

  • Open AVG Admin Console (Start -> Programs -> AVG 2011 Remote Administration -> AVG Admin Console).
  • Open the Tools menu and select the Database Maintenance option.
  • In the opened window select the Remove unused update servers option
  • Click on the Run scripts button.

This will remove all old Admin Servers with Updateproxy role that were not communicating for longer than 7 days.