Sheridan has recently entered into a licensing agreement with Trend Micro that will bring their antivirus software to users at Sheridan. The new software will replace our former antivirus offering, Symantec Endpoint Protection*.
* If you are currently running the College’s version of Symantec Endpoint Protection you should note that although you will continue to get virus definition updates through Symantec, the software itself will no longer be updated.
Why Trend Micro?
As Sheridan’s IT infrastructure continues to grow and evolve, we need a product that not only secures user activity, but one that also secures our network infrastructure and virtualized data centres—96% of the servers in our data centres are now virtualized. As the previous offering from Symantec did not offer the support we needed for our virtualized environments, the decision was made to move to Trend, who offer an industry-leading, agentless* solution for VDI infrastructures.
From an end user perspective, you will find Trend Deep Security to be a speedy, less resource intensive product with a friendly user interface that can protect not only your computer, but also guard our network and servers against security attacks.
* An agentless antivirus solution can protect all the virtual machines on the host server without having to deploy an agent to each virtual machine. Instead, antivirus scans are offloaded to a virtual host.
What does this mean for me?
Administrative Staff Users
IT staff are currently finalizing deployment details for the new software. For desktop users, the process will be automatic. Laptop users will need to manually uninstall Symantec (if they are running it) and install the new software. Specifics will be sent to the College community as soon as they are available.
For users who are slated to receive new College laptops, Trend Deep Security is now included on Sheridan’s disk images.
Staff Home Use
Unfortunately, we do not have licenses to accommodate staff home use. However, Trend Micro Titanium Security is available to Sheridan staff from OnTheHub (formerly e-academy) at a discounted price. To access OnTheHub, log into AccessSheridan and follow the OnTheHub Software Acquisition link.
Many Internet service providers also offer free or low-cost security software to their users. Consult your provider for more information.
Labs & Classrooms
Trend Deep Security has already been deployed on computers in Sheridan’s academic labs and Learning Commons. The software is also currently being installed on all classroom podium PCs.
Mobile Computing Students
Mobile Computing students will be eligible to download and install Trend Micro Titanium Security*. Again, deployment details are being finalized.
* The student license for Trend Micro Titanium will expire after one year
Stay Tuned for Further Details
Stay tuned for more details on the rollout process for Trend Deep Security. As always, keep your eye on the IT website for all of the latest information.
In the meantime, if you have immediate questions or concerns, send email to infosec@sheridancollege.ca.