Since the last major program update of AVG Remote Administration (version 8.0.225 and higher) 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.

If you would like to change a license number for all computers in the network, please do the following:

• Run AVG Admin Console.
• From the left navigation tree select Licenses -> Shared settings.
• Double-click "Shared settings" option in the Shared settings area.
• Fill the new license number and press Enter key.
• Right-click the "Shared settings" option and from context menu select "Mandatory".
• Ask all stations for synchronization (select all needed stations and click on some of them by right mouse button, then please select the "Synchronize settings" option).
• Restart of clients' stations is recommended after this change.

Please let us inform you, that if you use also AVG Email Server Edition and this e-mail server is connected to the AVG Remote Administration as well, it is needed to create a special group for your e-mail server and do not change license numbers in "Shared settings"  but for group of stations. If you use AVG Network Edition license number on your e-mail server, the e-mail server edition functionality will not be supported.

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

You can reactivate the AVG Admin Server with the new AVG License Number as follows: Run the AVG Admin Server Monitor -> Server settings -> General tab -> Click on the Change button.

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.

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 Protect access to unallowed actions with password. 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 1416.

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.

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.

AVG Remote Administration 8.5 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 8.5 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:

• Security settings
• Adapters and network areas settings
• Profile switch
• Profile options
  • Active profile
  • Defined services
  • 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.

Note: In order to get more information about Filter Device records present in the AVG Firewall log file, please refer to FAQ 821.

The default configuration of AVG Firewall in AVG Remote Administration is equal to the default configuration of the Firewall on 32bit operating systems. In case you have 64bit stations in your network and you are using AVG Firewall on them, there are two ways how to configure the x64-specific rules in AVG Admin Console:

Network with 32bit and 64bit stations with AVG Firewall

If you have both 32bit and 64bit stations with AVG Firewall in your network, it is recommended to divide the stations into two groups (32bit and 64bit stations). The group of 32bit stations will be using the standard Firewall configuration, no changes are necessary.

To manage the Firewall settings in the group of 64bit stations effectively, please proceed as follows:

• Open AVG on one of the 64bit stations -> menu Tools -> Firewall settings.
• In the section General click Export under Settings management.
• Copy the export to the server.
   
• In AVG Admin Console on the server right-click on the group with 64bit stations -> Shared Firewall settings for group.
• Import the settings from the station.

This way, the rules in the AVG Admin Console will match the rules on the stations, allowing correct configuration of AVG Firewall in both groups.

Network with only 64bit stations with AVG Firewall

If you have only 64bit stations in your network and AVG Firewall is installed on these stations, it is recommended to import the 64bit-related Firewall rules from one of the stations into AVG Admin Console. This will ensure that the rules in AVG Firewall on the clients will match the rules in AVG Admin Console, and further configuration will be effective:

• Open AVG on one of the 64bit stations -> menu Tools -> Firewall settings.
• In the section General click Export under Settings management.
• Copy the export to the server.
   
  
• In AVG Admin Console on the server open menu Tools -> Shared Firewall settings for stations.
  
• Import the settings from the station.

This will allow you to set up all Firewall rules on all the clients using AVG Admin Console, including those rules that are specific for 64bit operating system.

In case you wish to be informed about different AVG related events in your local network, you can set up the AVG Remote Administration to automatically send you an e-mail notification when a selected event occurs.

The following events can be monitored in your network:

• Out of date AVG version
  • Station with outdated version of AVG.
• Out of date virus database
  • Station with outdated version of virus database.
• Station needs restart
  • Station needs to be restarted.
• Not communicating station
  • Station is not communicating with DataCenter for a very long time.
• Virus found
  • Virus infection on station
• Not communicating after installation
  • Station is not communicating after remote installation.
• New update
  • New update of the given priority has been released.
• Scan interrupted
  • Scheduled scan was interrupted.
• Managed update
  • Managed update has been completed.
• Update failed
  • Station update has failed.

In order to set up the AVG Remote Administration to automatically send you an e-mail when one of these events occurs, please proceed as follows:

• Run AVG Admin Server Monitor.
• Click on the Server settings button.
• Switch on the E-mail tab.
• Fill in the appropriate values and confirm changes by clicking OK.

As soon as the AVG Admin Server is configured for sending e-mails, you can enable sending of notifications as follows:

• Run AVG Admin Console.
• Select the Notifications option in the left-tree menu.
• Righ click the desired event and choose the Activate option.
  • In order to access its settings please double click the line.

Note: In order to avoid excessive e-mail traffic and floods, it is possible to group simillar notifications. In this case only one e-mail arrives to your mailbox with a list of afflicted stations (e.g. virus outbreak).

Stations managed by AVG Remote Administration periodically perform synchronization with the AVG DataCenter.
The process includes synchronization of:

1) Station Settings Synchronization

• Mandatory settings are transferred from the DataCenter to the station.
• Non-mandatory settings are transferred from the Station to the DataCenter.

The synchronization is performed periodically. By default, the settings synchronization process is done every 60 minutes. To alter the synchronization period for stations go to stations settings -> Remote Administration section -> Synchronize configuration option.

It is also possible to request immediate settings synchronization from the AVG Admin Console. Simply right-click on a station's node in the navigation tree or on a
particular station in a stations view and select Synchronize settings from the context menu.

Additionally, the synchronization happens:

• Every time the station powers on/goes online, its settings are synchronized at latest within the period.
• When the station connects to the AVG DataCenter the first time, its settings are synchronized immediately.
• When settings of a station or several stations are changed and confirmed from the AVG Admin Console.

2) Scan Results Synchronization

This synchronization process sends data from the station to the AVG DataCenter. It takes place:

• Every time the station powers on/goes online (at the latest within 20 minutes).
• Immediately after scan completion or after an infection is detected by the Resident Shield.
• Immediately or latest within 20 minutes when there is a scan result modification done by a user on the station in the AVG User Interface (healing, moving to vault etc.).

It is also possible to request immediate scan results synchronization from the AVG Admin Console. Simply right-click on a station's node in the navigation tree or on a particular station in a stations view and select All Tasks -> Ask for scan results from the context menu.

3) Station Components States Synchronization

This synchronization process sends data from the station to the AVG DataCenter. It takes place:

• Every time the station powers on/goes online (immediately).
• Every time a component state is changed (within 5 minutes).

It is also possible to request immediate synchronization from the AVG Admin Console. Simply choose a station's node in the navigation tree, in a stations view right-click and from the context menu select All Tasks -> Refresh components state from the context menu.

More information regarding connection requirements needed for successful synchronization are available in FAQ 1450

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 1356 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.

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 1355.

If you would like to change a license number for all computers in the network, please do the following:

• Run AVG Admin Console.
• From the left navigation tree select Licenses -> Shared settings.
• Double-click "Shared settings" option in the Shared settings area.
• Fill the new license number and press Enter key.
• Right-click the "Shared settings" option and from context menu select "Mandatory".
• Ask all stations for synchronization (select all needed stations and click on some of them by right mouse button, then please select the "Synchronize settings" option).
• Restart of clients' stations is recommended after this change.

Please let us inform you, that if you use also AVG Email Server Edition and this e-mail server is connected to the AVG Remote Administration as well, it is needed to create a special group for your e-mail server and do not change license numbers in "Shared settings"  but for group of stations. If you use AVG Network Edition license number on your e-mail server, the e-mail server edition functionality will not be supported.

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

You can reactivate the AVG Admin Server with the new AVG License Number as follows: Run the AVG Admin Server Monitor -> Server settings -> General tab -> Click on the Change button.