Once the distributed repository is created, use ePolicy Orchestrator to configure managed
systems of a specific System Tree group to update from it.
TIP:
McAfee recommends that you manage all distributed repositories through ePolicy
Orchestrator. This and using global updating, or scheduled replication tasks frequently, ensures
your managed environment is up-to-date. Use unmanaged distributed repositories only if your
network or organizational policy do not allow managed distributed repositories.
Repository branches and their purposes
ePolicy Orchestrator provides three repository branches, allowing you to maintain three versions
of all packages in your master and distributed repositories. The repository branches are Current,
Previous, and Evaluation. By default, ePolicy Orchestrator uses only the Current branch. You
can specify branches when adding packages to your master repository. You can also specify
branches when running or scheduling update and deployment tasks to distribute different
versions to different parts of your network.
Update tasks can retrieve updates from any branch of the repository, but deployment tasks use
the Current branch only.
To use the Evaluation and Previous branches for packages other than updates, you must select
this in the Repository Packages server settings. Agent versions 3.6 and earlier can only retrieve
update packages from the Evaluation and Previous branches.
Current branch
The Current branch is the main repository branch for the latest packages and updates. Product
deployment packages can be added only to the Current branch, unless support for the other
branches has been enabled.
Evaluation branch
You may want to test new DAT and engine updates with a small number of network segments
or systems before deploying them to your entire organization. Specify the Evaluation branch
when checking in new DATs and engines to the master repository, then deploy them to a small
number of test systems. After monitoring the test systems for several hours, you can add the
new DATs to your Current branch and deploy them to your entire organization.
Previous branch
Use the Previous branch to save and store the prior DAT and engine files before adding the
new ones to the Current branch. In the event that you experience an issue with new DAT or
engine files in your environment, you have a copy of previous versions that you can re-deploy
to your systems if necessary. ePolicy Orchestrator saves only the most immediate previous
version of each file type.
You can populate the Previous branch by selecting Move existing packages to Previous
branch when you add new files to your master repository. The option is available when you
pull updates from a source site and when you manually check in packages to the Current branch.
Repository list file and its uses
The repository list (SITELIST.XML) file contains the names of all the repositories you are
managing. The repository list includes the location and encrypted network credentials that
managed systems use to select the repository and retrieve updates. The server sends the
repository list to the agent during agent-server communication.
Creating Repositories
Repository types and what they do
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McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator 4.0.2 Product Guide
