Abstract

As IT architects scale deployments of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions, they must be aware of the resource requirements of “always on” and high-use components such as endpoint security systems. In virtual environments, vendors can implement their solution as a client-based agent where all security processing takes place on the client, a virtual appliance that handles the anti-virus (A/V) workload or, possibly, some hybrid of the two approaches.

Symantec, Corp. commissioned Tolly to benchmark the performance of its new Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) 12.1 within VMware vSphere 5 virtual environments vs. agentless and agent-based solutions from competing vendors. Specifically, this testing focused on the system resource requirements of each solution when performing on-demand and on-access scanning functions, and during distributed virus definition updates.