What does the Outlook Add-In do?

[Migration User]

I had/have Win7 desktops on SEP 12.1.1000.157 RU1 with Outlook 2010.  We were experiencing spinning circle cursors for 30-40 seconds several dozen times a day in Outlook 2010 when moving inbetween emails with the preview pane turned on.  If we unchecked the Symantec Endpint Protection Outlook Add In and closed/reopened Outlook, then the condition would stop and we would experience nice and snappy Outlook 2010.  We are in the process of updating to SEP 12.1.4112.4156.  While we do so I am trying to get the below questions answered and would appreciate any info sent my way.

1.What does the Symantec Endpint Protection Outlook Add In do in Outlook 2010 when loaded with Symantec 12.1.4112.4156 on a Win7 box?

2.What does the Outlook Auto-Protect setting in SEP do when on the same Win 7 PC with Outlook 2010 and Symantec 12.1.4112.4156 ?

3.Where can we globally control the Symantec Endpint Protection Outlook Add In box checked ?

4.Where can we globally control the Symantec Outlook Auto-Protect being enabled or not?

 

Thanks for your time,

Ty Cook

Network Administrator

City of Yuma, AZ

[ℬrίαη]

It scans incoming/outgoing emails from outlook. Go into your AV policy and there is a tab for Outlook. You control here.

Do you already have scanning at your email gateywa? If so, you don't need the SEP plugin.

More info here

About SEP auto-protect and email scanning

SEPs email plugin has been notorious for causing performance issues for awhile now.

[Manipillai]

Hi, Seems .Brian have answered all you question in one article, Please let us know if you need assistance further.

[Migration User]

Hi,

Thank you for the reply.  I concur about it being a performance hit.  In my searching and reading all the forum posts about the add in in the past SEP versions it does seem to have had a spotty record of usefulness.  I am hoping the freshest 12.1.4 version would resolve that intermittant performance hit.

Do you know what is the difference between the Symantec Endpint Protection Outlook Add In and the Symantec Outlook Auto-Protect?  Am I still scanning Outlook if I uncheck the add in but leave the outlook auto protect checked in SEP?

Are both settings controlled in the Virus and Spyware Protection policy from the same one checkbox in SEPM?  I see in the AV Policy where the outlook auto protect is checkable/uncheckable, but it didn't mention it also controlled the Outlook add-in.  

If that is only for outlook auto-protect and isn't where the add in is controlled, It would be cool if I could globally control that Symantec Outlook Add in checkbox from SEPM or Group Policy, is that an option somewhere?  We are in a Win2008r2 domain with Win7 boxes running Office 2010.

Respectfully,

Ty

 

 

[ℬrίαη]

Outlook Auto-Protect only scans emails in Outlook. If you uncheck the plugin, emails will no longer be scanned. Auto-Protect scans files any time they are accessed, modified, or backed up (separate from email scanning).

Both settings are in the AV policy. Auto-Protect has it's own tab and so does the Outlook email plugin.

You just need to enable in the policy and apply to all your groups.

Auto-Protect should always be on left. This does all your file scanning.

Outlook Auto-Protect only scan emails. If you have performance problems, you may need to disable.