We
often get asked “what’s the best anti-virus software?” however
that’s like asking a group of people what the best car is. Raise
the subject of anti-virus software with a group of computer experts and
you will get many different opinions. Here are some things to consider
when selecting security software for your computer:
Retail box or download - Many good software
products are not sold in retail chain stores but are available
for secure purchase and download from the internet. This
sometimes makes it harder to ask questions about the product,
but remember that the retail sales person has a vested interest
in recommending the product that they stock. Just because
a large chain store stocks the software doesn’t mean
it’s the best software for your needs.
Impact on PC performance – This can
be a tough area to gauge just by looking at the software
description. Check out the ‘Minimum System Requirements’ to
see which software needs more resources (e.g. memory). Also,
consider installing a time-limited trial version of the software
(if available) to test it for yourself before parting with
your money.
Updates & upgrades – All anti-virus
software should entitle you to download the latest information
(updates) about any new viruses for free, for the duration
of your license subscription. Some software products also
entitle you to upgrade for free if a newer version of the
software is released, whilst others make you pay an upgrade
fee.
Price – Software licensing comes in
many different configurations, so make sure you are comparing
the same kind of software license when you are comparing
prices. Factors that influence the price include how long
your subscription is for (allowing you to download those
free anti-virus information updates), how many PCs can use
the one license and whether the software is being installed
in a student environment, home, business or not-for-profit
entity.
Management – If you run a business
with more than one PC, a ‘network edition’ may
be right for you. This allows the updates to be downloaded
by one of your computers and distributed to the rest of them,
instead of each PC downloading the update. It also provides
an overall view of whether the software is working on each
PC and if any infections have been found. These features
reduce the time (and cost) it takes to manage your anti-virus
software across multiple computers.
Additional features – Many anti-virus software vendors now also produce ‘security
suites’, which include firewalls and protection against spyware, malware
and spam. It may be more cost effective and resource effective to run one product
to handle all of these security aspects.
Trusted recommendation – There are many independent testing
laboratories and software review websites that publish the results of their anti-virus
software comparisons. ITensure also deals with a significant
number of computers every year and has developed a preference for the software
we believe does the best job with the least amount of problems. Find out what
software we recommend – chances are we know it well and use it
in our own business.
Call
ITensure today about the best anti-virus solution
for your specific requirements.
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