Sophos Anti-Virus for Windows: How to create a Web CID

This article describes how to create a Web CID (central installation directory), using IIS (Internet Information Services).

Once you have created a Web CID, you can publish Sophos installation and update files there.

Alternatively, you can do this using Virtual Directories. Use the same basic settings, then place this under the default website. You will not need to specify a port, just use 80.

What to do

Perform the following procedures on the server:

1. Create CID

1. Open IIS: from Windows Control Panel  go to Administrative Tools|Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
2. Right-click 'Web Sites', select 'New Web Site'.
3. In 'Description', enter Sophos
4. For 'Port', enter the appropriate port number, e.g. 8085
5. The default path to the CID should be C:\Program Files\Sophos Sweep for NT\
6. Deselect 'Allow anonymous access to this web site'.
7. Set the 'Web Site Access Permissions' as required.
8. Click 'Read', then Next|Finish. 

2.  Configure MIME Types

NOTE: This procedure applies if you need to configure MIME types on Windows 2000 or Windows 2003, and IIS version 6. If you need to configure MIME types on Windows 2008 and IIS version 7, refer to the knowledgebase article Sophos Anti-Virus for Windows: How to configure MIME types for a Web CID in IIS 7.0 

You must configure MIME types because only files with extensions registered in the IIS MIME types list will be served. To ensure that IIS serves Sophos Anti-Virus and Remote Update files, add each extension used by those files to the list (alternatively use a wildcard '.*'):

1. Open IIS: from Windows Control Panel  go to Administrative Tools|Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
2. Right-click on the Sophos website you created in section 1 above, and select 'Properties'.
3. On the HTTP Headers tab, select MIME Types
4. Click New.
5. In the MIME Type dialog box,
   • in the Extension: field, list the MIME type extensions, or use a wildcard *
   • in the MIME Type: field, enter All
6. Click OK. Your registered MIME types will be displayed.
7. Click OK.

The client computers can now update from your Web CID using

• http://servername/CIDname/
  OR
• http://servername:port/CIDname/  if you have specified a non-default port
  

If you are still experiencing problems try making the following changes within IIS:

• Open IIS, right-click the Sophos update web site and select Properties, then select the Home Directory tab
• From here change the “Execute permissions” type to None.
• Now try updating, and you should find that this will resolve the issue.