Kaspersky Security Center

Usage of Network Agent for Windows, for macOS and for Linux: comparison

22 April 2024

ID 172012

The Network Agent usage varies depending on the operating system of the device. The Network Agent policy and installation package settings also differ depending on the operating system. The table below compares Network Agent features and usage scenarios available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

Network Agent feature comparison

Network Agent feature

Windows

macOS

Linux

Installation

Automatic generating of the Network Agent installation package after the installation of Kaspersky Security Center

Yes

No.

No.

Installing in forced mode, using special options in the remote installation task of Kaspersky Security Center

Yes

Yes

Yes

Installing by sending device users links to stand-alone packages generated by Kaspersky Security Center

Yes

Yes

Yes

Automatic installing of updates and patches for Kaspersky Security Center components

Yes

No.

No.

Using tools provided by Kaspersky Security Center for deployment of Network Agent by capturing and copying the hard drive image

Yes

No.

No.

Installing by cloning an image of the administrator's hard drive with the operating system and Network Agent using third-party tools

Yes

Yes

Yes

Installing with third-party tools for remote installation of applications

Yes

Yes

Yes

Installing manually, by running application installers on devices

Yes

Yes

Yes

Installing Network Agent in silent mode

Yes

Yes

Yes

Installing Network Agent in silent mode

Yes

Yes

Yes

Manually connecting a client device to the Administration Server. klmover utility

Yes

Yes

Yes

Automatic distributing of a key

Yes

Yes

Yes

Forced synchronization

Yes

Yes

Yes

Distribution point

Using as distribution point

Yes

Yes

Yes

Automatic assignment of distribution points

Yes

Yes

Without using Network Location Awareness (NLA).

Yes

Without using Network Location Awareness (NLA).

Offline model of update download

Yes

Yes

Yes

Network polling

Yes

  • IP range polling
  • Windows network polling
  • Active Directory polling

No.

Yes

IP range polling

Running KSN proxy service on a distribution point side

Yes

 

No.

No.

Downloading updates via Kaspersky update servers to the distribution points repositories that distribute updates to managed devices

Yes

 

No.

(If one or more devices running Linux or macOS are within the scope of the Download updates to the repositories of distribution points task, the task completes with the Failed status, even if it has successfully completed on all Windows devices.)

Yes

Push installation of applications

Yes

Restricted: it is not possible to perform push installation on Windows devices by using macOS distribution points.

Restricted: it is not possible to perform push installation on Windows devices by using Linux distribution points.

Using as a push server

Yes

No.

Yes

Handling third-party applications

Remote installation of applications on devices

Yes

No.

No.

Software updates

Yes

No.

No.

Configuring operating system updates in a Network Agent policy

Yes

No.

No.

Viewing information about software vulnerabilities

Yes

No.

No.

Scanning applications for vulnerabilities

Yes

 

No.

No.

Inventory of software installed on devices

Yes

No.

No.

Virtual machines

Installing Network Agent on a virtual machine

Yes

Yes

Yes

Optimization settings for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Support of dynamic virtual machines

Yes

Yes

Yes

Other

Auditing actions on a remote client device by using Windows Desktop Sharing

Yes

No.

No.

Monitoring the anti-virus protection status

Yes

Yes

Yes

Managing device restarts

Yes

No.

No.

Support of file system rollback

Yes

Yes

Yes

Using a Network Agent as connection gateway

Yes

Yes

Yes

Connection Manager

Yes

Yes

Yes

Network Agent switching from one Administration Server to another (automatically by network location)

Yes

Yes

No.

Checking the connection between a client device and the Administration Server. klnagchk utility

Yes

Yes

Yes

Remotely connecting to the desktop of a client device

Yes

Yes

By using the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) system.

No.

Downloading a stand-alone installation package through the Migration Wizard

Yes

Yes

Yes

Zeroconf polling

No.

No.

Yes

See also:

Deploying Network Agent and the security application

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