EC v4 requires that Endpoint Security is installed on the same server - is this actually true?

Apologies, this is cut from a logner thread relating to EC v4.0

From the release notes for EC v4.0 :-

(DEF 36019) If Sophos Endpoint Security and Control is not installed on the server running the Enterprise Console management server, endpoint computers show “Unknown” as their up-to-date status. Sophos Endpoint Security and Control must always be installed (although it does not have to be running) on the server running the Enterprise Console management server. Otherwise, Enterprise Console will not be able to manage endpoint computers correctly.

Am I reading this right, if I don't install but not necessarily execute Endpoint Security on my server then I should not expect EC to manage my endpoints correctly? Now I don't see 'Unknown', I see up to date which is blatantly wrong as none of the Endpopints have updated for a number of days.

Has anyone not installed Endpoint Security and Control or used another package to protect their server?

To be honest I have installed ESET on the server to protect the mail system and server files rather than SOPHOS. Will this be having a major affect?

As the amount of mail comming in is very small I might risk removing the ESET software and seeing if it makes any difference and then as a second test installing the Endpoint Software on the server.

Any thought?

Thank-you in advance for your help and time.

Regards

Gary