There appears to be a maximum limit for SEP 12.1.4 to use the "Maximum time that clients try to download updates from a Group Update Provider before trying the default management server"
Symantec Support has confirmed this issue. My setting is 15 days and that appears to be too long. The clients will never contact the management server after 15 days.
Specifically on large networks, you may run into cases when an additional client access network will be deployed, but not communicated to all parties. There would be no way to catch these "missed" networks if you set this timer to less than 7 days. 7 days is the default reporting time period for clients with out-dated definitions.
Thanks,
Rich