Patch management software definition

First, patching is important to ensure all your software is functioning correctly and in the most efficient way. You need to update it for these problems to be fixed. The longer you go without updating these kinds of issues in an enterprise setting, the more productivity losses result. Often software or other parts of your infrastructure will get new features as the vendor develops their product further.

Updating and patching your software will add these new features, allowing you to keep up with the latest innovations. However, the most critical reason you should manage patches and updates is security. Software holes are a major way hackers can access individual systems—and from there, your broader network and data.

Security patches for your network and infrastructure are paramount and a primary function of many patches is to fix issues such as bugs or flaws causing security vulnerabilities. Applying a patch as quickly as possible reduces the chances attackers must access your systems. In addition, for compliance reasons, particularly when it comes to health information, financial information, or other personal data, you need to have good security protocols in place.

To ensure success, you should use an automated patch management tool, because attempting these processes manually can quickly become overwhelming, and you become more likely to make errors.

With patch management software, you can see which software and devices need updates, schedule updates to take place at specific times, and automatically update software if you wish to do so. Automated patch management can help you reduce vulnerabilities and keep up with your compliance obligations.

You may be wondering: what is patch management? Especially if parts of your system are physical, some are virtual, and some are cloud-based, you might need a special tool to keep tabs across this hybrid environment.

Patch management software can help you apply these patches across your entire system in one go, instead of having to apply each patch to each application individually. Server patching is much more complicated than regular software patching, given the high importance of servers for network and enterprise functionality. Using a tool to go through this process is highly recommended , as manual patching processes can miss small details or may take much longer than an automated process.

For Microsoft systems, a couple of patch management tools are part of Windows. WSUS is a software updating service capable of managing and deploying the various updates released by Microsoft for the operating system and the Microsoft software on your machines. The updates are downloaded from Microsoft and then distributed through your system and installed on each relevant device. SCCM is also a centralized Microsoft application and is generally considered to be an enterprise-grade patch management automation system , whereas WSUS is a bit more limited.

SCCM uses WSUS and expands on its offerings, and includes the ability to set maintenance windows, scheduling for patches, and automatic deployment. It also includes more configuration and reporting features. SCCM can also install operating systems and applications and can take an inventory of the hardware and software on your network. Patches should always be applied following a few best practices.

For details on each of these steps, simply keep reading:. We know that patching endpoints of the whole network can prevent cyber attacks to a certain extent. But, it would be better if you're extra cautious about securing your networks. So here are a few patch management best practices that we recommend you to follow:. By following the above-mentioned practices, you'll be able to keep the systems in your network up-to-date and protect them from miscellaneous malware. This greatly reduces security breaches which, in turn, reduces downtime.

Download whitepaper. Home » Features » Patch Management Software. What is patch management? Why is patch management important? Choosing the right patch management software? ManageEngine's patch management process. W-SE regularly updates cyber attacks, hacking and events that provide IT security professionals with information throughout the world.

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