An ideal patch management system is hard to find. Many people are not too sure as to what to look for in their search for the perfect patch management programs. This article is meant to have you a complete checklist as to what you should look for in your patch management system. But before that, let us take a look at what patch management systems are and why they are important.
Patch management systems facilitate the management and implementation of patches across a network. The patch consists of code that upgrades an application or fixes bugs and other vulnerabilities. Patch management ensures that there are minimal risks and threats into a software. A patch management system makes it easier to carry out time to time updates and automates the process to a certain extent. Ponemon Institute has research that supports that 57 percent of data breaches are due to improper patch management.
So, what should one keep in mind while looking for a patch management system? Let us look at a comprehensive checklist to help you figure out the best patch management system for your organization.
A good patch management system should give you the freedom to apply patches across multiple platforms. This means that you should always opt for a cross platform patch management system. This will ensure that you do not need to worry while moving between your Windows and Unix systems. Always check what the platforms supported are, what are the minimum requirements and how easy it is to apply patches on all the platforms. Even in case of cross platform systems, make sure your landform of choice is available and easy to use.
Endpoint support is also important. Many people use multiple devices or even different devices across teams, regions and so on. Make sure devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets are supposed. Even those people who prefer to work on their own devices should stay up to date.
This will ensure fewer bugs and easier working. In addition, a platform that takes care of this makes sure that threats and risks are minimized due to timely support on mostly all devices. So, make sure endpoint support is offered on most devices and that there are no exceptions to this.
Automation is a crucial feature to any patch management platform. This allows you to do timely patches without human intervention and error. What's more, you can also do automated patch testing to check functionality and suitability. The different stages of the patching process should be automated. It should scan and identify missing patches in programs. It should also automate the procuring of missing 3rd part patches supplied by vendors.
Taking away manual interruptions is a great addition to your patch management systems. This is why automation should be seen as a necessary feature. It allows timely patches that meet the need of your program.
Status updates of the latest patches are also a must have feature for patch management systems. Notifications if new patch updates should be provided to users. This prevents the need for manual intervention.
These are some of the main features that should be thought of as crucial while selecting a patch management system. They contribute to the addition of more useful and error free implementation of patches at the right times. Make sure you have a list of requirements ready according to your organization's needs. That's the best way to find one that is right for you.
Patch Management Systems: What are They?
Patch management systems facilitate the management and implementation of patches across a network. The patch consists of code that upgrades an application or fixes bugs and other vulnerabilities. Patch management ensures that there are minimal risks and threats into a software. A patch management system makes it easier to carry out time to time updates and automates the process to a certain extent. Ponemon Institute has research that supports that 57 percent of data breaches are due to improper patch management.
So, what should one keep in mind while looking for a patch management system? Let us look at a comprehensive checklist to help you figure out the best patch management system for your organization.
Patch Management System: The Ultimate Checklist
Cross Platform
A good patch management system should give you the freedom to apply patches across multiple platforms. This means that you should always opt for a cross platform patch management system. This will ensure that you do not need to worry while moving between your Windows and Unix systems. Always check what the platforms supported are, what are the minimum requirements and how easy it is to apply patches on all the platforms. Even in case of cross platform systems, make sure your landform of choice is available and easy to use.
Endpoint Support
Endpoint support is also important. Many people use multiple devices or even different devices across teams, regions and so on. Make sure devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets are supposed. Even those people who prefer to work on their own devices should stay up to date.
This will ensure fewer bugs and easier working. In addition, a platform that takes care of this makes sure that threats and risks are minimized due to timely support on mostly all devices. So, make sure endpoint support is offered on most devices and that there are no exceptions to this.
Automation
Automation is a crucial feature to any patch management platform. This allows you to do timely patches without human intervention and error. What's more, you can also do automated patch testing to check functionality and suitability. The different stages of the patching process should be automated. It should scan and identify missing patches in programs. It should also automate the procuring of missing 3rd part patches supplied by vendors.
Taking away manual interruptions is a great addition to your patch management systems. This is why automation should be seen as a necessary feature. It allows timely patches that meet the need of your program.
Reporting
Status updates of the latest patches are also a must have feature for patch management systems. Notifications if new patch updates should be provided to users. This prevents the need for manual intervention.
These are some of the main features that should be thought of as crucial while selecting a patch management system. They contribute to the addition of more useful and error free implementation of patches at the right times. Make sure you have a list of requirements ready according to your organization's needs. That's the best way to find one that is right for you.
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