Automated Patch Management: Definition, Benefits, Process and Best Practices

According to news from the U.S. News & World Report, Texas School Districts say that upgrades to the State’s student data reporting system can affect the funding. It is an example that shows the importance of scheduling system updates properly. Automated patch management plays a crucial part here. It is the right method to focus on effective patch scheduling. With automated patch management, any company can maintain their systems in an accurate manner. This post includes all the essential information about automated patch management. It will help you with consistent operations in your firm.

Part 1: What Is Automated Patch Management and How Does It Work?

Now, first we get into the explanation of automated patch management. It is a system that is developed to simplify the process of continuous updation and maintenance of software patches across a network. It works well on Windows by automatically identifying, downloading, and installing the patches for operating systems and applications.

In this process, you will require a patch management tool or service. It will identify the available updates. It also helps with the effective scheduling of the installations. Lastly, you can implement the patches without the need for any manual intervention. This tool will ensure that all the systems remain up-to-date with the current security fixes and performance improvements. Therefore, this complete process will minimize the risk of vulnerabilities and guarantee compliance with organizational policies.

Part 2: Automated vs Manual Patching: Which One is Better?

After understanding the basics of automated patch management, we can now see how it is different from manual patching. Remember that both are vital for different situations. So, the companies use both types of automated patch management. Let’s check the common differences between the two in the following table:

	Description	Advantages	Disadvantages	Use Cases
Automated Patching	It uses software tools to automatically identify, download, and implement the patches without any manual intervention.	● Saves time with less human error. ● Guarantees timely updates with robust security. ● Easily scalable for large infrastructures. ● Feasible for continuous integration environments.	● Introduce errors if not tested correctly. ●Complete configuration and monitoring are required to avoid downtime. ● Restricted control over specific timings and details.	● Large-scale organization with hundreds and more systems to manage. ● DevOps practices and Cloud-based environments. ● Enterprises with strict compliance requiring regular patch updates.
Manual Patching	It includes the use of manual help to properly inspect, download, and apply the patches to the systems by a responsible IT administrator.	● Complete control over the patching schedule and process. ● Selective and customizable when it comes to particular requirements. ● Appropriate for the special systems that need dedicated attention.	● Highly time-consuming for large enterprises. ● Prone to human error, which can cause inconsistencies. ● Delayed patches can lead to security vulnerabilities.	● Small environments or highly sensitive systems requiring control. ● Legacy systems that are not compatible with automated tools. ● Situations where testing is highly crucial before implementing patches.

Why should enterprises use automated patching?

Today companies face hassle with managing their systems and applications. It is a common concern when the organizations are big in size. Thus, the implementation of the automated patching can make the patching process simple and faster to keep the systems updated. This process is also helpful because it offers less human errors.

Part 3: Use Cases of Automated Patch Management

You can use the automated patch management on your firm for various reasons. The following are a few examples of the use cases. Any enterprise can check for the need of these requirements in their company and pick an automated patch management tool.

Enterprise IT Infrastructure Management.
Cloud Service Providers.
DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery Pipelines
Healthcare Systems Compliance.
Remote Workforce Management.
Educational Institutions (Campus IT Systems).
Government and Defense Systems.
Managed Service Providers.

Part 4: Significant Benefits of Using an Automated Patch Management

1Guaranteed Security

When a company uses an automated patch management software, it gets the protection from unwanted online attacks. These online harms can include cyberattacks that can damage your systems. But, automated patch management can help you in having a safe environment.

2Better productivity

An enterprise can increase its productivity with the implementation of automated patch management tools. The main factor that is responsible for the high productivity is the reduced manual efforts. It saves the time and energy of your staff.

3Fewer Mistakes

Automated patching facility is completely automated and it means you will get the results that are free from human errors. It will take care of generating the solutions that will schedule the patching with minimal issues.

4Simple Reporting

One significant advantage of using automated patch management is the opportunity of easy reporting. It quickly creates the patch reporting for compliance audits. As a result, it will ensure the accurate deployment.

Part 5: Best automated patch management tools/software

1ConnectWise Automate

Official Website: https://www.connectwise.com

Standout features: ConnectWise Automate has exceptional characteristics like asset discovery, endpoint management, IT automation, patch Management, third-party patching, and remote monitoring.

Compatible Systems/Devices: Windows/Android/ Mac

Pricing: You can customize the quote for your requirements.

Pros: Some common benefits of using ConnectWise Automate include its great features, easy usage, effective patch and client management.

Cons: A few downsides include the need of learning to use the tool, several scripting issues, slow performance, etc.

Use Case: You can use ConnectWise Automate for patch, network, workflow, knowledge, and help desk management. It is also good to reboot the scheduling.

Scores in G2: 4.1 out of 5

WHY RECOMMEND IT: Many companies use this tool for patch management. One great point about this tool is effective third-party patching.

2Patch My PC

Official Website: https://patchmypc.com/

Standout features: Patch My PC offers you the best features like robust security, insightful reporting, scalability, and automated applications.

Compatible Systems/Devices: Windows/Mac/Linux/Unix/Mobile OS

Pricing:

Enterprise Patch: $2/device/year ($1,499 minimum starting price when purchasing)
Enterprise Plus: $3.5/device/year ($2,499 minimum starting price when purchasing)
Enterprise Premium: $5/device/year ($3,499 minimum starting price when purchasing)

Pros: The benefits Patch My PC offers include easy usage, time-saving, better patch management, effective automation, and more.

Cons: A few drawbacks of the tool are missing features, access issues, and some problems with Cloud support.

Use Case: It is useful for automated patch management, application management, reporting, better insights, vulnerability remediation, and more.

Scores in G2: 5 out of 5

WHY RECOMMEND IT: You can use Patch My PC because it has affordable plans for all different business sizes.

3Automox

Official Website: https://www.automox.com/

Standout features: Several characteristics of Automox automated patch management tools are cross-platform support, role-based access control, comprehensive reporting, cloud-native architecture, and more.

Compatible Systems/Devices: Windows/MacOS/Linux

Pricing:

Patch OS: $1 Per endpoint/month, with annual commitment
Automate Essentials: Custom Pricing and volume discounting is available
Automate Enterprise: Custom Pricing and volume discounting is available

Pros: Automox offers benefits like easy interface, better customer support, cross-platform compatibility, and more.

Cons: A few disadvantages of using Automox include access issues, average reporting, and some update issues.

Use Case: You can use Automox for tasks like patch management, software deployment, better security, blocklisting unwanted software, etc.

Scores in G2: 4.5 out of 5

WHY RECOMMEND IT: Automox is an ideal automated patch management tool to do the patching for companies in a customized manner.

4AirDroid Business

Official Website: https://www.airdroid.com/business/

Standout features: A few significant features of AirDroid Business include Google Play app management, real-time alerts, remote access, and more.

Compatible Systems/Devices: Windows/Android/iOS

Pricing:

Basic: $ 12 per device/year
Standard:$ 21 per device/year
Enterprise: $ 33 per device/year

Pros: AirDroid Business is helpful for managing remote access and devices. It also has an easy interface to use the platform.

Cons: Some downsides of AirDroid Business includes restricted compatibility, need of learning curve, and technical issues.

Use Case: AirDroid Business is effective to use for different tasks like monitoring, app management, accessing systems remotely, and more.

Scores in G2: 4.8 out of 5

WHY RECOMMEND IT: AirDroid Business is helpful to manage remote systems appropriately. It is suitable for modern work environments where people are managing work from remote locations.

Part 6: Steps to implement automated patch management with AirDroid Business

Now, we can concentrate on the implementation of the automated patch management. With AirDroid Business, you can do it easily. The following are the common steps of an automated patch management process:

Step 1. Set the patch management tool
The first step is to do the right setting of your AirDroid Business patch management tool. You will get an easy to use interface after the complete setup.

Step 2. Create a complete network checklist
After setting your patch management tool, you must create a list of all the systems in your network that require patching. It should include the specific details like how many endpoints, types of endpoints, number of patching requirements, etc.

Step 3. Check the parts that can benefit from automation
When you get the full list of the systems that need patching you must go for the ones that can offer the maximum benefits. Usually, you can not automate all the stages. However, you can perform main steps like deployment, scheduling, testing, etc.

Step 4. Place the conditions and schedule the automated patching
In this step, you can go with setting up the required conditions and schedule the automated patching for the selected systems. When you set up the automated processes, you need to use the best practices. An example is scheduling the patch after working hours to make updates that will not affect your team’s work.

Step 5. Monitor and check all patching systems work properly
After the successful implementation of the patching, the work is not finished. You need to understand that you must go for regular monitoring and check for areas of improvement. An RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) tool can help you with this.

Part 7: Best practices for Automated patch management (with examples)

1Determine which systems lack patches or are not compliant

The first practice that is fruitful is to check for the systems that lack the patches. This is because, nowadays, IT systems can offer challenges because they run multiple software. So, it can be difficult to identify what you need to patch unless you have what you have in your systems.

Imagine a big finance service company wants to implement automated patch management. It performs the scan of all the systems. It identifies that some main servers are using outdated OS versions. Thus, these servers will be considered non-compliant.

2Schedule the patches according to their impact

Another best practice that can offer you the best benefits is to schedule the patches according to their priority. You can do this by looking at the patch rating and configuration. It will decide which system needs to be patched first and last.

An example for this case can be the implementation of automated patch management in a healthcare provider company. It used a Windows OS. The systems that are more near to vulnerabilities need patching first. Besides, the less essential patches like a patch for user interface fix can be done later.

3Maintain Proper Monitoring and Reporting

The next practice that provides the maximum results for the companies is regular monitoring and reporting using the patch management tools. With consistent monitoring, you can identify issues like crashes. It can also keep an eye on the unusual behavior in the network.

We can take an example of an organization that is using an automated patch management tool across 500 devices. The IT team in this firm can use a monitoring tool to check for the installation success rates, missed patches, system performance, and more. A regular report every week with monitoring and reporting can highlight the issues that need attention.

4Test Patches Before Final Implementation

The most crucial practice is to check your patches before going for the final implementation. You can do it on a test network that stimulates the production network. It will help you in getting the accurate implementation of patches in your network.

We can understand it with a real-world example where a company uses a staging environment for testing the Microsoft Windows updates on the subsets of the computers. The trial implementation takes place before the final run to ensure the compatibility and removal of disruptions.

Part 8: In The End

Lastly, let’s summarize this topic on automated patch management. You have seen that it is an effective process for any large enterprise to keep its devices in the right condition. With this automation, you will get various benefits. You can do time-to-time system updates with complete security. It will also reduce the need for manual efforts. Moreover, when you implement this process with the best practices, you will get optimal results. So, if you want to implement automated patch management in your company, you can trust AirDroid Business. It has excellent offerings to manage your systems.

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