Large corporations as well as small businesses have begun to turn to automated patch management software for security and updates. The average user has become used to the security updates and fixes and businesses have much more to secure against. The frequent patches and additions to the Windows operating system has accustomed the consumer to the need for fixes on a regular basis.
Most computer owners will permit windows to manage, download and update patches automatically, as they feel it is important. However that is a limited operating patch program and does not address all the needs of a business in terms of security updates and fixes. A business has much more at stake and usually many more potentially vulnerable programs than a normal computer. Prior to release of the new patch update programs businesses could spend a lot in employee labor ensuring that all programs were upgraded and updated.
Software for managing patches is available for the business, which has two computers, or for the corporation with a large network and multiple machines. In both cases security and protecting company assets is a prime concern. The latest security patches are essential, and software to manage them can ease the task while still providing the latest security fixes and updates on each machine.
These programs usually have a special console and it may well be located on a single master machine on the network. The master console can determine which programs should be patched and which should be overlooked. The user can also determine from which website a patch should be downloaded.
Not every machine on a large network will have identical software installed. These machines all may be used for different purposes and this influences what programs are installed. Patch management programs for businesses are able to scan each machine and identify what programs are present and may need patches as opposed to simply applying a set number of fixes or patches to all machines regardless of content.
There are two broad types of management programs for patches that are used in both businesses and for home users. The first is an agent based patching solution. Agent based means simply that a small program is resident on each computer and scans the machine it is on, downloads the necessary patches and then reports to a central computer. This method is bandwidth intensive but mostly automated and efficient on a large scale.
Other types of management programs use a central machine as the controller. This central computer with a program on it scans each of the machines in the system applies the necessary system changes on the targeted computers in the network. This is known as agentless management in that the only requirement for the other machines is that they be connected to the network, instead of the internet as is required for agent based solutions. The agentless type of management software requires more direct supervision than the programs which reside on individual machines.
These alternatives have cut the cost of maintaining some security aspects of a large network. It has become popular even among home users. However, a business should consider their available bandwidth, work force, and corporate needs before deciding upon particular management program, since the differences are so striking.
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