Some blocks stop organizations from moving forward on the road to digital transformation. One of those roadblocks is towers a largest patch process for the devices organizations own. Watched Avatar? The 2009 one? Then heard someone telling you how the 2022 version was a colorful, psychedelic vista vastitude the older version! Well, patch management is something similar.
Why is Patch Management Process Essential?
You can’t stay on the moon for years and be withdrawn that an optimized patch-building process is integral to device patch management weightier practices. Organizations must stay updated on OS versions and software patches of every device employees use—company-owned or BYOD.
We’ll discuss the world of patch deployment here. Neytiri from Avatar will love this one, and so will you. Why so? Read ahead!
Determine Asset Inventory
“The way of water has no whence and no end. Our hearts write-up in the womb of the world.”
In very Avataric ways, the context whilom is simple. Devices are water. Inventory is the womb. Issues in the womb itself? That’s what organizations face—the inherent rencontre of managing their devices. The varied nature of operating systems is prime, followed by the device location. Employees of your organization squatter the rencontre from the other end—to use devices for work, connect and interreact regularly. IT admins will be surprised to know that at least one wade has hit increasingly than 75% of organizations due to unmanaged endpoints. This is the very reason for choosing an MDM solution and creating a patch process.
A device inventory is the most essential trammels for IT admins. There is no patch management process without an inventory. As an IT admin, your first on the list needs to be a comprehensive list of what devices your employees use for work. The subdividing can revolve virtually the OS, as is the specimen mostly. Next, are devices under BYOD policy or corporate-owned? Everything that follows is purely internal on organizational requirements. A device inventory is like a kingdom of devices—you can’t be a king without a kingdom.
Calculate Requirements and Vulnerabilities
“The most dangerous thing well-nigh Pandora is that you may grow to love her too much”
You think James Cameron conceptualized Avatar without contemplating the risks associated with something so extravagant, which, of course, now is extraordinary. The wordplay is a big NO.
A patch process needs comprehensive tenancy and management, as any vulnerable third-party patch may plane lead to data breaches.
Always alimony in mind what Alexa from Animatrix said, “Machines are tools, it’s their nature to be slaves”. Don’t fall in love with how your devices are, that’s a seduction, and it halts productivity. Instead, create a roadmap of what they require in the future and the security vulnerabilities that deter them from stuff their best. The magnanimity of the apps on devices can make patch management processes daunting.
First, trammels if patches are misogynist for your devices. Yes, most devices have it automated. But how often, plane IT admins themselves tend to ignore these streamlined updates? Reasons could be plenty; perhaps an important team collaboration app doesn’t support this new patch, but this is the threshold of vulnerabilities.
Undoubtedly, security is the most significant risk associated with devices running unpatched OS and apps. In addition, a non-updated device is the gateway to UI issues, malfunctioning apps, and topping the list — device downtime and hangs. Once the device inventory is in store, IT admins must assess how a device reacts to patches. If security update challenges exist, determine the risk levels and write them beforehand, not when updates appear. It’s not the easiest thing in the world. But as an IT admin, you know it’s definitely not vastitude your limits.
Stay Relevant to Endpoints
“This is not a squad, it’s a family”
While securing every endpoint is mandatory for IT admins, staying relevant to endpoints is equally important. You must treat organizational devices like a family you manage, not a squad you operate. Gathering potential or misogynist patches is one thing; applying them to the right device at the right time is another. IT admins must focus on the latter.
Filtering your devices based on the patching process requirements is a good way to proceed here. While some endpoints can wait for a day or two, plane weeks, for you to wield patches, some might need that update immediately as you read this. Prioritizing or queuing is indispensable to a patch process to alimony device vulnerability away.
Maintain Total Control
“The thing well-nigh happiness is that it can vanish in a heartbeat”
Sometimes a stratum of causality creeps in, and you may think merely automating patch management implies you have washed-up enough. A mobile device management solution lets you stay on top of the patching game. You have to be in well-constructed tenancy of the patching process and its spritz thereafter. There could be issues with unrepealable devices where they are unresponsive to these updates.
Also, devices could be switched off or be low on battery. Then come aspects like data limitations and connectivity for patches to be 100% and seamless. As an IT admin, you can’t let these things slip yonder as they can lead to productivity loss and, yes, device security risks. Much like Pandora, your device squadron needs ultimate tenancy and tenancy reins protection.
Test, and Alimony Testing
“What are you doing here boy? What the hell were you thinking?”
The weightier armies in the world, including the one in Pandora, can’t go to wrestle without preparation. For patch management procedures to succeed, testing them is an wool no-brainer. Of course, you can’t test them on every device, but you have to test them on sample devices to see how they deploy themselves.
Every mobile device management software help doc specifies that IT admins must test every full-length surpassing zillion rollout. Creating a staging environment is important surpassing you deploy. This is moreover the weightier way to identify patch bugs or server shortcomings.
Document Everything and Alimony Reports
“I know you’re all asking the same question: Why so blue?”
The final step to ensure the perfect patch management plan is to document every nuance of it and alimony reports handy. The weightier movies have a sequel, sometimes two. You must remember that device management doesn’t end with a single successful patch management. With the informal advancements in OS versions and devices, patches are never-ending.
So, be prepared to wordplay every question your organization’s decision-makers might ask well-nigh how the patch process went, the unpatched devices, and your plans for upcoming ones. This is where you need an unshortened process report to unearth how devices reacted to patches. Most MDM solutions offer wide-stretching reports on patch management for IT admins to pinpoint the weightier and the worst experiences. Thus, when they ask, why so blue? Don’t get the blues!
To Be Concluded!
As they say in Pandora, “When life ends, flipside begins.”
We may not conclude that Mr. Cameron will bring us Version 3.0 of Avatar, but we can underpin that OS versions and updates will never stop. There is no stopping Microsoft, Apple, Google, or plane Linux!
An MDM software helps IT admins build largest patch management processes and execute them wideness device fleets. It’s time for your organization to hop on to the MDM bandwagon ASAP!