Patch management software has become a growing choice of corporations and businesses over the last few years. The Windows operating system and the frequent fixes got the consumer used to the idea of updating, and to limited automated software patch programs. The new patch management solutions bring this to businesses in a way that meets their security needs.
A computer user in a home environment will often allow Windows to automatically search for, and apply patches or security packs on an automatic basis. In the corporate or business environment, the same is true, however there are additional programs running that must also be fixed in order to ensure a system is up to date and secure. Taking the time to research and assess each program on each machine could be a task that consumed labor and expense for businesses prior to the introduction of patch software.
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.
The software will normally contain a console where administrator preferences can be set. That means the administrator can determine which programs should be updated and scanned and those which can be ignored. There are usually options to choose a patch download site in the console area as well.
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.
The other type of common program is that which is in one central location with a single machine managing all aspects of the updates. It will scan each machine on the network, determine the needs of the machine, retrieve the fixes and apply them. While this solution is located in a single machine and configurable it usually requires much more supervision than the agent based solution.
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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