Executive Summary:
The number of standalone patch management packages is dwindling as companies merge and combine product lines. Evaluate 11 enterprise patch management products to decide which solution is right for your environment.
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As vendors consolidate previously separate IT
administrative functions (e.g., patch management
and virus protection) into one inclusive
solution, patch management products and services
are quickly becoming components of larger systems
configuration and management solutions. Examples of
inclusive solutions include Microsoft’s System Center
and CA’s Unified Service Model. A result of this market
shift is that the number of standalone patch management
packages is dwindling as companies merge and
combine product lines—such as the merger of Patch-
Link and SecureWave to form Lumension Security—
and as larger companies acquire smaller providers of
system components—such as Symantec’s acquisition
of Altiris. This Buyer’s Guide lists 11 products that manage
enterprise OS and application patching. Many of
these solutions also address other IT concerns, such as
security, Help desk, and asset management.
Essentials
Advances in patch management technologies and features
continue, even as company names change. Client
agents, subscription services, and vulnerability assessment
functionality are now commonplace. Broad platform
support has expanded to include Red Hat Enterprise
Linux, Sun Solaris, Novell NetWare, and HP-UX. Most
solutions offer some language support, especially with
the burgeoning Chinese influence in technology markets.
In this guide, English isn’t listed as a supported language
unless it’s the only language the product supports.
Subscription services and application patching are
the new market battlegrounds. Subscription services offer
weekly or monthly OS and application patch bundles.
You can configure the agent to download a patch bundle
customized to your platforms and application library.
Patches are verified and tested before they reach your
system. In addition, many solutions notify you if patches
are missing, or if your system has any security vulnerabilities.
Application patching is expanding beyond OS repair
to include some of the biggest names in enterprise software,
including Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Flash, Citrix
ICA, NetWare, and Sun Java. Even consumer programs
are entering the mix with patches for Mozilla’s Firefox
browser and Apple’s iTunes. (Heaven help the admin
who forgot to download and install the latest patch for the
CEO’s iPod!)
Essential features that are included in every product
listed in this Buyer’s Guide are patch verification and testing,
deployment failure alerts, scan history retention, and
Microsoft Office patching. The next frontiers include virtualization
and the mobile workforce. Patch management
systems will need to identify missing patches on virtual
systems, whether they’re virtual OSs or virtual applications,
then distribute the appropriate patches to those
virtual systems. For mobile applications, some products
already support BlackBerry Server; and as smart phones
and PDAs become more prevalent, enterprise users will
require patching for email, Web, and file access.
Have a Plan
Securing your infrastructure is only getting harder. IT
administrators are responsible for managing increasing
numbers and types of platforms, devices, and applications.
With these new assets come more opportunities for
software cracks and even more patches. According to the
CA Content Update Service, Microsoft alone released 379
patches from August 2006 through August 2007.
Don’t put yourself in the position of having to deploy
a quick fix or simply slap on the latest OS band-aid when
you face a data center meltdown. Research patch management
options now, think long term, and develop a
plan. Consider the following questions:
- Does the solution support all of your OSs?
- Does it patch applications?
- Will it scan and report missing patches?
- Will it roll back if the installation causes problems?
- Do you want a subscription service that delivers patch
bundles to client agents?
- Do you need vulnerability and compliance assessment
and reporting?
You have numerous choices in selecting a software
patching system. If you have the time, use it to make
a choice that will fit your needs now and well into the
future. In two or three years when your IT friends are
scrambling to patch 50 PCs on a Friday night, and your
system management solution finished the same project
at noon, as well as completed an antivirus scan and
deployed a new software package, you can kick back and
enjoy the benefits of planning ahead.
Click here to see the Buyer's Guide Table.