Patch Management: Problems and Solutions
Software Update Management ExpertiseSoftware update management is a vital and complex task. Prompt and properly managed updating maximizes security, regulatory compliance, availability, and functionality. Sporadic patch management can cause security gaps, compatibility problems, slow or erratic responsiveness, excessive offline stretches, or loss of key functions. Patching involves more than periodic updates of an OS and apps for servers and user machines. Firmware patches can be a critical for peripheral devices such as printers and scanners, network appliances like switches and wireless APs, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices such as sensors and health monitors.

Software Update Management Experts

Progent's Patch Management services can cover IoT devices such as alarms and robotics

The patching task can present a range of challenges that vary from one environment to the next. IT resources that may require updating can be on-premises, in the cloud, on the road, or in the offices of telecommuters. Environments may support any mix of Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple, and Google operating systems and apps. Some updates can be installed programmatically and at scale using tools like Microsoft Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, or Azure Automation Update Management. Other updates must be implemented manually. Patching for core systems must be scheduled to minimize business disruption. For certain mission-critical environments, patches must be carefully validated prior to being applied to production.

Progent's support services for patch management offer businesses of all sizes a versatile and cost-effective solution for assessing, validating, scheduling, implementing, and tracking updates to your ever-evolving information network. Besides optimizing the security and functionality of your network, Progent's patch management programs open up time for your in-house IT staff to focus on strategic projects that deliver maximum business value to your information system.

Patch Management Consultants

Patch management is a closed-loop lifecycle critical to your risk management plan

Progent's Patch Management Processes
Progent offers standard and specialized service packages for patch management. These services permit you to offload some or all of your patch management tasks to a network support organization with more than two decades of background providing network planning, deployment, and maintenance to companies of all sizes worldwide. Progent works in close conjunction with your network management team to define the critical managed services you require. Programs available from Progent for software update include:

  • Inventory system assets: This can cover business-critical platforms such as Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server, web-facing servers, desktops and mobile endpoints, security products such as firewalls, and network infrastructure devices such as routers and wireless APs.
  • Identify resources to be managed: Progent will confer with you to identify which of your network resources you choose for ongoing software update management services. Progent offers a selection of standard service programs that cover certain types of assets and Progent can also create specialized service programs to meet your unique needs.
  • Deploy software update management tools: Progent is experienced with a broad range of patch installation platforms and update inventory databases. Examples of utilities include Azure Update Management for cloud-hosted resources, System Center Configuration Manager for local assets, Intune for mobile computers, IT Glue for IT asset documentation, as well as an arsenal of advanced anti-virus platforms. Together, these products allow you to automate and monitor updates for network resources located in cloud environments, on-premises, on the move, at district offices, and in the residences of at-home workers.
  • Determine update currency and carry out risk assessment of uninstalled updates: For the most part, systems with current patching are more secure and stable than those subject to sporadic patching. However, occasionally software updates are hurried into production and carry the ability to disturb vital business operations by causing compatibility issues, system instability, or unfamiliar alterations to user experiences. Progent can help clients to assess which updates carry a risk to your company's IT environment, or which patches should be assigned an urgent priority because they block an imminent security attack. Progent's background providing patch management support can assist you to administer a secure computer system without compromising productivity.
  • Pick a software update management service program: Progent's team of experts can help in designing and administering a patch management service program that aligns with your business needs. Progent offers standard and specialized patch management programs and can assist with automated and manual updating. Progent can handle mission-critical assets exclusively, all patchable assets, or anything in between.
  • Patch validation: Even the biggest networks including Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure have experienced widespread outages caused by updates that were not sufficiently tested prior to being applied to live environments. For businesses with no room for downtime, Progent can help develop pilot environments that permit you to verify that new patches will not cause stability issues for your network.
  • Prioritize and schedule updates: Progent can assist you to decide which patches should be implemented immediately and which can be postponed in order to minimize business interruption. Some worldwide industry standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, require that critical security patches be installed inside a defined timeframe.
  • Track patch history and status: Progent's regular patch management programs include creating a centralized knowledge base for following the update level of every monitored asset. This simplifies the task of locating where updates can be found and includes patch release dates, related notes, and other useful data required for a comprehensive patch management solution.
  • Debug patch failures: Patches to some key entities such as an operating system or app server can cause unexpected compatibility or reliability issues, particularly with legacy or custom applications or older devices. Progent has the breadth of knowledge to assist you to identify and mitigate problems that may appear due to applying a software update.
Software Update Management for Infrastructure Appliances from Cisco and Other Providers
Software and firmware patches are regularly developed for infrastructure appliances like firewalls, routers, switches, and Wi-Fi APs. These updates typically are intended to harden cybersecurity, add or fix functionality, or mitigate reliability issues. Managing updates for these network infrastructure devices can be a hassle, particularly in mixed-vendor environments and networks that have a mixture of on-premises data centers, telecommuters, regional offices, and cloud-based resources. In addition to tracking and accessing updates, network managers have to make sure that infrastructure devices have enough free disk space and that patches are transferred cleanly and operate correctly.

Progent has delivered high-end help for Cisco networking products for more than twenty years and also can provide technical guidance for devices from other top vendors including Juniper, SonicWall, and WatchGuard. Progent's end-to-end services for patch management can assist you to consolidate your software update solution to include network appliances as well as physical and virtual servers, desktop and mobile endpoints, applications, and IoT devices.

Software Update Management Support for Infrastructure Devices

Progent offers software update management support for network devices from Cisco and other vendors

Progent's Standard and Specialized Patch Management Programs
Progent provides a variety of standard software update management plans that include backup services, reporting, and documentation. Cost is based on the class and number of devices enrolled. Additional services such as creating environments for initial software update testing are invoiced at normal rates. Specialized packages are also offered and typically handle unique devices and/or applications.

PROACTIVE Server Software Update Management Services

On Prem or Private Cloud-hosted Server: Microsoft Azure Cloud Servers Patch Management:
  • Compliance scan of Windows and Linux servers
  • Update compliance evaluation results for enrolled machines
  • Scheduled Patching and Maintenance Maintenance
  • License & Asset reporting and management
  • Managed Anti-Virus - Current AV system
  • Initiate server backup once complete
  • Additional Services Invoiced at T&M Rates
  • IT Glue access management and resources documentation
On Prem or Virtual Workstation:
  • ProSight Availability Tracking
  • OS & Third Party Patch Management
  • Scheduled Patching and Maintenance Maintenance
  • Managed Anti-Virus - current AV system
  • Hosted Anti-Spam - Spam Hero
  • Additional Support Billed at T&M Rates
  • IT Glue access control and asset documentation
BASIC Server Patch Management

Managed Patch both Physical and Virtual Servers: On Site or Virtual Workstation Patch Management: Server or Workstation Security Service-Level Agreement - Add on service

Security Critical Patches - completed within 48 hours of Progent being notified - invoiced only when required

PROACTIVE Network Device Patching

Internet Facing Hardware - Managed Devices (Security appliances, firewalls, routers): Internal Network Hardware - Managed devices (wireless controllers, Wi-Fi access points, switches): Network Device Security Service-Level Agreement - Add-on service

Security Critical Patches - applied within 48 hours of Progent being notified - invoiced only when needed

Initial Patching Process Extra Costs:
First-time patching will have an additional cost for each server or network device to enable review and recording of current patch level and any more information needed for effectively carrying out the patching services as defined above. If multiple patches are necessary that demand additional work for the first-time updating, Progent will present any cost estimates above the normal update cost.

Additional Services Available:

Download Progent's Patch Management Services Datasheet
To download a datasheet about the features of Progent Patch Management Services, select:
Progent Patch Management Services Datasheet. (PDF - 330 KB)

Contact a Progent Expert about Patch Management Services
To find out additional information about Progent's patch management services, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or see Contact Progent.



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