Remote Network Management for Small and Midsize Businesses

The patching task can present a range of complications that can differ for various environments. Resources that could need updating can reside on site, in a public or private cloud, on the road, or in the offices of telecommuters. Environments may include any mix of Windows, Linux, Apple macOS, and Google operating systems and apps. Some updates can be installed automatically and at virtually any scale using tools like Microsoft Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, or Azure Automation Update Management. Others must be performed manually. Updating for core systems must be scheduled to avoid business interruption. For certain line-of-business environments, patches must be thoroughly tested before being applied to production.

Progent's managed services for patch management provide organizations of all sizes a flexible and cost-effective solution for evaluating, validating, scheduling, applying, and documenting software and firmware updates to your dynamic IT system. In addition to maximizing the security and functionality of your IT network, Progent's update management services free up time for your IT team to concentrate on crucial projects and tasks that return top business advantage to your information system.

Progent's Patch Management Activities
Progent provides regular and custom service programs for software and firmware patching. These services allow you to outsource part or all of your company's patch management activity to a network support organization with over two decades of experience delivering solution planning, implementation, and support to businesses of all sizes worldwide. Progent operates closely with your IT managers to determine the scope of the services you need. Services offered by Progent for patch include:

• Inventory network assets: This can cover business-critical applications such as Exchange and SQL, web-facing physical and virtual servers, workstations and mobile endpoints, security devices like firewalls, and network infrastructure appliances like routers and Wi-Fi access points.
• Determine resources to be managed: Progent's experts will collaborate with your IT team to determine which of your network resources you choose for ongoing patch management services. Progent provides a selection of standard service programs that cover certain classes of assets and Progent can also provide custom programs to meet your unique needs.
• Implement patch management utilities: Progent is experienced with a broad range of software update platforms and patch tracking reporting systems. Examples of tools include Azure Update for cloud-based resources, Microsoft Configuration Manager for on-prem assets, Intune for mobile devices, IT Glue for documentation, as well as a selection of modern AV platforms. Combined, these products allow you to automate and track updates for network assets residing in public and private clouds, on-premises, on the move, at branch offices, and in the houses of telecommuters.
• Analyze patch status and carry out risk analysis of uninstalled patches: For the most part, environments with up-to-date patching are more secure and dependable than those subject to inconsistent updates. However, occasionally software updates are hurried into distribution and carry the potential to disturb essential business processes by causing compatibility problems, system shutdowns, or confusing alterations to user experiences. Progent can help you to assess which patches carry a risk to your company's IT environment, or which updates should be given a high priority because they block a major security threat. Progent's experience with update management support can assist you to administer a protected network without sacrificing productivity.
• Develop a patch management service program: Progent's team of experts can help in designing and administering a patch management program that fits your particular requirements. Progent offers pre-defined and custom patch management programs and can help with both automated as well as manual updating. Progent can manage business-critical resources only, all patchable resources, or somewhere in between.
• Patch testing: Even the biggest networks such as Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure have had major outages caused by software updates that were not thoroughly tested before being applied to live environments. For businesses with no room for downtime, Progent can assist to develop pilot systems that permit you to verify that new updates will not introduce reliability issues for your network.
• Rank and schedule patches: Progent can help you to determine which updates should be performed quickly and which can be postponed so as to reduce business interruption. Certain key regulatory standards, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, require that critical cybersecurity updates be implemented inside a certain timeframe.
• Document patch history and status: Progent's standard update management service programs include creating a centralized knowledge base for tracking the update level of every subscribed resource. This streamlines the task of locating where software, firmware, or driver updates can be downloaded and specifies release dates, release advisories, and additional important information needed for a complete patch management system.
• Repair patch failures: Updates to some core resources such as an OS or application server can cause unexpected compatibility or stability problems, particularly with legacy or custom applications or older hardware. Progent has the scope of experience to assist you to understand and resolve issues that may appear as a result of applying a software update.

Progent has provided high-end help for Cisco networking products for more than two decades and also can provide expertise for products from other top vendors such as Juniper, Fortinet, and WatchGuard. Progent's services for software update management can assist your organization to expand your software update solution to include infrastructure appliances along with physical and virtual servers, desktop and mobile endpoints, apps, and IoT devices.

Progent's Standard and Custom Patch Management Programs
Progent has developed a variety of standard patch management plans that include scheduled backup, extensive reporting, and thorough documentation. Pricing is based on the type and number of entities covered. Additional support including creating systems for initial software update validation are billed at normal rates. Custom plans are also available and usually cover unique hardware and/or apps.

• ProSight Server and Desktop Performance Monitoring
• Critical Application Maintenance - Exchange, SQL, etc.
• Scheduled Patching and Maintenance Maintenance
• License & Asset documentation and management
• Managed Anti-Virus - Current AV system
• Initiate server backup once scanned
• Additional Services Invoiced at time and material Rates
• AIX Scan - Active Directory and report yearly
• IT Glue access management and resources documentation

• Compliance scan of Windows and Linux servers
• Update compliance assessment results for enabled machines
• Scheduled Patching and Maintenance Maintenance
• License & Resource reporting and management
• Managed Anti-Virus - Current AV system
• Initiate server backup once scanned
• Additional Services Billed at time and material Rates
• IT Glue access control and resources documentation

• 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 time and material Rates
• IT Glue access control and resources documentation

• Physical and Virtual Servers
• Windows Server Patch Management
• Exchange and SQL
• Patch Documantation
• Initiate server backup once scanned
• IT Glue access management and resources documentation

• ProSight Availability Monitoring
• OS & 3rd Party Patch Management
• Scheduled Preventative Maintenance
• Additional Services Billed at T&M Rates
• IT Glue access control and asset documentation

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

PROACTIVE Network Device Patching

• Monthly Network Health Evaluation
• Firewall, Router and Managed Switch Patching
• Additional Services Billed at time and material Rates
• IT Glue access management and resources documentation

• Firewall, router, wireless controllers and managed switches patching
• Additional Services Invoiced at time and material Rates
• IT Glue access control and resources documentation

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

Initial Patching Process Extra Costs:
First-time patching will be subject to an extra cost for each server or network item to provide for capture and recording of current update level as well as any other information required for effectively carrying out the ongoing patching as described above. If many patches are necessary that demand extra time for the initial updating, Progent will provide any estimates beyond the normal patching cost.

Additional Services Offered:

• SentinelOne Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) with Behavior-based Threat Defense
• Bitdefender AV
• Auvik Network and ProSight Systems Monitoring
• Patch verification prior to application
• Server hosting in private cloud data center
• Customized management and patching available
• Cybersecurity and compliance expertise
• Disaster recovery preparedness and business continuity

Contact Progent about Patch Management Solutions
To find out additional information about Progent's software/firmware update management offerings, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.