Windows Patch Management
Automated Patch Management for Enterprises
Software vulnerabilities can create security weakness, corrupt critical
system data or cause system unavailability that can be a nightmare
for Network Managers. IT Administrators can't even think of a good
solution, without understanding how vulnerable their
systems are. This makes them to constantly look out for a solution
that scans for network vulnerabilities, identifies missing security patches and hotfixes,
applies them immediately and mitigates risk; and not just a patch deployment
software.
Desktop Central's agent-based solution handles every aspect of Windows
patch
management like System discovery, identifying the required Windows
Microsoft updates deploying relevant patches, hotfixes, security updates, and patch
reports to make network administrators job simple.
Network Managers can also opt for a completely automated
solution and don't have to worry about patching Windows
systems ever. Desktop Central's Patch Management solution works for both Windows Active Directory and Workgroup based network.
Refer to Securing
Windows Desktops to see the ways to enhance desktop
security using Desktop Central.
Features
- Uses a hosted Patch Database at ManageEngine site to assess the vulnerability status of the network
- Complete automated
- Solution from detecting the missing patches/hotfix to deploying the patches
- Patch based deployment - Deploy a patch to all the systems applicable
- System based patch deployment - Deploy all the missing patches and hotfixes for a system
- Automatic handling of patch interdependencies and patch sequencing
- Reports on System vulnerabilities, Patches, OS, etc.
- Provides an update of the patch deployment status
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Automatic System Discovery
The Desktop Central solution performs automatic discovery
of Windows systems using Active Directory. Administrators can choose the systems that have to be managed using Desktop Central. The Desktop Central agent
that is installed in the managed systems performs the actions initiated from Desktop Central Server. This agent is responsible for vulnerability
assessment scan and patch deployment. |
Online Vulnerability Database
The Online
vulnerability Database is a portal in the ManageEngine site,
which hosts the latest vulnerability database that has been
published after a thorough analysis. This contains the list
of all Microsoft Windows updates
that are available. This database is exposed for download by
the Desktop Central Server situated in the customer site, and
provides information required for patch scanning and installation.
The Desktop Central Server located at the enterprise (customer
site) scans the systems in the enterprise network, checks for
missing and available Windows patches against the comprehensive vulnerability
database, downloads and deploys missing Microsoft patches and service
packs, generates
reports to effectively manage the patch
management process of the enterprise. |
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Vulnerability Assessment Scan
Dekstop Central scans
all the systems for missing Windows patches in operating systems and applications
and the level of vulnerability is reported. These missing
Windows patches are identified from the local
vulnerability database, which is periodically synchronized with the
external online
vulnerability database maintained by ManageEngine.
Patch Deployment
Dekstop Central takes care of deploying
the patches based on missing Microsoft patches or system vulnerability.
Once deployed, the agent applies the relevant Windows patches in the system
and security updates and updates the status in Desktop Central. The installation process
can be scheduled from patch settings option.
Patch Reports
Patch
reports gives details about system vulnerability level, missing
Windows patches, applicable Windows patches, task status, etc. All these
reports are available as pdf or in printer friendly versions.
Automated Patch Management Solution
Patch Management using Desktop Central can be automated
at various levels like, Automatic scanning of Windows systems, Automatic
scanning of the systems and downloading the missing Windows patches, Automatic download
of missing patches and draft a patch configuration and Automatic
download of the missing Microsoft patches and to deploy them. All these can be scheduled
and the status is notified through mail.
Supported OS and Applications
- Windows Vista (Enterprise, Business, Ultimate)
- Windows Server 2008 (Standard, Enterprise & Web Server Editions)
- Windows Server 2003 (Standard, Web & Small Business Server
Editions)
- Windows XP Professional
- Windows 2000 Professional
- Windows 2000 Server
- Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Office 2003
- Microsoft Office 2007
- Internet Explorer
- Windows Media Player
- .NET Framework
- MSXML
- DirectX
You can manage Windows patches using the free
edition of Desktop Central.
For more details refer to the
Patch
Management and Patch
Management Life Cycle topics in the online help.
