Features Every Good Patch Manager Should Have

Every business computer network needs reliable patch management - with such advanced operating systems, such a wide availability of proprietary software, and the heavy reliance on individual workstations for everyday operations, even small companies quickly find themselves struggling against the constant wave of update prompts.

This quick guide will help you discover the features your patch management suite needs to include. A well-tailored solution will reduce bloat in your network maintenance budget and will help your business reach your information security and efficiency goals.

Flexible Tracking and Installation Options that Fit Your Network

Some patch managers are far too basic… some patch managers are far too cluttered. Every experienced IT manager has a favorite style and debates are frequent. Complicated network environments may need programs with a hugely diverse array of features and functionality. Simple network environments - especially those managed by a non-technical team of employees - will benefit more from a straightforward manager.

Most of the time, the value of a particular feature is an entirely subjective matter. Do you want a patch manager that fits into your configuration management suite, or would you rather have something that does it all? Do you want a manager based on a centralized and maintained system or would you rather have an agent-based solution to deal with a varied technological landscape? There are no right answers and no wrong answers.

When it comes to modern networks, some features are desirable on an almost universal scale: third party monitoring and patching, remote operation, sequentially integrated job queues, etc. Take a look at some of the top market performers to keep abreast of new patch manager developments.

An Intuitive and Informative (But Powerful) Interface

How much information do you need to have at a glance? Patch managers for smaller or somewhat outdated networks may want something very robust, with disk space monitoring and space to display notes about the quirks of each system on the list. Does your program pack a lot of punch? You may want to make sure that it has a job queue editor to match.

Don't let your company buy a patch manager without first giving a copy to your IT team to demo. The interface is just one tiny part of the program, but despite having no impact on performance it definitely can affect functionality. Take some times to make sure that your tech team does not have to wade through dozens of submenus just to reach some obscure but necessary function. Every network is different, and even a top rated program may fail to meet the unique expectations of a unique IT environment.

We always suggest Batch Patch as a solution that satisfies most networks because of the inherent flexibility - it's an easy-to-use batch tool with the powerful functionality, intuitive interface, and customizable features that network managers love.