Step 3: Make sure patches are actually being applied

This step may seem commonsense -- but you need to do the occasional spot check to make sure patches are being applied.

Several years ago, a good friend of mine spent an absolute fortune on an enterprise-class patch management product, but he didn't completely understand how the software worked. He dutifully checked the product's management console each day to see which patches were being downloaded. However, it wasn't until a major Windows Service Pack was released that he realized his patch management software wasn't actually applying any of the patches it was downloading. The software required an agent to run on each workstation, and my friend had not deployed the agents correctly.

The point is, even if you have been using your patch management software for years and you know exactly how it works, it doesn't hurt to spot check a PC or two just to make sure processes are working the way they should be. You never know when a glitch will cause the patch management system to malfunction, and you really don't want to get caught with your pants down so to speak.

Patch management must-dos

 Home: Introduction
 Step 1: Do understand what is being patched
 Step 2: Do review patches every day
 Step 3: Do make sure patches are actually being applied
 Step 4: Do it yourself when necessary
 Resource kit: Tips for testing, deploying and fixing patches

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brien M. Posey, MCSE, MVP Brien M. Posey is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with Windows 2000 Server and IIS. He has served as CIO for a nationwide chain of hospitals and was once in charge of IT security for Fort Knox. As a freelance technical writer, he has written for Microsoft, TechTarget, CNET, ZDNet, MSD2D, Relevant Technologies and other technology companies. Copyright 2005 TechTarget

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT Patches, alerts and critical updates Microsoft releases six patches for November Structuring patch management in seven steps Underlying causes of inconsistent patch management Microsoft's Online Desktop Manager caters to small IT shops Microsoft's Patch Tuesday brings a bumper crop of security fixes Act fast with five critical September patches Microsoft's August patches run the gamut Patching third-party browsers adds more work in Windows shops Troubleshooting Microsoft WSUS connectivity issues Windows security tools for the busy desktop administrator

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary drive-by download  (SearchEnterpriseDesktop.com)

RELATED RESOURCES 2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary