Select the best patch management software for your company

Editor's note

Keeping track of all their applications, operating systems and devices is a task only for the steeliest of IT managers. Throw in patches and updates, and the task becomes a Sisyphean one when performed manually.

With manual patch management processes, IT admins must take the time to figure out what has to be patched each week, and then initiate and monitor the more important updates, only to see that boulder rolling back down the hill by the next week with more patches that need to be installed. This is where patch management software comes in.

Patch management is an easy concept to understand, and patch management software that automates the process is an easy product to grasp. What's difficult and requires insight, however, is the process through which a business purchases patch management software.

This guide maps out this buying process step by step, explaining patch management software, and even listing out the vendors that could help businesses best address their patch management strategies.

The best patch management software offers many benefits beyond increased productivity and efficiency. It helps companies remain secure because, oftentimes, outdated software can be exploited by hackers. This, in turn, can cause a great loss of assets.

Regulatory compliance is yet another area that can be maintained with patch management tools, which enable businesses to prioritize certain software and operating systems in the patching process.

To take advantage of the benefits and protections that patch management software can offer, knowing how to procure the right tool is substantial. Assessing the product's usability, the systems it integrates with and how, and its features are just some of the ways to ensure that the right patch management tool is chosen. Once a business prioritizes its patch management needs, it's then ready to select the best patch management software for them.