Most administrators delay patching because it takes a long time and it's tedious. However, there is also just as much risk of patching databases to have them break compatibility or crash altogether. Therefore, it's best to learn about the best process available for patch management.
At ITarian, we work hard to give you helpful tips and advice, as well as an excellent product that can be used by almost any enterprise. We also want to ensure that everyone's computer systems are up to date and secure, which is why we created our products and services in the first place.
The Process
In many instances, the process for database patch management is similar to patching anything, including third-party apps. The best thing to do is be armed with information and an effective product that can help.
- Patching Process. Your vendor will release new patches at specific times. For example, Oracle Corp releases their critical patches quarterly while Microsoft provides their updates every second Tuesday of the month.
- Unnecessary. Some patches aren't required, but it can be tricky to know which ones are critical. Vulnerabilities may not be critical enough to warrant a change, but they could be.
- Inventory. You need to know what you have first before you start patching. Otherwise, you could run into compatibility problems and more.
- Test. Before deploying patches network-wide, you need a test system to ensure everything works.
- Deploy. Once it is tested, you can safely deploy the patches to all the computers.
We can help with everything mentioned above. Our product can be set to find new patches at times when you prefer, or correspond with vendor releases. Our product can also tell you which patches are available and which ones you need, and can inventory what you've got. To learn more, contact us today.
