Any organization that relies on a network of computers has to deal with the mammoth task of keeping all these machines up-to-date, both in terms of OS and application patches. These are important for keeping everything running smoothly, but mostly to ensure that security threats are kept at bay.

Solutions like ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus are designed to ease the strain on an administrator’s shoulders by automating as much as possible of the patch deployment process. It is managed from a single web console, with agent applications installed on every machine that needs to be monitored.

The application first needs to be installed on a computer the administrator will use to manage all other systems. The console is opened in a regular web browser, and you can start or stop the service from the system tray. Next, agents can be installed on other systems remotely; these are lightweight components that run in the background and provide information relevant to the patching process.

ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus automatically obtains update information from software vendors, detects which systems are not up-to-date and downloads the required patches. These are then tested on non-production machines and then deployed, with a report being generated automatically once the job is completed.