Patching is critical to IT security, addressing security vulnerabilities in applications, operation systems, and firmware before they are exploited. While it’s part of a company’s broader security strategy, how they handle patch management varies. Some use standalone tools, while others use integrated patch management solutions.
Integrated patch management ties your patch management policies and procedures into broader workflows as part of an endpoint or security management platform. It helps your IT department automate and streamline the patch management process.
What Is Integrated Patch Management?
Integrated patch management is a large term that describes three things:
- Patch. A patch is a change or update for an application, operating system (OS), or firmware. Most patches fix known security vulnerabilities or technical issues, though some focus on user experience (like changing how a menu functions or where it appears).
- Patch management. Patch management is the process of identifying which endpoints (computers, mobile devices, servers) need a particular patch or patches and deploying them quickly and efficiently. Patch management also prioritizes deploying critical patches to repair critical vulnerabilities or performance issues.
- Integrated. Integrated means the patch management solution is built into and part of the existing IT management platform, working with security operations and vulnerability management to protect endpoints.
When you put it all together, integrated patch management is part of an organization’s endpoint management system that improves the security posture of endpoints.
What Is an Integrated Patch Management Solution?
An integrated patch management solution is a service or platform that integrates the patch management process into other IT functions. For example, an integrated platform would allow IT to view and manage patch management, inventory, compliance reporting, or remote monitoring tools from a single dashboard. For example, Microsoft Configuration Manager (MCM) is an integrated patch management solution in that it deploys patches and creates compliance reports in a single tool.
Integrating IT’s processes, procedures, and functions into a single solution allows the team to see how the patch management process fits into larger tasks and supports network security.
Is Integrated Patch Management the Same as Unified Patch Management?
Integrated patch management is often used interchangeably with unified patch management. While the terms are similar, they are two distinct functions.
Integrated patch management is a native part of your endpoint or IT management platform. It integrates your patch management process and other IT functions into a single interface or dashboard.
Think of it as a smaller part of the larger whole. Because the focus is integration, integrated patch management products may only patch some systems — like MCM will deploy patches for Windows, not third-party software.
Unified patch management is a single tool that handles the patching process for everything on your system. It works in multiple environments (local, remote, and virtual devices) and coordinates patching across OSs and third-party apps in the same console (like deploying patches for Windows, MacOS, and Zoom across endpoints). Users can also view everything in a single console or dashboard.
The difference lies in how the patch manager handles updates and deployments. While integrated patch managers focus on patching in an existing system, unified patch managers include integrated patching as part of a large solution for multiple environments and applications.
For example, if half of the organization uses Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings but the other half uses Zoom, an integrated patch manager that focuses mainly on Microsoft updates (like MCM) won’t necessarily update Zoom, while a unified patch manager will.
To be clear, an integrated patch management product can overlap with a unified patch management product, but it’s not the same thing.
For example, a company uses a Windows-based patch management platform that integrates with current IT infrastructure and deploys Windows OS updates. That company is using an integrated patch manager. Later, the company extends the patch management platform by adding a solution that allows the platform to patch third-party products (like password managers or a customer relationship manager). Now, the patch manager is a unified solution because patching for Windows and third-party apps are centralized in one place.
Advantages of Using an Integrated Patch Manager
While it may sound like a unified patch manager solution is the best choice, that’s not always the case. An integrated patch manager has certain advantages over a unified one.
Native
The main advantage of an integrated patch manager is that it’s often a native part of your IT platform, which means it’s designed to work seamlessly and doesn’t require additional configurations or infrastructure. Eliminating the need for additional tools helps the team work efficiently, reduces complexity, and decreases the likelihood that errors are introduced.
Centralized Visibility
Integrated patch managers centralize everything your IT team needs to work efficiently and effectively. A single interface helps the team quickly identify which endpoints are missing patches and software updates to secure that endpoint and the entire system.
Safer Deployments
Some integrated patch managers in a patch testing feature to reduce the risk a bad patch disrupts the system. The team can test patches in a test environment or staging area before sending them to every endpoint, ensuring the patch works with your current configuration.
Shared Data
Integrated patch managers also share data, which helps IT organize their workflows across security, vulnerability management, and performance.
For example, if the platform has a vulnerability management system or scanner, the patch manager can receive reports about missing security patches. Automated patch management can schedule deployments as part of a larger vulnerability management strategy. It eliminates the need for manual work and ensures the vulnerability is patched quickly.
Lower Overhead
Because an integrated patch manager is part of the existing platform, there’s no need to install or maintain a separate patch management system, reducing costs, streamlining operations, and ensuring the patch management procedure integrates into existing workflows.
Challenges of Integrated Patch Management
While most patch management services integrate with your existing system, they may not be the best solution for your company.
Not for All Systems
Many integrated patch managers are Windows-focused. If your team uses MacOS and Linux, they may not receive critical patches. Likewise, some integrated patch managers struggle with third-party apps. They may work well with some third-party apps but may not work for all of them. And even when the patch manager works well, sometimes updates for third-party apps are slow to arrive, leaving your endpoints open to attack.
Not for Everything on the Network
While patch managers generally work well for application and OS updates, they don’t provide full support firmware or drive updates for endpoints, which are critical to improving your security posture.
What’s more, if you use custom applications, an integrated patch manager may not receive any updates for that application, or the patches it receives won’t work with your customizations. This can cause security gaps that broaden your attack surface.
Can Compete With Workflows
Some integrated patch managers compete with other workflows. For example, if the patch manager doesn’t include vulnerability management or scanning, it may not prioritize deploying critical patches, which could result in unpatched systems or endpoints or require the team to manually verify and adjust patch prioritization.
Extend Your Patch Management With Adpativa
Adaptiva’s comprehensive solution helps IT teams enhance and automate the patch management process. Advanced automation and customizable patching logic allow teams to tailor patch deployments while reducing manual effort and maximizing efficiency.
Seamless integration with MCM helps organizations expand their patching capabilities without overhauling existing infrastructure. What’s more, Adaptiva supports patching for common third-party applications, closing security gaps and reducing your attack surface.
Contact us today to learn how Adpativa can support your patching needs.
