Update Management Software

The key features to look for are automated update deployments across Windows, macOS, Linux, and third-party applications. The tool must be able to automate each step of the update process: endpoint discovery, vulnerability identification, risk-based prioritization, testing, scheduled deployments, and detailed reporting for compliance audits.
Through completely automating the update management process, you can keep on-premises and remote endpoints up-to-date with the latest security and feature updates, thus addressing vulnerabilities in a timely manner and ensuring smooth device performance.
For seamless business scaling, choose cloud-native update management tools that don’t require hardware infrastructure investments and can efficiently scale from hundreds to thousands of endpoints—essential for your company’s long-term success. Last, but not least, look for solutions that integrate seamlessly with your existing IT infrastructure to maximize operational efficiency.

Update management software hardens your security posture by keeping every single endpoint in your organization running with the latest security updates. With such a tool, your IT team can remediate critical software vulnerabilities as quickly as possible before cybercriminals can exploit them by deploying updates once they are released by the OS and third-party application vendors.
Through automating update deployments, the attack surface across your endpoints is significantly reduced. These solutions equip your company with the ability to generate detailed audit trails after each update deployment, which are required for compliance frameworks like PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, and SOX.
This process not only keeps your systems compliant with these regulatory standards but also eliminates manual documentation efforts, taking the pressure off your IT team’s shoulders.

Version control in update management tools involves tracking and documenting every software change made across your endpoints. This approach maintains a detailed chronological history of which applications or updates were installed, when they were deployed, and on which specific endpoints.
For rollback options, the best update management tools provide a built-in feature that creates application backups, or restore points, before deploying updates. This gives you a “plan B” and the ability to roll back problematic updates that could cause downtime or compatibility issues.
Furthermore, tools like Action1 also equip you with deployment rings, also known as “update rings,” which enable staged rollouts. These allow you to thoroughly test updates on non-critical systems or test groups of endpoints first before reaching every endpoint across your network.
This means that if an update fails and doesn’t meet your established success rates and deployment counts, it won’t advance to the outer rings, effectively preventing unexpected downtime.

Update management solutions support Windows, macOS, and Linux-based endpoints and servers. Keep in mind that these tools can also support mobile devices (iOS and Android), IoT endpoints, and network infrastructure components. Additionally, with these systems, you can update third-party applications across your network. However, not all of them offer this cross-platform support, which is why choosing the right tool is crucial. Cloud-based update management solutions are preferred since they can successfully manage both on-premises and remote devices from a single console directly from your browser.

Automated update deployment helps your organization avoid unexpected downtime by scheduling updates during off-business hours or predetermined maintenance windows. This way your employees can finish their workday without being interrupted by update deployments. Furthermore, through automating each step of the update process, such as vulnerability identification, testing, deployment, and reporting, the time needed to secure your systems is reduced to minutes instead of days when done manually. This approach helps you to address vulnerabilities before they’re exploited, preventing costly security incidents.