ABSTRACT
Up to this point, the focus has been on the patch management process itself. However, organizations are constantly looking for methods to streamline or expedite patch management. They are looking for a softwarebased tool — a tool that will solve all the issues occurring with deploying patches to all the vulnerable systems. While the use of a tool is not a requirement for a successful patch management process, it can help the organization in accomplishing this task. A tool can assist an organization in deploying the patches in a timelier manner. This will result in a requirement for fewer man-hours and will ultimately result in eliminating the vulnerability in a shorter timeframe. Therefore, if an organization chooses to implement a tool to assist in the patch management process, it will reduce the risk of an exploit impacting business operations because the systems will already be patched. If a clearly defined patch management process is not in place, then use of the tool will be of little or no benefit. It is the combination of people, process, and technology that ensures success.
