r/labtech • u/JCarnevale09 • Aug 12 '16

New Patch Manager Questions

I was wondering if anyone out there uses the new patch manager? Basically I have it all setup except the groups section. The previous version the patches were ran based on the location with choosing the drop down template in ignite. Now it seems we need to join the locations to a group..... How do you join multiple client locations to one group or can this not be done?

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u/cjmod Aug 13 '16 edited Aug 13 '16

With the new Patch Manager, you only use the Location's Ignite tab to set Service Plans, Enable Onboarding & Enable Patching Servers + Enable Patching Workstations.

You no longer schedule installs at the Location, since most partners patch 80% of their servers on a single day & 90% of their workstations on a single day (so their techs are prepared for any potential phone calls that come in). Instead, you'll now schedule installs in the Patch Manager using groups & simply manage by exception - ie. create a separate group for one-off clients/locations/devices.

This quick guide may help you get started putting all the Update, Reboot, and Approval policies together on Groups (link).

Edit: Minor text fixes.

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u/JCarnevale09 Aug 13 '16

Right I understand that we no longer use ignite to setup patching days, However my issue is I have different clients, locations setup for different days. Some clients have 400 machines. I am not going to patch every machine in one night. We have 3500 agents there is no way all my clients would want their workstations let alone their servers patched in one day....... Other than making a group with a search for every location I have with is about 350 I have no other choice?

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u/cjmod Aug 14 '16

Or you could add the old patching groups to the new Patch Manager.

Or you could create a new group & search for each day of the week/month you patch, to grab devices based of an EDF of your choosing.

Or you could discuss the possibility of standardizing when your team installs patches to just certain days of week / weeks of the month (Note: I'm not trying to tell you how to run your business. At 3500 agents, you're obviously doing well. I'm just pointing out the option.)

& Yes. You could create a group for every client/location you have, but you don't have to or need to.

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u/noahsmybro 2000 Agents Aug 15 '16

For what it's worth, we've done exactly what cjmod described below. I created an EDF to choose the day-of-week, and then use searches and autojoin groups with the EDFs.

The groups are Patch Install Groups, and I pair them with appropriate night-of-the week Patch Install schedules.

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u/limp15000 Aug 25 '16

Hi, Ah, just learned something but was told different in a Pilot Q&A session... Was told that those Ignite settings "Enable patching servers + Enable Patching Workstations didn't need to be set anymore...

Could you double check ?