enterprise network security management

Patch Management: Automating your enterprise patch management without the routine headache

The major underlying problem facing IT management in terms of unpatched network vulnerabilities is the unyielding nature of these security threats. The manual patch-by-patch method of application has become an overwhelming task of “musical chairs”. As IT administrators take the proper precautions retrieving, analyzing, and testing patches before deployment, there is the constant threat of the open, unguarded seat “ready for the taking”. Our Autonomic Network Security Administrator (ANSA) delivers cross-platform, automated patch management.

Guard against “Open-Season” on your system with a proactive solution.

Industry Need vs. ANSA's solution

1. The ability to have up to date knowledge of known vulnerabilities to each supported platform in your network.

Fastest, 100% accurate patch availability from Autonomic Software in under 12 hours for Microsoft and other platform vendors.

Ability to apply patches in seconds.

Always applies patches in proper sequence.

2. A Vulnerability Management Solution that is easy to install, is user friendly, and provides a quick ROI.

• ANSA easily installs in a few minutes
• Easy to use, our ANSA agent deployment is the fastest in the industry
• Project and deployment for even large enterprises takes days- not months
• Large savings in terms of people, tools, and cost of ownership.

3. Assessment of Hardware and Software operating systems across the network.

• Complete Sarbanes-Oxley compliant asset management tool, easily accomplished on demand, across multiple platforms.
• Accurate management tools which are customizable to handle any request.

4. Timely deployment and installation of patches to establish and ensure network stability.

• Policy based platform allows ANSA to work around your schedule and requirements.
• Solutions that operate as transparent, background utilities.
• The most powerful and easy to use technology that guarantees air tight vulnerability management solutions for the security needs of today and beyond.

5. A technologically advanced architecture designed to support current and future Vulnerability Management requirements.

• Industry acclaimed technology designed in this century, including .NET framework and N-tier architecture, easily allows for the rapid expansion of any enterprise’ requirements (regardless of size or need)
• Patented agent and communication technology delivers an autonomic environment that accommodates any size deployment easily and accurately.
• A technological solution that provides effortless management of any security attack in your present environment and well into the future.

ANSA is a policy driven, automated management solution that extends to the network, system, and application level, resulting in a secure and reliable computing environment.

When considering the current state of enterprise security and patch management it is difficult to believe that, until just a few years ago, patch management was viewed as a labor intensive project rarely given a second glance (let alone an update) after the initial install. Now, however, the importance of reliable patch management solutions has been sparked by the danger associated with unsecured computing environments which are, at a given moment, susceptible to any number of worms or malicious attacks. Even further, new government regulations (such as SOX and Hippa) are pushing enterprises to regain control over their asset information. Unfortunately, although fear of compliancy regulations and system infiltration has spurred consumers to find a solution to system vulnerability, it has not put a stop to the frequency or severity of unpatched software.

The goal of a Patch Management Solution is to create an organized and stable computing environment continuously protected against security breaches. This goal is not attainable, however, without the ability of an IT administrator to validate, test, and deploy patches in a timely manner. Any delay between the discovery and repair of system vulnerabilities allows for an even greater chance of attack. IT departments are overwhelmed by the rate at which new patches, updates and “hot fixes” are released. Short on resources and time, impulsive decisions are often made resulting in oversight and system vulnerability. Due to the criticality of time management and proper installation, the time consuming process of manually deploying updates patch-by-patch is widely rejected by IT executives, analysts and vendors alike.

Autonomic Software, Inc. has developed our ANSA agent to pick up where even the most vigilant administrators often fall short- patch management. With the needs of these IT professionals in mind, ANSA was developed as a tool to extend the capacity of IT resources, enabling project teams to respond in a more deliberate and timely manner.

A powerful and flexible patch management solution

ANSA provides a cross-platform (Microsoft Windows 9.x, NT, 2000, and XP, and 2003 family, Red Hat ((and soon other distro's)) Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X) solution utilizing agent-based, N-tier architecture. Also delivering an automated approach to patch management, our ANSA agent can meet the needs of every organization with computing assets. Through the use of a policy engine, ANSA allows IT Administrators to set rules for various severity levels for patches, and establish what steps should be taken for each. Our patented agent technology allows for an extremely small footprint while still allowing the fastest possible distribution of patches by groups, system function, or system state. Patch Distribution can be managed per site or across an entire multi-site enterprise from a single web-based user interface by one or more parties.

Labels: