Features
What is patch management process?
Patch management process includes maintaining, managing, and securing the operating system (OS) and existing software applications (including 3rd party) running on a computer. The term is generally used when this process is to be regulated for a group of computers connected through a network. In simple terms, patches are code changes (bug fixes, vulnerability fixes, new features, etc.). released by all vendors such as Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Java and more which enables the systems and applications to run efficiently and remain secured. These patches can be deployed manually but the whole process becomes cumbersome once the number of devices starts to increase in an organization. The scariest part of neglecting patch management is that unpatched devices could be used as an entry point for injecting malicious software or viruses which can bring down the whole network and cause interruption in business activities. Hence a special tool for handling patch management is necessary for any organization.
Did you know that in the last two years, 48 percent of companies have experienced a data breach ? Of these, the majority said they were breached because of a vulnerability - for which a patch was already available. Cyberattacks like WannaCry and Petya affected hundreds of thousands of computers and caused losses worth millions of dollars. With Endpoint Central MSP you can avoid these common types of data breaches by automating patch deployment across all your clients.
Benefits of distributing software using Endpoint Central
Endpoint Central has the following features and capabilities that make managing and deploying software for IT admins a breeze:
- Software distribution for heterogeneous environment: Endpoint Central allows you to manage and distribute software for WIndows, Mac and Linux from the same console.
- Template-based package creation: Endpoint Central has pre-defined software templates for more than 5000 applications, complete with silent-switches. These templates can be used to create ready-to-deploy software packages within a few clicks.
- Software repository: Endpoint Central allows you to create a central repository of software packages that can be re-used anytime.
- Automatic template updates: The templates available in Endpoint Central are updated automatically, and can be used to create up-to-date software packages for deployment.
- Self-service portal: Endpoint Central's self-service portal allows users to install applications on their own, with administrator's intervention.
- Customization: Endpoint Central provides IT admins granular control over the installation process by virtue of pre and post deployment activities.
- Scheduled installation: IT Admins can schedule the installation on target systems at off-hours, to avoid affecting employees' productivity.
Benefits of distributing software using Endpoint Central
Endpoint Central has the following features and capabilities that make managing and deploying software for IT admins a breeze:
- Software distribution for heterogeneous environment: Endpoint Central allows you to manage and distribute software for WIndows, Mac and Linux from the same console.
- Template-based package creation: Endpoint Central has pre-defined software templates for more than 5000 applications, complete with silent-switches. These templates can be used to create ready-to-deploy software packages within a few clicks.
- Software repository: Endpoint Central allows you to create a central repository of software packages that can be re-used anytime.
- Automatic template updates: The templates available in Endpoint Central are updated automatically, and can be used to create up-to-date software packages for deployment.
- Self-service portal: Endpoint Central's self-service portal allows users to install applications on their own, with administrator's intervention.
- Customization: Endpoint Central provides IT admins granular control over the installation process by virtue of pre and post deployment activities.
- Scheduled installation: IT Admins can schedule the installation on target systems at off-hours, to avoid affecting employees' productivity.
MDM for MSP
Enterprises have to scrutinize the devices that enter inside the company. It can be a corporate owned or personal device (BYOD). Endpoint Central help enterprises perform mobile device management to configure and secure their mobile devices from a central place. It simplifies the work of administrators by making them perform both desktop management and mobile device management using a single console.
Endpoint Central's Mobile Device Management (MDM) allows you to perform the following:
- Enrollment of Devices
- Profile Management
- Asset management
- Application Management
- Security Management
- Audit & Reports
Supported Mobile Devices
- Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch running iOS 4 and above.
- Smart phones and Tablets running on Android 2.2 and above.
IT Asset Management
Quick glance of IT asset management through Endpoint Central MSP:
- Detect and record complete hardware and software inventory
- Periodically scan your clients' computers to have an up-to-date data
- Manage software licenses and track software usage statistics
- Group similar software and manage their licenses as a single software
- Detect and auto-uninstall prohibited software
- Set alerts for changes in hardware or software and receive automatic updates via email
- Comprehensive one-click reports on hardware, software inventory, and licence compliance
- Ability to create customized licenses according to client's requirements.
What is IT asset management
IT Asset Management (ITAM) is “a set of business practices that incorporates IT assets across the business units within the organization. It joins the financial, inventory, contractual and risk management responsibilities to manage the overall life cycle of these assets including tactical and strategic decision-making”. Today, the IT footprints of organizations are growing exponentially along with their growth. Manual management of such IT assets can consume a substantial amount of time and resources. The IT asset management feature of Endpoint Central MSP can help organizations automate this process and manage them from a central location. Our application can detect all the assets across an organization's network, capture and record the data, and make it available at the click of a button.
Types of IT assets
There are several types of IT assets which an organization uses. Here are the two major types of IT assets:
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Hardware asset
Devices such as laptops, desktops, servers, mobile devices, printers, usually fall under the hardware category of the IT assets.
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Software asset
Licenses of commercial applications (Adobe, Microsoft Office suite, etc.), corporate applications meant to be used only for employees, corporate data in company owned devices, operating system (Windows) licenses, etc. fall under the software category.
Why is IT asset management important?
IT asset management is sometimes referred to as IT inventory management because it involves gathering detailed hardware and software inventory information which is then used to make business (ops) related decisions. ITAM is more than just gathering up-to-date IT asset data. It additionally includes customizing the captured data according to the needs of the organization, monitoring parameters (tracking of cracked commercial applications, warranties, licenses etc.), reporting, and using all such data to minimize risk, maximize returns, and improve security.
Top five advantages of using our IT asset management software are as follows:
Get a clearer picture of your IT infrastructure
Our IT asset management feature offers a bird's-eye view and up-to-date data on all your IT assets, be they hardware or software. You can generate reports in an instant, such as a list of all the devices running Windows 10, or all the devices that have specific hardware (e.g. a monitor, HDD, or RAM).
Avoid costly non-compliance fines
Organizations can end up paying hefty fines if they get caught using commercial applications without proper licenses. IT asset management software helps you keep track of all your commercial and non-commercial applications, along with their corresponding licenses, so you can seamlessly manage licenses and avoid any violations.
Improve productivity
IT asset management software can help you track the usage of specific applications and ascertain whether your employees are spending too much time on non-work related applications.
Reduce security risks
Track whether prohibited software is being used in your network. Automatically uninstall prohibited applications from computers or completely block the ability to launch such executables. Blacklist and whitelist applications according to the needs of your organizations and keep your network safe.
Set alerts
You can set alerts for every IT asset-related issue. Adding or removing new hardware or software? Running out of warranty? License about to expire? Set up automated alerts for all these issues to give yourself some breathing room.
IT asset management gives you a complete understanding of IT assets and their capabilities. Get granular details on maintenance requirements, life cycles, and more to tackle issues swiftly and improve operational efficiency.