THE WHATIS.COM WORD-OF-THE-DAY February 11, 2004 patch management ______________________ SPONSORED BY: SearchSecurity.com
EXPERT'S GUIDE FOR EFFECTIVE PATCH MANAGEMENT Patching is often recommended as a way to deal with today's security threats. But it is easier said than done. Learn how to overcome the challenges inherent to patch management, including ROI justification. http://searchsecurity.com/patchmanagement2?track=NL-34 ______________________ TODAY'S WORD: patch management See our complete definition with hyperlinks at http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid14_gci901422,00.html?track=NL-34 Patch management is an area of systems management that involves acquiring, testing, and installing multiple patches (code changes) to an administered computer system. Patch management tasks include: maintaining current knowledge of available patches, deciding what patches are appropriate for particular systems, ensuring that patches are installed properly, testing systems after installation, and documenting all associated procedures, such as specific configurations required. A number of products are available to automate patch management tasks, including RingMaster's Automated Patch Management, PatchLink Update, and Gibraltar's Everguard. Like its real world counterpart, a patch is a "make-do" fix rather than an elegant solution. Patches are sometimes ineffective, and can sometimes cause more problems than they fix. Patch management experts, such as Mark Allen, CTO of Gibraltar Software, suggest that system administrators take simple steps to avoid problems, such as performing backups and testing patches on non-critical systems prior to installations. Patch management can be viewed as part of change management. __________________________ RELATED TERMS: systems management http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci510449,00.html?track=NL-34 patch http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid40_gci212753,00.html?track=NL-34 configuration http://searchexchange.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid43_gci833457,00.html?track=NL-34 elegant solution http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid26_gci532314,00.html?track=NL-34 change management http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci799426,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________ SELECTED LINKS: SearchSecurity offers a collection of Best Web Links about patch management. http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/bestWebLinks/0,289521,sid14_tax292920,00.html?track=NL-34 SearchEnterpriseLinux offers advice about "Smoothing out patch-management woes." http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid39_gci891798,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________ TODAY'S TECH NEWS: MICROSOFT ASN FLAW MAY BE BIGGEST DEFECT EVER FOUND Experts are concerned about a recently announced Windows vulnerability, which affects multiple versions of the operating system. The flaw can be exploited in a variety of ways to remotely attack systems. http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid14_gci949830,00.html?track=NL-34 GETTING A LOOK AT 10G After getting their hands on the latest Oracle database, DBAs and IT managers are raving about its newest features. http://searchoracle.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid41_gci949612,00.html?track=NL-34 SURVEY SHOWS SATISFACTION WITH OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING Offshore outsourcing evidently is delivering the goods. According to a recent survey, a whopping majority of North American and European firms are happy with what they're getting overseas. http://search390.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid10_gci949705,00.html?track=NL-34 >> Catch up on all the latest IT news at http://searchtechtarget.techtarget.com?track=NL-34 ______________________ WORDS-TO-GO | Wireless (NEW!) Keep up with the world of wireless by scanning through this list of wireless terms. If you have a Palm OS or PocketPC device, we've created a PDA version of this handy reference. http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid40_gci947525,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________ SECRET WORD-OF-THE-DAY | What is IT? You might regularly have a cup of this popular beverage beside your computer. In IT, it's a programming language expressly designed for use in the distributed environment of the Internet. Do you think you know the Secret Word? Click see if you're right! http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid26_gci212415,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________ QUIZ #27 | Security Awareness for End Users The SANS Institute recommends that organizations take time to educate their employees about computer security and periodically test employees to make sure they understand the basics. To help you in your efforts to raise security awareness in your organization, we've created the following quiz. http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid19_gci826572,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________ HOROSCOPES FOR GEEKS | February Find out what the stars have in store for you this month! http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid19_gci919205,00.html?track=NL-34 ______________________________ RECENT ADDITIONS AND UPDATES [1] conformance http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid19_gci948606,00.html?track=NL-34 [2] binder http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid1_gci948478,00.html?track=NL-34 [3] Manchester encoding http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci948465,00.html?track=NL-34 [4] marketing automation http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci947413,00.html?track=NL-34 [5] customer service and support http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid11_gci947410,00.html?track=NL-34 ____________________________________________________________________ ::::::::::::::::::: WHATIS.COM CONTACTS ::::::::::::::::::: MARGARET ROUSE, Site Editor ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) IVY WIGMORE, Consulting Editor ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) LOWELL THING, Consulting Editor and Founder ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) GABRIELLE DERUSSY, Advertising ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) ::::::::::::::::::::: ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER :::::::::::::::::::::: This e-newsletter is published by WhatIs.com, a targeted Web site from TechTarget, the most targeted IT media and events company. 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