Linux updates and patching
Most Linux distributions include tools for automatically downloading and installing updates. This includes core system files and applications as well as some security updates. However, the update system lacks several key components:
- On some distributions, the administrator must configure the system to perform the update through a cron job, meaning the system is aware of the update but will not apply it until someone performs an action to execute the operation.
- Another key factor lacking is the centralization of collecting and distributing update packages to hosts. This is not to say they do not exist, as they do; however, software applications such as ManageEngine, Automox, and SanerNow patch management are third-party systems and may not support all the versions of Linux in the environment. Even with a patch management system in place, there are still maintenance and scalability issues requiring administrators to develop their own processes and...
