Agenda:
- Patch management of SAP system landscapes
- Patch management of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments
- Patch management of hardware (notebooks, servers and printers)
Patch management of SAP system landscapes
What is it all about?
The main objective is to increase security by eliminating known vulnerabilities and improving the stability and functionality of the environment.
An SAP system quickly consists of several components in a 3-stage landscape (development – quality assurance – production). For example, SAP Web Dispatcher, Cloud Connectors and the operating system or database.
Below is a brief overview of the components, including which updates are available.
components and their update frequencies:
- SAP system (application server + database)
- Core update: quarterly
- Release change:
- Major releases: 2-year cycle
- Feature Pack Stacks (FPS): 3 times per release (half-year cycle)
- SAP GUI and Business Clients: Function updates are irregular, so check at least once a year or when SAP releases are changed.
- SAP Webdispatcher: System updates are necessary several times a year due to the criticality of the systems. Audit recommendation: at least quarterly, including the patch status of the operating system, as these systems are usually exposed and are the first access point to the system landscape.
- SAP Cloud Connectors: System updates are available several times a year. Checks should ideally be carried out monthly, including the patch status of the operating system, as these systems are also exposed and are the first access point to the system landscape.
The respective service managers or customer managers are available for customized patch management.
Updates and release changes should be provided/planned with appropriate lead times, downtimes and also test phases.
Patch management of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops environments
Here are some informative points about Citrix VAD patch management:
What is it all about?
The main objective is to increase security by eliminating known vulnerabilities and improving the stability and functionality of the environment.
- Necessity: Regular checks for available patches are crucial for the security and stability of a Citrix environment.
- Documentation: Documentation of the patch management process, including all changes made, is essential for checking processes, troubleshooting and future maintenance activities.
- Test phase: Before the patches are rolled out into production, a thorough/documented test phase should be carried out in order to identify and rectify any unexpected effects or incompatibilities.
To summarize, effective Citrix VAD patch management plays an important role in ensuring that the virtual environment is as stable and secure as possible. It also requires a regular overview of available updates and the ability to test and deploy them efficiently.
We are happy to take care of regular patch management for you. In addition, we will keep you up to date on the need for security-relevant patches.
Patch management of hardware (notebooks, servers and printers)
Patch management in relation to hardware such as notebooks, servers or printers has some similarities with software patch management, but there are also specific aspects that should be taken into account.
The following is a rough overview:
- Firmware updates: These often affect hard disks, NVMe SSDs or network adapters, for example.
- Driver updates: Drivers are programs that ensure the function between hardware and software. Updates can bring performance improvements or bug fixes.
- Security patches: Hardware can also have security vulnerabilities, which can be closed by specific patches.
- BIOS/UEFI updates: BIOS/UEFI updates can ensure compatibility with new hardware, fix bugs, close security gaps and add new features.
Strategies
- Automation: Use of tools to automatically check for available updates and their implementation
- Test phase: Before deploying an update, thorough testing should be carried out to ensure that no unexpected problems occur
- Documentation: Detailed documentation of updates carried out and their results is important.
- Regular checks: Routine checks for available updates are essential to keep systems secure and efficient.
Conclusion:
Patch management for hardware components such as notebooks, servers or printers requires a targeted strategy for checking for available updates as well as testing and deploying them. Regular updates can ensure the stability, security and efficiency of the hardware.