What is Patching and Why is it Important?

You’ve heard us say it, and you may have even read about it, but what is Patch Management? Let us
make is simple, this really is just maintenance for your computers.

Patch management, within your practice, can be seen as maintenance for your vehicle. Without regular check-ups, oil changes,new tires, and parts, you can still drive your car; however, it will become dangerous if you keep avoiding the mechanic. Eventually, the vehicle may break down or cause an accident.

When accepting the responsibility of driving a car, it’s generally assumed and accepted that you will need to service it occasionally. You certainly aren’t required to do this, but it’s generally understood that if you don’t, then you also accept the risk that comes with that choice. The consequence is that you will likely end up on the side of the road waiting for help.

Your computers are the same. Maintenance is not required, but it’s known you should, or that decision is likely to put you in a challenging situation. Maybe those systems won’t work, it could be they become an efficiency drain, or worse, it allows a hacker into your practice. You become a cyberattack victim — all things easily avoidable with upkeep.

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, some people service their car when the notification pops up on the dash; some people do it once a year. Others do it every six months. Whenever that happens, you probably want to get a few other things done simultaneously – A/C review, check the tire pressure, oil change, brakes, etc. You never know; the dealer might even offer a few new features with a software update.

The reason companies regularly release computer patches for both software and hardware is that vulnerabilities are continually discovered. So, the importance of a scheduled maintenance procedure is critical within every business. So how is Sunset helping to keep you safe and updated? How can we make you feel Rest Assured that you won’t have these issues?

Sunset has a regimented maintenance schedule, which includes thoroughly testing and approving the patch before deployment to your systems. This deployment occurs during the overnight hours when your office is closed. Our job is to make yours easier; working on your computers while you run your practice would only frustrate you. That is why we run 24/7/365 days a year, so you can relax and Rest Assured knowing we’ve got your back.