SnaPatch Features and Benefits
Connect to your existing Microsoft SCCM environment
Access and interact with your SCCM environment – view collections and servers, along with detailed information including make, model, OS and serial numbers.
Patching compliance at a glance
Check the compliance level of each server from within each collection. See detailed information such as the number of updates missing for each class (ie. security, critical, service packs, etc.)
Snapshot your servers before deploying patches
Remove the risk of patching your virtual Windows fleet by automatically taking a snapshot before deploying any patches.
Patches are only deployed to servers that have had a successful snapshot performed. If the snapshot fails, then no updates are deployed to those servers.
Automatically delete snapshots based on retention policy
You decide how long to keep snapshots before the system automatically deletes them, and even get reminder emails before it happens! You also have the option to exclude servers from the snapshot auto-delete policy.
Schedule it all
Select which servers to patch, define a maintenance window and set a schedule to run as often as you require.
Notifications
Stay informed every step of the way. You may configure SnaPatch to inform you when a job starts, snapshots are complete, patching is finished and when snapshots are due to be deleted.
SnaPatch Overview
SnaPatch (now on Version 2.1) connects and interacts with Microsoft’s System Centre Configuration Manager SCCM , VMware’s ESX and now also Microsoft’s HyperV. By bridging all of these platforms it allows us to remove the inherent risk associated with patching and updating servers. This is achieved by automatically taking snapshots of the virtual server prior to deploying any patches. This ability gives you a reliable and fast roll back if any of those updates cause an issue to your virtual machines.
SnaPatch also connects to your SCCM SQL database to pull vasts amount of information to provide you with the clearest and most up to date picture of your environment.
SCCM is a fantastic tool for deploying updates to your Windows fleet, however, it relies on companies and system administrators to have dedicated test environments to determine the possibility of a patch having a detrimental effect on any particular server or application. Even if the patch doesn’t cause any issues within a test environment, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t cause an issue in production. The safest and easiest way to remove this risk is to take a snapshot of the virtual server before deploying updates.
However, this is quite a time consuming and arduous task. It requires timing and dedicated resources typically working late at night. It also means having to keep track of any snapshots and ensuring they are deleted, which often doesn’t happen.
SnaPatch removes all of these issues. Everything is automated and scheduled, and runs according to your preferences. Below is a quick walk through of the steps to create a patch schedule.
Step 1. Select the servers you want to patch and add them to the target list (you may add physical as well as virtual servers to the target list).
Step 2. Select the individual patches you want to deploy or use an existing update group.
Step 3. Set a schedule to run the task.
Step 4. Set a maintenance window and provide a description if required. Press Finish.
That’s all there is to it. The system will take a snapshot of the virtual servers and then deploy the updates you have selected. It will also notify you via email every step of the way. Many companies also use this email for compliance purposes and reporting.