Novell ZENworks Patch Management

Single Infrastructure

Novell ZENworks® Configuration Management offers impressive extensibility and flexibility, which facilitates deep patch management integration points that have eliminated the need for additional infrastructure. These integration points include the following components:

Single Agent and Install—ZENworks Patch Management uses a single installation routine and a single desktop agent for both configuration management and patch management.
Single Server—With ZENworks Patch Management, security patches are stored, assigned and distributed as distinct ZENworks patch bundles, which allows you to leverage ZENworks Configuration Management's core bundle storage, deployment, delivery and management capabilities. By implementing ZENworks Configuration Management, you can also avoid parallel deployment/delivery infrastructures.
Patch Management Data—The ZENworks Configuration Management database stores patch and vulnerability information in table extensions. That means you no longer need a second database dedicated to security patch management data.
Intuitive User Interface—Security patch management administrative activities are handled through the ZENworks Control Center, which features an improved user interface that smooths the transition from configuration management to patch management. This enhanced interface gives you the ability to filter patches by vendor, view the status of your patch server, and gain detailed information about patch attributes.
Patch Status Dashboard—Convenient dashboard charts provide a quick, visual summary of your current patch management status and a history of patch compliance over time.
Reporting Engine—ZENworks Patch Management leverages the new ZENworks Reporting Server, an enhanced reporting engine that offers an impressive list of pre-defined patch management reports and the ability to quickly create custom reports. This engine eliminates the need for any incremental reporting infrastructure.
Improved experience for end users—With ZENworks Patch Management, users receive notifications through their "Z" tray icon, and patch deployments can be "snoozed" until users are ready to deploy updates and reboot their machines. Of course, you can place limits on how long the patch installation process can be delayed by users.

ZENworks Configuration Management eliminates the need for an incremental or parallel infrastructure to support your patch management efforts. This leads to significant cost savings, not only because you can reduce the size of your infrastructure, but also because of the ease with which it can be administered. Another benefit is that you now have the choice between Microsoft Windows or SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server infrastructures on which to provide ZENworks Patch Management.