Patch Management Question

[adfreek]

We are in the process of designing a patch management process. We've built a SUS server and synchronized it with MS Windows Update server. We're now in the process of putting a plan together regarding deployment/configuration of the Automatic Update client. Unfortunately, we have a mix of desktops (XP, W2K and legacy 9x systems). My question is the following:

Seeing that we're trying to take advantage of the SUS feature, I just learned that my client purchased GFI's LanGuard Network Security Scanner which includes a patch management feature. I'm a bit confused now. Is there any need for us to continue putting a plan in place for SUS? Or will this new GFI product replace it? Can they work in parallel?

If anyone is or has been in my situation choosing between these products or making them work together, I would appreciate your input.

Regards

 

[svsawkar]

Well SUS is free and will be free, but I can't speak for GFI.

Tell us some of the features of GFI and we can compare and contrast to SUS.

/Siddharth

 

[Netwrkengeer]

I'm in the same situation, we have Shavlik HFNETCHK PRO, and are implementing SMS for critical mspatch deployment.

What we are doing is having our desktop support team deploy mspatches in their own division to get us updated then we are configuring the SMS server for enterprise deployment of mspatches.