Patch Pushing and remote profiles

[mcalder]

My organization is looking to implement patch pushing and remote profiles. We are looking for patch pushing software that will allow us to push microsofts patches, as well as updates for anti-virus and any other updates and patches we need pushed. As well we are looking for software that will allow us to manage roaming profiles, or allow us to be able to use a specific profile on any computer within our organization. Does anyone have any suggestions? If possible we'd also like the patch pushing software to do software inventory, but it's not nessarily a deciding factor. Any suggestions and if possible locations for reviews on it?

 

[TekChik]

SMS? ...if you run Windows servers (assuming you do, but some places like mine don't)

 

[mcalder]

We run a Windows 2000 server, but we didn't want to run SMS do to costs involved... if we can help it.

 

[MystiKal]

As far as patch pushing, I wrote a script that pushes out MS patches to servers in the enviroment (700+). I've never really dealt with remote profiles, but I'm sure some/most of the things you are looking to do can be scripted. If you organization is willing to spend money on a per-server license basis, go with ECM from Configuresoft. It's an enterprise solution for inventory and they have an addon (which has to be purchased again on a per-server basis) to push out patches to servers. ECM kicks @$$ in a large enterprise enviroment...but for something small, I say just write a script to push out patches as well as some decent inventory.

Or get SMS 2.0...but if you dont know what you are doing with creating the SMS enviroment, dont do it or you'll end up pullinig your hair out... good SMS admins are rare