TECH TRENDS: Windows Autopatch Explained

Windows Autopatch is a cloud service, available for customers with Windows Enterprise E3 and E5 licenses, that automates updates of Windows 10/11, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft 365 software including 365 cloud PC’s, providing a solution to the complex challenges businesses face maintaining digital infrastructure in the following areas:-

Security: Keeping software current leads to fewer vulnerabilities and threats.

Productivity: Users get the latest tools.

Administration: Automating routine updates releases IT admin time.

Infrastructure: Minimise investment in on-premises hardware with updates delivered from the cloud.

Enrolment: Make it easy to on board new services and minimise IT admin time.

Updates: Minimise end user disruption.

Windows Autopatch helps minimise the involvement of IT admin resources in the planning and deployment of updates allowing them to focus on other activities and tasks. It delivers software updates to devices once they are registered with the service and takes on several areas of management including quality and feature updates; maintaining a supported version of Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and a release schedule for downloading security improvements and patches. Microsoft Edge and Teams also benefit from progressive rollouts and automatic updates.

Each area being managed has a different monitoring and update control capabilities with eligible devices labelled as either "Healthy" or "Unhealthy". Healthy devices meet eligibility requirements and unhealthy devices don't. If Windows Autopatch falls below any service level objective for a managed area, an incident is raised and the service is brought back into compliance.

Whilst an update is in progress, it's constantly monitored and depending on the criticality of the update, the service may decide to expedite, pause or roll it back if an issue is detected.

Once devices are enrolled into Autopatch, the service does most of the work but can be fine-tuned, with access to a service health dashboard, report generation and support request filing.

Whilst this may give some IT administrators a sleepless night, unpatched software can leave gaps in protection and by keeping Windows and Microsoft 365 apps updated, as well as enhanced security, users get the latest new features designed to enhance creativity and collaboration.

Working around the clock, Autopatch can detect potential issues, meaning those which could impact a user’s portfolio can be detected and resolved before they ever reach the user’s estate.