
Struggling with computer problems?
Are you tired of constant security worries and slow systems?
Unpatched software is a big risk. It leaves your computers open to attacks.
Fixing these issues by hand takes too much time. You need a better way.
Atera’s patch management is your answer.
It makes keeping your computers safe and fast easy.
This guide will show you how to use Atera patch management in 2025.
Get ready to make your IT life much simpler!

Ready to streamline your IT management? Over 90% of Atera users report increased efficiency within the first month.
Understanding Atera Patch Management
What is Atera Patch Management?
Atera helps you keep your computers safe and running well.
Think of it as a central hub. It’s built into Atera’s main system.
This system lets you watch and manage many computers at once.
Atera’s patch management helps with software update tasks.
It keeps your os (like Windows, macOS, and Linux) and other programs updated.
It uses tools already on your computer to do this.
This makes sure everything is up to date and protected.
Why is Patch Management So Important?
Patch management is super important for your computers. Here’s why:
- Security: Software has weak spots. Hackers can use these to gain access to your computers. Patches are like fixes for these weak spots. Atera helps you apply these fixes. This protects you from viruses, ransomware, and other bad stuff.
- Performance: Old software can slow down your computers. It can also cause problems. Regular software update helps your systems run smoothly. This means fewer crashes and better work for the user.
- Compliance: Many regulations require you to keep your systems up to date. This is for protecting private information. Atera helps you meet these rules. This keeps you out of trouble.
- Efficiency: Performing updates manually is time-consuming. Atera lets you automate patch tasks. You can set up an automation profile to do this. This saves your IT team time. They can then work on bigger, more important jobs. Atera also offers excellent support if you encounter any issues. The patch management and its automation features work together to make your life easier. This can even queue tasks for devices that are offline. It also helps manage when a reboot is needed after a patch installation.
Setting Up Atera for Patch Management
Ready to start using Atera for your updates? It’s pretty straightforward.
1. Initial Setup and Agent Deployment
First, Atera needs to talk to your computers.
It does this with a small program called an “agent.”
This agent sits on each device you want to manage.
It’s how Atera identifies the updates that are needed. Deploying these agents is easy.
Atera has simple steps to get them up and running on all your computers quickly.
Once an agent is on a device, Atera can start its work.
2. Navigating the Patch Management Dashboard
Once agents are in place, you’ll go to Atera’s main screen.
This is referred to as the “Patch Management Dashboard.” Think of it as your control center.
Here, you can see everything about your updates at a glance.
You’ll quickly see:
- Patching Status: Are Your Computers Up to Date?
- Vulnerable Devices: Which Computers Need Urgent Attention?
- Quick links: Fast ways to start important update tasks.
It’s designed to give you a clear picture. You’ll know exactly what’s going on with all your systems.
3. Understanding Patch Classifications
Not all updates are the same. Atera helps you understand this.
It puts updates into different groups. For example, some are “security updates.”
These are very important for keeping you safe. Others might be “feature updates.”
These add new tools to your software. There are also “driver updates” for your hardware.
Knowing these groups helps you decide which updates to install first.
You can focus on the most critical ones.
Automating Your Patching Strategy
Let’s discuss making updates incredibly easy. This is where Atera truly shines.
1. The Power of Automation Profiles
You don’t want to check for updates every day, right?
Atera understands this. It has something called “Automation Profiles.”
What are they? They are like smart rule books.
You tell Atera exactly how you want your updates to happen. Why use them?
Because they save you tons of time.
They ensure that all your computers receive the correct updates every time.
This means fewer mistakes and a lot less work for you.
2. Creating Your First Automation Profile
Making your first Automation Profile is simple. Follow these steps:
- Go to the “Admin” section in Atera.
- Then, click on “Monitoring and Automation.”
- Next, choose “Patch Management and IT Automation.”
- Now, click to make a new profile. Please give it a clear name.
- Pick what kind of updates you want to include. Do you want all updates? Just security ones? You decide.
- Tell Atera how to approve updates. You can have them approved automatically. Alternatively, you can approve them manually. You can even choose to skip some of them.
- Decide when Atera should run the updates. Should it only update computers that are online? Or should it wait for offline ones to come back online?
- Lastly, tell Atera which computers or groups of computers should use this profile. You can pick customers, specific locations, or even single devices.
- Set a schedule. You can schedule updates to run daily, weekly, or at specific times.
Key things to think about when scheduling:
- Try to update when people aren’t using their computers much. This prevents your work from being interrupted.
- If you have many computers, don’t update them all at once. Spread them out. This avoids a big slowdown.
3. Handling Reboots
Sometimes, a computer needs to restart after an update.
Atera helps with this too. There’s an option called “Reboot if needed.”
If you enable this, Atera will handle the restart for you. It’s smart about it.
It tries to restart at the best time. This helps avoid bothering the people using the computers.
Always think about when to allow reboots.
You want to cause as little trouble as possible.
Manual Patching and Granular Control
Even with great automation, sometimes you need to step in and perform tasks manually.
Atera lets you do this too.
1. When to Patch Manually
Why would you update something by hand?
- Urgent Fixes: Sometimes, a new security issue arises that requires an immediate fix. Atera enables you to push out these urgent updates quickly.
- Special software: Maybe a program isn’t covered by your automatic rules. You may need to update it independently.
- Testing: You might want to try an update on just one computer dashboard. This ensures it doesn’t cause problems before you update everyone.
2. Installing Patches via the Dashboard
Atera makes it easy to update manually. Here’s how you can do it:
- Go to the “Patch Management” section in Atera.
- You’ll see a list of updates available. These can be for your computer’s OS or other programs.
- Find the update you want to install.
- Click on it to start the installation.
It’s like picking a specific item from a menu. You choose what you want to update, and Atera takes care of it.
3. Uninstalling Patches
What if an update causes a problem? It happens sometimes.
Atera lets you undo an update if needed. This is mostly for Windows computers.
You can go back and remove the update that caused trouble.
But be careful! Only uninstall an update if you know it’s causing an issue.
Always think twice before you remove an update.
Monitoring and Reporting
Once you’ve set up your updates, how do you know they’re working?
Atera provides you with tools to monitor everything and generate reports.
1. The Patch Management Dashboard Revisited
Remember the Patch Management Dashboard? It’s not just for setting things up. It’s also where you keep an eye on everything.
- You can see the status of all your updates in real-time. This means you know if a computer is fully updated or still needs something.
- It quickly shows you which devices are missing updates. This helDashboardx problems fast.
- You’ll also see computers that require a reboot after an automation profile has run.
This dashboard helps you stay on top of all your systems.
2. Key Reports for Patch Management
Atera also gives you helpful reports. These reports serve as summaries of what’s happening.
- Patch & Automation Feedback Report: This report indicates whether updates were successful or unsuccessful. It’s great for seeing if your automation is running smoothly.
- Patch Status Summary: This feature provides a quick overview of all your computers. It shows which ones are updated and which are not.
- Patch Search and Deploy: Need to find a specific software update? This report helps you find it quickly and share it easily.
These reports help ensure your computers are safe. They also help you determine why an update might not have been successful.
3. Setting Up Alerts and Notifications
You don’t have to check Atera constantly. Atera can notify you when important events occur.
- You can set up alerts. These alerts can tell you if an update failed. Or if a computer needs to restart.
- Getting these alerts quickly is key. It means you can resolve problems before they escalate into larger issues for the user.
Atera’s alerts keep you informed without requiring constant checking. This way, you’re always aware of your patch management status.
Best Practices for Effective Patch Management
Now that you know how to use Atera, let’s talk about some smart ways to make your patch management even better.
These tips will help you keep things running smoothly and safely.
1. Test Before Deploying Widely
Imagine updating all your computers at once, and something goes wrong!
That’s a big headache. So, here’s a golden rule: test before you update everyone.
- Pick a small group of test computers. These could be machines used by your IT team or a few less critical devices.
- Apply the updates to these test computers first.
- Watch them closely. Do they still work right? Are there any new problems?
- If everything looks good, then you can roll out the updates to all your other computers with confidence. This simple step can save you from big issues later on.
2. Prioritize Critical Patches
Not all updates are equally urgent.
Some are like small tweaks, while others are like putting out a fire.
- Always focus on security updates first. These fixes address serious weak spots that hackers can exploit. Atera often highlights the severity of a security issue.
- By addressing the most critical updates first, you can keep your systems as safe as possible from serious threats.
3. Regularly Review Automation Profiles
You set up those smart “Automation Profiles” earlier. Don’t just set them and forget them.
- Review your profiles periodically.
- Do they still meet your needs? Perhaps you’ve acquired new software, or your team has expanded.
- You might need to change when updates run. Or maybe you need to add new types of updates.
- Checking your profiles regularly ensures your automation continues to work just the way you need it to.
4. Educate End-Users
Sometimes, updates mean a computer needs to reboot. This can cause people to stop working for a short time.
- If possible, notify the users of the computers about planned reboots.
- A quick email or a message can help them save their work and prepare. This makes the update process smoother for everyone.
5. Maintain Comprehensive Documentation
Think of documentation as your playbook for updates.
- Keep good notes about how you do your updates. Write down your rules and steps.
- This helps new team members understand your process. It also enables you to remember what you did, in case you need to look back later. Good records make everything clearer and easier to understand.
Conclusion
So, we’ve covered a lot about Atera’s patch management.
It’s a powerful tool. Atera makes updating your computers much easier.
It helps you automate patch tasks. This means less work for you and your team.
Your computers will be safer from online threats. They will also run better.
Atera helps you keep your IT systems secure. It makes them run smoothly.
And it helps you follow all the important rules. No more guessing if your computers are safe.
With Atera, you’ll know.
Ready to make your IT life simpler? Try Atera’s patch management features.
You can start a free trial. Or look at Atera’s support pages for more details.
It’s time to perfect your updates!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Atera manage updates for both Windows and Mac computers?
Yes, Atera can manage updates for various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It uses built-in tools for each.
How does Atera help with third-party software updates?
Atera’s patch management also covers many popular third-party applications, in addition to your operating system. This keeps all your software current.
What if an update causes a problem after installation?
Atera enables you to uninstall patches on Windows devices if they cause issues, allowing you to revert to a stable state quickly.
Can I schedule updates to run outside of business hours?
Yes, Atera’s automation profile allows you to schedule updates to run at specific times, including off-hours, to minimize user disruption.
Is Atera suitable for small businesses or larger IT teams?
Atera is designed for both. Its scalable features make it ideal for managing IT environments of all sizes, from small businesses to larger organizations.