Patch Management Group

Hello All,

We are having a hard time getting users to reboot their computers after each patch cycle hence we are looking settings / options where by we can force reboot of the computers after the patch gets installed. We would like to provide users with some limited time to postpone the reboot (3 times) OR for a duration 2 days, is there any way / method we can achieve this , any help, suggestions, guidance would be greatly appreciated. 

Regards

Wert

Wert,

For the sake of simplicity, you can add a reboot policy to the Patch Management Solution.  In 7.x, this can be found under Settings > Agents/Plug-Ins > Software > Patch Management > Windows.  There is a default policy which can be cloned for different groups.  For example, some business critical resources may not be available for reboot at your scheduled time so these can be excluded via filter and assigned to a "special" policy. 

From these policies, you can configure the installation schedule, the restart schedule, and custom notification/reminder tasks. 

Hello Powershell_Guru,

Thanks for your reply, I was looking if there is something which is built in patch management.

Wert,

The recommendation PSGuru provided is the method built into patch management and sounds like it will meet your needs.  

What you may not have noticed is the "Notification" tab at the top of the policy screen.  This tab gives you the option to customize the messages presented to users and the ability to authorize users to defer the updates and/or reboots for x amount of minutes, hours, days, etc.

Don't forget you can clone the policy and assigned different policies to different machines.  For example, you probably want different reboot policies for servers than workstations.

NOTE, Symantec uses the terms "Patch Management" and "Software Update Solution" interchangably so it can be confusing. The sofware update plug-in policy is what controls patch management.

Hello PSGuru  & JoeVan,

Thank you for your replies, I have done as suggested by PSGuru  but I am stuck with one issue, though I am getting a Pending Reboot notification, what I really need to setup is that after giving notification to user (to defer reboots for x amount of minutes, hours, days ) if the user fails to reboot the workstation then the workstation should be rebooted forcefully (all these are individual users there are no servers), if anyone can help, guide on this, it would be greatly appreciated. 

Regards

Wert

Hello All,

Thanks for all your help / suggestions in resolving this issue.

Regards

Wert

Wert,

Not sure if you've found what you are looking for but the "force reboot" caveat is found within this same policy setting.  For example, I prompt users to reboot and they are able to defer but if there is a pending reboot, the policy will force restart overnight.

Thanks,

PSG