There are a wide range of potential threats posed to your computer systems. A large proportion of these threats are due to malware or malicious payloads exploiting vulnerabilities within software and operating systems. Most of these vulnerabilities are known about by the manufacturer’s who work to publish a patch as soon as possible, to mitigate the threat to users.
However, whilst these patches are thoroughly tested by the manufacturer prior to release, there are occasions when some patches, whilst fixing the original flaw, can introduce new issues, cause system instability or prevent the system from functioning correctly.
It’s because of these risks that in 2014 Swinton Technology introduced our patch testing procedure. This procedure was designed to minimise the risks posed to a live metering system, by testing patches on a replica offline system, prior to their rolling out on the live system.
As part of a support contract, the client can take out the Virtual Machine (VM) option. This is where Swinton Technology will take an image of the existing Metering Supervisory Computer and install it within a virtual environment at our premises. This VM is then used to test manufacturer patches in a controlled environment, where any negative or unintended consequences of a patch can be detected, without any risk to the live system.
Swinton Technology will spot check the VM to ensure the functionality and operability of the system remains intact, before issuing the client with a report detailing the approved patches which can safely be installed on the live system. The report will also highlight any patches which should be avoided.
How these patches are installed on the metering system servers depends on the individual IT policy on-site, the architecture of the network, as well as the risk approach of the operator. Our service team work alongside the customer to support installation, and in most cases, our team will carry out the full installation.
If you would like to find out more about our Patch Management services, then please Contact Us