Microsoft is planning to release a new tool to automate the patch management process, all but eliminating Patch Tuesdays for many companies.
Windows Autopatch will keep business computers continuously updated as part of a new feature included with the Windows Enterprise E3 subscription service.
Organisations running systems with a Windows 10 or Windows 11 Enterprise E3 license will be eligible for the new patch service, which is expected to be generally available in July.
Lior Bela, senior product marketing manager at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. “This service will keep Windows and Office software on enrolled endpoints up-to-date automatically, at no additional cost. IT admins can gain time and resources to drive value. The second Tuesday of every month will be just another Tuesday.”
Patch Tuesday (more recently called Update Tuesday) is a colloquial term used in the IT industry to refer to when Microsoft and others typically release spot repairs to their operating system and other software. Patch Tuesday is always the second Tuesday of each month.
Microsoft said it’s automating software updates in response to the “evolving nature of technology.” For example, the pandemic increased demand for more remote or hybrid work, making performance and security updates even more crucial, as systems are more often outside an organisation’s firewall.
“The value should be felt immediately by IT admins who won’t have to plan update rollout and sequencing, and over the long term as increased bandwidth allows them more time to focus on driving value,” Bela said. “Quality updates should enhance device performance and reduce help-desk tickets — feature updates should give users an optimal experience, with increased uptime and new tools to create and collaborate.”
