Kaseya VSA: Policy Object Series – Patch Procedure Schedule

In this video, we will be discussing the Patch Procedure Schedule Object. In our VSA Basics series, we introduced you to the concept of Policies, and how objects can be configured to automate endpoint settings within the VSA. If you need a refresher on this, you can find it on our channel!

Step by Step:

1. In our VSA basic series, we introduce you to the concept of policies and how objects can be configured to automate endpoint settings within the VSA. If you need a refresher on this, you can find it on our channel.
2. In this video we’ll be discussing the patch procedure schedule object let’s get into it.
3. The patch procedure schedule object controls how often machines perform a patch scan which lets Kaseya know which patches the machines require and automatic update which controls when Kaseya will attempt to deploy patches that are found to be needed.
4. We recommend splitting this object into two policies to enable you to control these options independently of the other. In the case of different automatic update Windows for servers and workstations, splitting these allows you to control patch scans from a single policy ensuring all machines are scanned regularly.
5. Let’s go ahead and select edit schedule on patch scan and let’s take a look at a couple of our options.
6. The first thing I want you to do is make sure that schedule will be based on time zone of the agent rather than the server is checked. That ensures that regardless of the time zone of the VSA server the machines will always schedule and run at the time set by the policy.
7. So, let’s set our recurrence, let’s set our distribution window. I’m going to do 60 minutes, but you can go higher or lower depending on how many agents you have. I’m going to set this to Wednesday night.
8. I’m going to ensure that no end date is selected because I want this to be recurring.
9. I’m going to leave the skip if offline option unchecked this will ensure that the machine is offline during the patch scan, the scan will be queued, and it will be run the next time the machine comes online ensuring that the machine is as up-to-date as possible.
10. Let’s select schedule.
11. Now let’s select edit schedule, you have the same options here as you do in the patch scan and we want to make sure that schedule will be based on time zone is still checked, set your recurrence, the one item to pay attention to here is ‘Skip if offline.’
12. With the use case of skip offline it’s dependent on whether or not you want to cue the patching. Let’s say the machine is offline during the patching window, leaving skip if offline unchecked will cue the machine for patches when it checks into the VSA.
13. Depending on your reboot action this could cause a reboot to occur once patching completes. So, let’s say your end-user has their computer off, they turn it on at nine in the morning, patching is then queued and run on the machine, and the reboot action recurs 30 minutes later once the patching is complete.
14. This may not be desirable in all situations and would cause the user to call you because the machine rebooted. So, make sure you pay attention to that depending on your reboot actions.
15. I’m going to select skip offline because I don’t want it to run during the day.
16. Let’s select schedule and that concludes the patch procedure schedule object discussion.
17. As always remember to save and apply and ensure that the policy is placed into organizations and machine groups to apply to the machines that fall into the view.