Software Deployment, Updating, and Patching

The deployment of software patches can be just as challenging as building entirely new workstations. Training and support issues can haunt even the most successful software launch for months. Preparing for the rigors of software deployment includes not just implementing change, but training employees, predicting and mitigating pitfalls, and managing expectations.

Software Deployment, Updating, and Patching provides the skills you need to develop a comprehensive strategy for tracking and managing system configurations, as well as for updating and securing systems with the latest packs and patches. Written by two of Microsoft's top experts, this clear and concise manual demonstrates how to perform inventories of IT assets, test compatibility, target deployment, and evaluate management technologies. It also shows you how to create and implement your own deployment plans with recovery and remediation options, and how to recognize potential vulnerabilities.

William "Bill" Stackpole is Lead Security Architect for Microsoft Corporation and a twenty-year veteran of IT infrastructure, management, and security.

Patrick Hanrion is a Senior Security Consultant for Microsoft's IT Application Consulting and Engineering (ACE) group with more than fifteen years of IT experience.