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11.22.05
Microsoft
Patch Management For Home Users
 By Christoph Puetz
With easy access to Broadband and DSL the number of people using the Internet
has skyrocketed in recent years.
Email, instant messaging and file sharing with other Internet users has also provided
a platform for faster spreading of viruses, Trojans and Spyware. Being on the
Internet without proper protection is like walking in the rain with no umbrella
- you're gonna get wet no matter how fast you run.
With so many computers installed in home offices it becomes critical that home
users install the latest Microsoft patches when they become available. Older operating
systems like Windows 98, Windows Millennium, Windows 2000, or Windows XP prior
to Service Pack require the user to initiate the process of checking for security
patches. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has changed this and the default settings are
now notifying the user of available updates automatically. This has increased
the level of security in some areas, but there is a very large number of users
and computers that do not install security patches or hot fixes provided by Microsoft.
How should home users actually handle the task of patching their computers? Like
businesses home users should do some research about the patches that are being
installed. Just installing them and walking away will work for a while, but sooner
or later home users will run into an issue that a patch breaks something and eventually
renders the system useless. So, what should home users do when new Microsoft patches
become available? First of all - patches are usually released the second Tuesday
of every month. Often these events are commented in the news and other media.
Users should also signup for email alerts or MSN Messenger alerts at Microsoft's
security website at http://www.microsoft.com/security
to be aware about updates.
Once patches are available Microsoft recommends to install them immediately. Depending
on the confidence level of the user this should be done fairly soon after the
patch release. If a users has several systems available it is recommended to test
the patches on the least critical system first before updating all machines. Only
one machine at a time is recommended to keep track of things and to be able to
fix problems. In Windows XP it is also recommended to create a restore point first
so that the system can revert back to the existing state before patching. Home
users should closely follow the media about virus outbreaks and updates. Waiting
a few days with patching a machine can make sense if some critical work is done
on the computer an important deadline needs to be kept. Nothing is more annoying
than having to fight computer problems with limited time at hand. Speaking of
time - never install patches without having enough time at hand. Users should
allocate 60 minutes of time just in case. If something goes wrong time pressure
is the last thing you want to face when troubleshooting a machine that is down.
About the Author:
Christoph Puetz is a successful entrepreneur and international book author. Examples
of his search engine optimization work can be found at http://www.smallbusinessland.com
and http://www.webhostingreport.net
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