Managing hundreds or even thousands of computers across a network can get complicated quickly. You’ve got software distribution, patches, licensing issues, security threats—it’s easy to see how things can get overwhelming without the right systems management tools.
Luckily, there’s IBM BigFix—a platform that uses many different applications working together to assist businesses with systems management and security. It simplifies processes and gives users efficient endpoint management solutions that lead to better reporting and higher productivity.
While BigFix can help with many systems management tasks, these four solutions are especially important:
Patch Management. If your organization needs to implement a software update, you can’t just shut down your network to deploy the patches all at once. You need to do it according to a schedule to keep your operations up and running. This is exactly what BigFix allows you to do, and you can do it remotely from one console instead of going to each computer individually. Another great feature is that BigFix supports third-party products—so if you need to patch Adobe products, Java, Google Chrome, or other third-party software, you can do it with ease.
Software Distribution. Rolling out new software used to mean manual installation for every computer—something that can take weeks or even months. That’s not the case with BigFix. It can automate the software distribution process and execute the rollout over time, which optimizes productivity while drastically reducing the administrative manpower needed to install new software. BigFix also offers a self-service portal that allows users to directly install software themselves.
Inventory. If you’re managing a network of 10,000 computers, your users are inevitably working with lots of different types of software. Some people might use Program A all the time, and rarely use Program B. So it’s important to know exactly how your business is using its software to keep your licenses compliant and to maintain a clear understanding of what you’re paying for. BigFix provides detailed reporting to make sure you’re getting the most out of your inventory, and not wasting money on software you don’t use.
QRadar Integration. QRadar is IBM’s security intelligence platform designed to check your network for vulnerabilities, provide risk analysis, and categorize threats to keep your company safe. BigFix works together seamlessly with QRadar, providing a dashboard tool within the platform that shows your most important security risks. By working together with QRadar, BigFix can give you the updates you need to fix these vulnerabilities in just a few clicks.
Our team at CleanSlate relies on BigFix all the time to help our clients optimize their software and systems management. It’s a platform full of intuitive solutions that help make our clients better—which is why we love it.
Want to learn more about BigFix and how it can help improve your business? Contact us today.