Addigy gives IT tight software update installation control

Control all the things…

Apple device management company Addigy has introduced a new System Update functionality that lets IT take more control of software updates.

Control the updates

The new System Updates via MDM functionality means administrators can decide when software updates are installed to Macs, iPhones, iPads and tvOS devices. Basically, admins get to decide when software is installed and what version of software is installed on their managed devices.

They can set upgrade rules: always upgrade to the latest (which Addigy recommends), or set a maximum OS version they wish to install. They can also set a version number so that all patch updates are installed but major updates are not, pending approval.

IT administrators can also select what time of day updates are installed: nightly at 2 AM UTC (default, automatic), on-demand by admins (manual), or scheduled.

The functionality prevents devices from updating as soon after Apple rolls out an update, which provides IT admins with more flexibility and limits business disruption. It also buys IT time to vet an upgrade to ensure it remains in line with security policy.

What isn’t clear is if it overrides Apple’s recently introduced Background Updates tool.

The company introduced integration with Malwarebytes last October.

What they say

Addigy CEO,  Jason Dettbarn, says: “This new functionality gives techs more control over when they deploy updates amid a time when security vulnerabilities in Apple products are top of mind. With Apple products becoming increasingly popular in the enterprise, cybercriminals are paying closer attention to how they can exploit vulnerabilities in newly released operating systems.”

Addigy’s news follows a raft of service enhancements from MDM vendors in recent months, with security becoming a very important component on the road ahead.

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