Next Topic

Previous Topic

Book Contents

Alerts - Patch Alert

Patch Mgmt > Patch Alert

Monitor > Alerts

  • Select Patch Alert from the Select Alert Function drop-down list

The Patch Alert page creates alerts for patch management events on managed machines.

  • A new patch is available for the selected machine ID.
  • A patch installation failed on the selected machine ID.
  • The agent credential is invalid or missing for the selected machine ID.
  • Windows Auto Update changed.

Passing Alert Information to Emails and Scripts

The following types of monitoring alert emails can be sent and formatted:

  • New Patch Available
  • Path to Patch Executable Missing - Enabled by selecting the first row in the paging area, called Patch Location Missing, and clicking the Apply button.
  • Patch Install Failed
  • Patch Approval Policies Updated - Enabled by selecting the second row in the paging area, called Patch Location Missing, and clicking the Apply button.
  • Agent Credential Invalid
  • Windows Auto Update Configuration Changed

To Create a Patch Alert

  1. Check any of these checkboxes to perform their corresponding actions when a an alarm condition is encountered:
    • Create Alarm
    • Create Ticket
    • Run Script
    • Email Recipients
  2. Set additional email parameters.
  3. Set additional patch alert specific parameters.
  4. Check the machine IDs to apply the alert to.
  5. Click the Apply button.

To Cancel a Patch Alert

  1. Select the machine ID checkbox.
  2. Click the Clear button.

    The alert information listed next to the machine ID is removed.

Passing Alert Information to Emails and Scripts

The following types of patch alert emails can be sent and formatted:

  • New Patch Available
  • Path to Patch Executable Missing
  • Patch Install Failed
  • Patch Approval Policies Updated
  • Agent Credential Invalid
  • Windows Auto Update Configuration Changed

Note: Changing the email alarm format changes the format for all Patch Alert emails.

The following variables can be included in your formatted email alerts and in scripts.

Within an Email

Within a Script

Description

<at>

#at#

alert time

<au>

#au#

auto update change

<bi>

#bi#

bulletin ID

<bl>

#bl#

new bulletin list

<db-view.column>

not available

Include a view.column from the database. For example, to include the computer name of the machine generating the alert in an email, use <db-vMachine.ComputerName>

<fi>

#fi#

failed bulletin ID

<gr>

#gr#

group ID

<ic>

#ic#

invalid credential type

<id>

#id#

machine ID

<pl>

#pl#

new patch list

 

#subject#

subject text of the email message, if an email was sent in response to an alert

 

#body#

body text of the email message, if an email was sent in response to an alert

Create Alarm

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, an alarm is created. Alarms are displayed in Monitor > Dashboard List, Monitor > Alarm Summary and Reports > Logs > Alarm Log.

Create Ticket

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, a ticket is created.

Run Script

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, a script is run. You must click the select script link to choose a script to run. You can optionally direct the script to run on a specified range of machine IDs by clicking this machine ID link. These specified machine IDs do not have to match the machine ID that triggered the alarm condition.

Email Recipients

If checked and an alarm condition is encountered, an email is sent to the specified email addresses.

  • The email address of the currently logged in administrator displays in the Email Recipients field. It defaults from System > Preferences.
  • Click Format Email to display the Format Alert Email popup window. This window enables you to format the display of emails generated by the system when an alarm condition is encountered.
  • If the Add to current list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses are added without removing previously assigned email addresses.
  • If the Replace list radio option is selected, when Apply is clicked alert settings are applied and the specified email addresses replace the existing email addresses assigned.
  • If Removed is clicked, all email addresses are removed without modifying any alert parameters.
  • Email is sent directly from the KServer to the email address specified in the alert. The SMTP service in IIS sends the email directly to the address specified. Set the From Address using System > Configure.

Apply

Click Apply to apply alert parameters to selected machine IDs. Confirm the information has been applied correctly in the machine ID list.

Clear

Click Clear to remove all parameter settings from selected machine IDs.

Patch Alert Parameters

The system triggers an alarm whenever the system discovers one of three different patch alert conditions for a selected machine ID:

  • New patch is available
  • Patch install fails
  • Agent credential is invalid or missing
  • Windows Auto Update changed

Select All/Unselect All

Click the Select All link to check all rows on the page. Click the Unselect All link to uncheck all rows on the page.

Check-in status

These icons indicate the agent check-in status of each managed machine:

Agent has checked in

Agent has checked in and user is logged on. Tool tip lists the logon name.

Agent has not recently checked in

Agent has never checked in

Online but waiting for first audit to complete

The agent is online but remote control is disabled

The agent has been suspended

Machine.Group ID

The list of Machine ID.Group IDs displayed is based on the Machine ID / Group ID filter and the machine groups the administrator is authorized to see using System > Group Access.

Patch Location Missing

Displays as the first row of data. If selected and the Apply button clicked, an alert is generated if the system discovers the Patch Location path for a patch is missing. This is a system alert and not associated with any machines.

Approval Policy Updated

Displays as the second row of data. If selected and the Apply button clicked, an alert is generated when a new patch is added to all patch policies. See Patch Approval Policy. This is a system alert and not associated with any machines.

ATSE

The ATSE response code assigned to machine IDs:

  • A = Create Alarm
  • T = Create Ticket
  • S = Run Script
  • E = Email Recipients

Email Address

A comma separated list of email addresses where notifications are sent.

New Patch

If checked, an alarm is triggered when a new patch is available for this machine ID.

Install Failed

If checked, an alarm is triggered when a patch installation has failed for this machine ID.

Invalid Credential

If checked, an alarm is triggered when the credential is invalid for this machine ID.

Win AU Changed

If checked, an alarm is triggered if the group policy for Windows Automatic Update on the managed machine is changed from the setting specified by Patch Mgmt > Windows Auto Update. 

Note: A log entry in the machine's Configuration Changes log is made regardless of this alert setting.