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Alerts - Patch Alert

The Alerts - Patch Alert page triggers an alert 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.

To Create a Patch Alert

  1. Check any of these checkboxes to perform their corresponding actions when 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 Procedures

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

  • New Patch Available
  • 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 procedures.

Within an Email

Within a Procedure

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 Info Center > 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, an agent procedure is run. You must click the select agent procedure link to choose an agent procedure to run. You can optionally direct the agent procedure 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 encountered 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 on user 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. This option only displays for master role users.
  • 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 Remove 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. Set the From Address using System > Outbound Email.

Apply

Click Apply to apply 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 can trigger an alert for the following alarm conditions for a selected machine ID:

  • New patch is available
  • Patch install fails
  • Agent credential is invalid or missing

    Note: An agent credential is not required to install patches unless the machine’s File Source is configured as Pulled from file server using UNC path. If an agent credential is assigned, it will be validated as a local machine credential without regard to the File Source configuration. If this validation fails, the alert will be raised. If the machine’s File Source is configured as Pulled from file server using UNC path, a credential is required. If it is missing, the alert will be raised. If it is not missing, it will be validated as a local machine credential and as a network credential. If either of these validations fails, the alert will be raised.

  • 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. Hovering the cursor over a check-in icon displays the agent quick view window.

Online but waiting for first audit to complete

Agent online

Agent online and user currently logged on.

Agent online and user currently logged on, but user not active for 10 minutes

Agent is currently offline

Agent has never checked in

Agent is online but remote control has been disabled

The agent has been suspended

Edit icon

Click the edit icon next to a machine ID to automatically set header parameters to those matching the selected machine ID.

Machine.Group ID

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

Approval Policy Updated

Displays as the first 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 Procedure
  • 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 Management > Windows Auto Update

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