12.7. What is a Missing Patch?ΒΆ

A missing Patch is a Patch which is supposed to be there (installed), but still it is in demand for installation. There are several scenarios that can generate missing Patches but we are going to discuss few of them; before doing that you need to understand the role of a Computer, the Update Server, and Motadata Server, and how they are related with one another.

  • Computer: A Computer has the Motadata Agent Application. It is responsible for acquiring and installing the Patches. It communicates with both the Update Server and Motadata Server.

  • Update Server: It gives information about new updates and provides the Patches when requested. Both the Computers and Motadata Server communicates with the Update Server.

  • Motadata Server: It gets the new update information from the Computers and gives instructions to them through a Deployment Request. It can also fetch new Patches from the Update server and store them in a File Server.

    Related Topic: Relay Server.

  • Relationship Matrix: Computers, Update Server, and Motadata Server they all exchange information with each other and work in collaboration. The below Relationship Matrix highlights the communication and relationships between them:

Some of the scenarios where a Patch can go missing:

  • A user creates a Deployment Request for a Windows security Patch. He selects three Computers for deployment (A, B & C). He initiates the deployment process. The deployment process ends with A and B successfully installing the Patch, and C failing to install. The next time when Computer-C updates the Motadata server about its requirement for the same Patch, the Patch reappears as Missing in the system; the user can check the Details View of the missing Patch to know that Computer-C is missing the Patch.

    The bottom line is that any requested Patch which is already in the system as Installed, appears under the Missing tab.

  • A Patch which is installed in Computer A & B, and later a new Computer C arrives and demands for same patch. The Patch is shown as missing for Computer C.

  • Computers keep on updating the Motadata server about required new Patches; these all appear as New Patches in the system. When a Computer or Computers request for a Patch which is older than the oldest Installed Patch (system record), then the requested Patch is shown under the Missing tab.