Monitoring Machine Patch Status Without An RMM
Sep 10, 2024
Automation has become an essential skill for IT professionals and business owners, particularly those working in Managed Service Provider (MSP) environments. While Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools are available, they can be expensive and sometimes overly complex for specific tasks. This guide will demonstrate how IT professionals can use AI automation to monitor patch status across multiple machines without relying on an RMM tool.
The Challenge: Monitoring Machine Patch Status Without an RMM
Many IT professionals, especially those transitioning from traditional point-and-click methods to more automated approaches, face the common task of checking for available updates on multiple servers within a customer's network. Traditionally, this required manual checks or expensive RMM tools. However, with the power of AI-assisted scripting and built-in Windows tools, this process can be significantly simplified and automated.
The Solution: AI-Assisted PowerShell Scripting
By combining PowerShell with AI tools, IT professionals can create spot-on scripts for automation tasks quickly and easily, even without extensive programming experience. Here's a detailed, step-by-step guide to creating a script that checks to see all the different servers that have patches that need to be installed:
1. Set up your environment
a. Use a development environment like Visual Studio Code (VS Code). b. Install an AI coding assistant (we love and recommend continue.dev). c. Ensure you have PowerShell installed on your system.
2. Create the initial script
a. Open VS Code and create a new file named "UpdateReport.ps1". b. Use your AI tool to generate a basic script for checking Windows updates on multiple servers. You can prompt the AI with something like: "Create a PowerShell script to check for available Windows Updates on a group of specified servers." c. Review the AI-generated script and customize it with your specific server IP addresses or hostnames.
3. Troubleshoot and refine
a. Run the script by executing it in a PowerShell console. b. Address any errors that occur. Common issues might include:
Incorrect server names or IP addresses
Permissions issues (ensure you're running with appropriate privileges)
Network connectivity problems
c. Use the AI tool to help resolve issues and optimize the script. For example, you might ask: "I'm getting an 'Access is denied' error when trying to connect to a remote server. How can I modify the script to use alternative credentials?"
4. Enhance the script
Now, you can add more functionality to the script: a. Modify the script to save results to a file with a date-stamped filename. See how we do this in the full <u>tutorial</u>.
5. Further customization ideas
Add email notifications for critical updates.
Integrate with a ticketing system to create tickets for servers that need updates.
Create an HTML report for better readability.
Schedule the script to run automatically using Windows Task Scheduler.
Key Benefits
Cost-effective: Utilizing tools like PowerShell, built-in Windows tools, and AI eliminates the need for expensive RMM solutions. Flexible: Easy to customize and expand the script to meet specific needs. Efficient: Automates a time-consuming manual process. Scalable: Can be easily adapted to monitor a large number of servers. Educational: Helps IT professionals transition from manual processes to automated solutions.
Best Practices
Start simple: Begin with a basic script and gradually add complexity as you become more comfortable. Use version control: Store your scripts in a Git repository for easy tracking of changes and collaboration. Comment your code: Add clear comments to explain what each section of the script does. Test thoroughly: Always test your scripts in a non-production environment before deploying them.
By taking advantage of AI, IT professionals can automate common tasks, reduce manual ones, and focus on more strategic aspects of their work. This approach to monitoring patch status demonstrates that advanced automation is accessible to a wide range of IT professionals, regardless of their programming experience.
Remember, the key to success with this method is to start simple and gradually expand the script's capabilities as you become more comfortable with the process. Don't hesitate to use AI tools to help you overcome challenges and optimize your scripts.
As you continue to develop your automation skills, you'll find that tasks like this become easier and faster to implement, allowing you to provide more value to your organization or clients. This transition from manual, point-and-click operations to automated solutions is crucial for IT professionals and business owners looking to stay competitive, as well as those who just want more time to dedicate to other areas of their work.
By mastering these techniques, you'll be well-equipped to handle a wide range of IT automation tasks, improving business operations and reducing the potential for human error in your day-to-day operations.
Full Tutorial
If you want to see these steps in action, step-by-step, check out our tutorial: https://youtu.be/LKDA96K9N-c