Abstract: An automatic patch deployment system is provided that deploys a patch according to an assessed risk and a policy. The policy may specify actions to be taken to deploy the patch for different categories of risk. The automatic patch deployment system receives a patch notification, an assessment of the risk, and the policy and deploys the patch accordingly. For example, installation of a patch may be indefinitely delayed for high risk patches, rescheduled for medium risk patches, or installed immediately for low risk patches.

Abstract: An automatic patch deployment system is provided that deploys a patch according to an assessed risk and a policy. The policy may specify actions to be taken to deploy the patch for different categories of risk. The automatic patch deployment system receives a patch notification, an assessment of the risk, and the policy and deploys the patch accordingly. For example, installation of a patch may be indefinitely delayed for high risk patches, rescheduled for medium risk patches, or installed immediately for low risk patches.

Abstract: An automatic risk assessment system is provided that determines a risk for the patch based on collected activity metrics, file weights, a list of files affected by the patch, and other factors. An application monitor collects metrics from the application to determine the level of activity of the application or other component to be patched. The patch may have associated therewith metadata including a list of files that will be affected by the patch. Policies may store information about how risk is to be assessed. This information may include, for example, file weights and information defining categories of risk.