The enterprise IT domain has always been a complex space. Regardless of how prepared your IT operations team is, there are consistent disruptions in the enterprise environment, whether it be new technology, a security event, or a larger workforce trend like we’ve seen with the shift to remote and hybrid work.
The particular challenge we all face now is that the entire global IT ecosystem is moving to a remote or hybrid model - which, of course, presents cyber security implications for the enterprise.
IT Operations - A tough job, made tougher
It’s a tough job to cover all of your bases if you’re trying to account for hundreds or thousands of endpoints, no matter what the circumstances are. Unfortunately, we all know that remote and hybrid work is inherently less secure than work performed in a secured location behind a firewall.
Add that to the need to manage endpoints located across various environments using different operating systems; applications residing in an unsecured cloud server (more common than you’d think); and end user access to cloud apps from sub-optimally secured networks, and we are truly faced with a vastly larger attack surface than ever before.
Modern enterprise IT tools
On-premises IT operations tools were built to manage on-premise endpoints, so as enterprises have moved end user tools and applications to the cloud, it only makes sense for IT operations to be moving to the cloud, too. It makes the day-to-day much easier, but the heightened complexity of modern enterprise IT also means that it’s absolutely critical to be able to accurately patch remote endpoints.
You can’t do this if your IT operations solution is tied to VPNs and servers. Without full visibility for the enterprise, the door to cyber attacks is left glaringly open.
Manage cyber risk quickly
In addition to giving enterprises full visibility into their environments to properly manage cyber risk, the cloud gives the enterprise much needed agility. Because more and more of what IT drives relies on automation, even the slightest delay in updating patches has huge cyber security implications.
Unfortunately many companies currently have cyber vulnerability response times measured in weeks or months using on-prem solutions. A recent study showed that the time to fix vulnerabilities averages 202 days. That is almost 7 months of exposure to the risk of cybercrime. Cloud-native automation can bring that timeframe down to 24 hours for zero-day vulnerability patching, and 72 hours for critical vulnerability patching.
Automated IT asset management + automated patching
Critical IT operational activities need to be driven by workflows and automation in order to achieve successful security outcomes in modern organizations. Automated patch management from Automox combined with an integrated IT asset management workflow solution like Oomnitza can give enterprises comprehensive and powerful command to best manage their IT operations in the cloud.
Automox and Oomnitza integrate together to provide full visibility into your IT environment:
- An IT asset management solution like Oomnitza consolidates your enterprise’s technology asset inventory (ex. hardware, software, cloud, end users, locations, etc.) into an integrated portfolio with real-time information that shows you who is using which endpoints where, when, and why.
- With Automox, you then have visibility into all endpoints and can see which are exposed to risky vulnerabilities and can patch across Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, and third-party software – including Adobe, Firefox, and Google Chrome.
The Automox and Oomnitza integration can help you to:
- Gain complete visibility and control of your IT operations all in one single place to make better decisions
- Enhance your security posture by quickly spotting any anomalies
- Reduce the risk of software vulnerabilities that can lead to cybercrime
- See and access all of your endpoints from one administrative console
- Create and configure workflows to spend less time performing common tasks
So why should the shift to the cloud for IT operations be at the top of your list? At the end of the day, it’s truly become a non-negotiable security requirement for enterprises in this era of expanded attack surfaces and the shift to a hybrid workforce ecosystem.
Automox for Easy IT Operations
Automox is the cloud-native IT operations platform for modern organizations. It makes it easy to keep every endpoint automatically configured, patched, and secured – anywhere in the world. With the push of a button, IT admins can fix critical vulnerabilities faster, slash cost and complexity, and win back hours in their day.
Grab your free trial of Automox and join thousands of companies transforming IT operations into a strategic business driver.
About Oomnitza Enterprise Technology Management
Manage the lifecycle of all your technology portfolio assets, from onboarding to end of life from a single source of truth. Oomnitza’s solution consolidates asset data from existing disconnected silos for endpoints, applications, cloud, networking, and accessories. Learn more here.
