Keep ArcGIS Enterprise in peak condition with patches and updates

A robust GIS infrastructure is not just a "set it and forget it" purchase. It’s a dynamic machine with many interactions with the rest of your IT. In order to keep it protected and running smoothly, it must be regularly maintained like a machine.

Like any other professional software, each version of ArcGIS Enterprise has a lifecycle. This means a certain period in which it will receive different levels of support depending on how long ago it was released. To keep ArcGIS Enterprise running and protected, you must actively manage its lifecycle. 

What are patches and why are they important?

During the first stages of its lifecycle, each ArcGIS Enterprise version will receive software patches. What is a patch?

A patch is a set of changes designed to fix something within the software. These changes aren't just fixing glitches or weird defects but also seal up potential security vulnerabilities that attackers are actively hunting for. Therefore, patches play a crucial role in the correct and safe operation of your deployment.

It is important to understand that patches do not introduce new functionality into products like ArcGIS Enterprise.  For that purpose, the software should be upgraded to a more recent version.

To illustrate the importance of patches: if you ever call our support team with a security question or an unexpected system behavior, our first question won’t be "Did you turn it off and on again?" (Okay, maybe that’s our second question). Instead, we will ask: "Have you applied all the latest patches?" => Let's now break down how to do that.

There are two ways to find and apply patches:

• Manually
• Using the patch notification tool.    

The first way to find patches is by visiting the Esri technical support website. It contains an overview of all Esri patches & updates: ArcGIS Software Patches & Updates | Esri Support

Each patch contains a description and steps on how to install/uninstall it on a Windows or Linux machine.

I know what you’re thinking: "I don’t have time to search the internet every week to see if a new update for a specific version of my ArcGIS Enterprise has been released."

Good news! You don’t have to. This is where the second way to find & apply patches comes in handy

You already have a built-in tool installed that can find & apply patches for you: the ArcGIS Enterprise Patch Notification tool. It comes with the installation of each ArcGIS Enterprise component, whether it is Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Server, or ArcGIS Data Store.

Ready to check your status? It takes less than two minutes.

To keep your system updated with security patches, we recommend every administrator to run this tool regularly. It reports patch and update information as "shopping list" for ArcGIS Enterprise components, server roles, and extensions except for ArcGIS Web Adaptor.

From this list, you can then choose which patch you want to install, based on your needs (ex: extensions installed).

To check for and install updates, complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to the ArcGIS Enterprise machine.
2. Open the tool:

The video shows the workflow on a single-machine base deployment. Since the tool is automatically installed with each ArcGIS Enterprise component (Portal/Server/ Data Store), we might see the tool 3 times in the ArcGIS folder. Regardless of which of the 3 tools you select, the result will be the same. 

3. Review the information of the available updates. If other ArcGIS Enterprise products are installed on the machine, information for those products also displays. Installed patches are listed at the bottom of the dialog box. Click any link on the dialog box to obtain more information and instructions for downloading and installing the update.

4. To apply a specific patch, click the download button next to the patch you want to install from the utility dialog box. The patch downloads automatically, and the patch installation dialog box appears when the download is complete. Follow a few simple instructions to complete patch installation.

Optionally, click the Install Security Patches or Install All Patches button on the right side of the dialog box to apply all corresponding updates

1. If some products are installed on more than 1 machine, make sure to apply the same patch or update to all machines that have that product installed. For instance, in an ArcGIS Server site with multiple machines, the same patches or updates need to be installed on each ArcGIS Server machine.

2. If your machine is offline or does not have direct access to the esri websites on the internet, an error message appears. You need access to esri websites for this application to be able to help you.

3. For the same reason, if your machine uses a forward proxy server to access the internet, you'll need to specify the proxy server in the utility

• Click the settings button at the bottom of the utility dialog box.
• On the Proxy Settings dialog box, select Connect through a Proxy Server.
• Specify the host name, port, and user credentials (if necessary) of the proxy server.
•  Click OK to connect to the proxy server.

Keeping your ArcGIS Enterprise system updated with security patches is a proactive move. Do not wait for a vulnerability to become an incident. 

 Whether you choose to run the tool manually today or set up an automation script for tomorrow, the most important step is to act.