Custom end-user notifications are a way for you to engage with end users before a scheduled patch. With custom user notifications, you have more power to choose what end users see before patching, when they can defer a patch, and for how long they can delay patching. This feature is available for all users in a Manage prescription plan. To gain access to the feature, please contact support@automox.com. Complete documentation is available in the Automox Help Center.
More Customization to Empower End Users
End users rarely want to interrupt their workflow to patch. This makes it crucial to provide users with as much detail as possible about pending updates and timing. While Automox’s default notifications provide end users some context around patching, your organization may need more control to effectively keep machines compliant and engage end users.
The user notifications feature provides many new options to help you reach your patching goals. Three core elements are custom messages, custom deferral times, and custom deferral limits.
Custom Messages
When you enable one of the user notification types, you can set custom messages for both patch and reboot operations, depending on the selected notification. This allows more flexibility in informing end users of what is being patched, the severity of the patch, or your expectations for regular patching.
The default Automox patch message is automatically sent, unless a custom message is provided. Leave the field blank to have the default message sent.
The first option, Notify Before Patching and Rebooting, allows you to set messaging specifically when a patching window begins. The maximum message length varies depending on your operating system. Messages for Windows can be up to 125 characters and for Mac they can be up to 70 characters. They can contain Unicode characters, and appear in Windows and Mac default notification windows.
The other option, Notify Before Rebooting, is for end-user notifications specifically in cases when a patch requires a reboot. Messaging can be used to warn users that a reboot follows the patch, or provide them with more information around saving work or leaving machines open overnight.
Custom Deferral Times
Currently in Automox, end users have three options when a patch window starts: defer for 1 hour, 4 hours, or 8 hours. Depending on your unique business environment, end users may need to defer patching for longer or have more flexibility in remaining compliant.
Custom Notifications introduces fully customizable deferral times, allowing admins to add up to three deferral period options. High-priority policies can offer just one short deferral option to encourage patching, while less critical policies can offer more flexible end-user options.
Custom Deferral Limits
Admins can also set custom limits for how many times an end user can defer patching. Today, users can only defer patching 3 times by default. With custom user notifications enabled, you can now allow as few as 1 deferral or as many as 10.
For higher priority patching, set deferrals low to encourage compliance. For less critical patches, offer up to 10 deferrals to best meet your end users’ schedules. More flexibility increases the chances that your end users patch frequently.
Contact support@automox.com to enable Custom User Notifications, and follow our roadmap to share your ideas and vision!
About Automox
Facing growing threats and a rapidly expanding attack surface, understaffed and alert-fatigued organizations need more efficient ways to eliminate their exposure to vulnerabilities. Automox is a modern cyber hygiene platform that closes the aperture of attack by more than 80% with just half the effort of traditional solutions.
Cloud-native and globally available, Automox enforces OS & third-party patch management, security configurations, and custom scripting across Windows, Mac, and Linux from a single intuitive console. IT and SecOps can quickly gain control and share visibility of on-prem, remote and virtual endpoints without the need to deploy costly infrastructure.
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