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Summary
Dustin Mobley's team at SM Energy cut server patching from a chaotic process that ate an entire weekend, sometimes longer, down to a single six-hour window once a quarter for an environment approaching 1,000 servers. In a 24/7 energy operation, every system taken offline affects people who need access at all hours, so the work centers on shrinking that window. Dustin's advice: use software like Automox to manage and report on patching, set the year's quarterly schedule in January so business units can plan around the downtime, and prioritize critical updates to production systems first. He also traces his path into IT from a used Apple II and Oregon Trail to a 20-plus-year career.
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