Patch Guidelines – Scheduling Based on “Patch Tuesday” (Microsoft Updates)

Currently, Octoja RMM offers a fixed, calendar-based schedule for patch cycles (e.g., the first, second, or third weekend of the month). However, this leads to a problem in practice when it comes to Microsoft updates:

Microsoft always releases its regular security updates on the second Tuesday of the month (Patch Tuesday). However, the following weekend is not always the second weekend of the month. Depending on the calendar, it may also be the third weekend.

For a smooth and consistent rollout process, it would therefore be desirable to have a schedule that is not based on fixed calendar weeks, but rather directly on Patch Tuesday.

Suggestion

A new schedule type, for example:

• Second Tuesday of the month + X days

• Third Tuesday of the month + X days (for hotfixes or retesting)

Examples:

• "Pilot" patch ring: Second Tuesday + 3 days

• "Standard" patch ring: Second Tuesday + 10 days

• "Production" patch ring: Second Tuesday + 17 days

This allows patch rollouts to be planned reliably and reproducibly, regardless of the specific monthly schedule.

Benefits

• Perfect alignment with the Microsoft Update cycle

• Consistent rollout windows throughout the year

• Fewer manual adjustments to schedules

• Greater planning certainty for MSPs and internal IT departments

• Realistic representation of established patch management processes

We haven’t seen this type of scheduling in any other RMM system yet, but we consider it to be a significant added value, especially for customers who want to consistently align their patch rings with Microsoft’s release schedule.

In short: A rule such as “Patch Tuesday + X days” would, in our view, be the optimal solution for the time-controlled distribution of updates via patch rings.