This document describes how to use SolarWinds Patch Manager to patch offline or dormant desktops, servers, and VMs. It outlines four steps: 1) ensure network cards support wake-on-LAN, 2) ensure UDP broadcasts can reach targets, 3) run a discovery task to collect MAC addresses, and 4) create, configure, and execute a wake-on-LAN task. It recommends using the update management wizard to integrate wake-on-LAN, patching, and shutdown for a coordinated event without separate tasks.

1. How To:
Patch Off-line and Dormant
Desktops, Servers and VMs

2. Introduction
Why?
 Have a patch to distribute and deploy into multiple
machines on your LAN
 To patch systems that offline or dormant
 Save time by offline patching instead of
switching every machine on the network
The How?
 Patch Manager “Wake-on LAN” feature
 Remotely powers on all machines in your LAN
 Easy function offered through Configuration
Management task scheduling.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 2 -

3. 4 Simple Steps to configure the WOL feature
1. Ensure target computers have network card that
support WOL
2. Ensure UDP broadcasts reach target computers for the
WOL task
3. Configure, schedule and execute Patch Manager
Discovery Task
4. Create, configure and execute a WOL task
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 3 -

4. Check Network Cards
 Ensure that the managed computers that will be targeted
by the WOL task have a network card that supports WOL
and that WOL support is enabled (traditionally enabled in
the BIOS).
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 4 -

5. Check UDP broadcast
 Ensure UDP broadcasts reach target computers for the
WOL task. Most network devices such as routers do not
forward UDP broadcasts across subnet boundaries. In
such cases one of the following options should be
implemented:
1. Configure your network hardware to forward UDP broadcasts from
the SolarWinds Patch Manager server to all subnets that have
managed computers that will be the target of the WOL task.
2. Deploy an additional Patch Manager server in each subnet that
has managed computers that will be targeted for WOL.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 5 -

6. Run Patch Manager Discovery Task
 All subnets targeted by WOL task needs to be addressed
by Patch Manager. This can be done by collecting the
MAC address of all subnets.
1. Patch Manager server resolves and stores MAC addresses using the
Discovery task.
2. You can run the „Retrieved MAC Addresses‟ report in the „Discovery‟
Report Category to verify that the Discovery task was able to retrieve
the MAC address of the machine(s) you want to wake up.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 6 -

7. Create, Configure and Execute WOL task
To open Wake-On LAN console within the SolarWinds Patch Manager
console you can select “Wake-On LAN” Configuration Management
task from the Actions menu on the right side of the console. The
“Wake-On LAN Options” dialog will appear.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 7 -

8. Create, Configure and Execute WOL task
 Enter the Broadcast Address for the subnet containing the managed
computers you wish to wake up
 You can broadcast to all subnets using the 255.255.255.255 address
or direct the broadcast to a particular subnet.
 You will also need to enter the „UDP port‟ for the WOL request (UDP
port 9 by default), and the „Secure On Password‟ (if you have
configured your managed computers to require one).
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 8 -

9. Create, Configure and Execute WOL task
 Clicking „Wake Up‟ will launch the Task Options Wizard
which will first prompt you to select the managed
computers you want to wake up
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 9 -

10. Create, Configure and Execute WOL task
 Clicking „Next‟ will launch the scheduling dialog. You can
specify how and when this task will run.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 10 -

11. Create, configure and execute a WOL task
 Finally, clicking „Next‟ will present the task summary.
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 11 -

12. Best Practice to Leverage Best Benefits
 Use the Update Management Wizard within SolarWinds
Patch Manager for deploying patches
 The Update Management Wizard integrates WOL and
Shutdown with a coordinated patch event, eliminating the
need to schedule separate WOL, patch, and shutdown
tasks
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 12 -

13. How SolarWinds Patch Manager can help
 With SolarWinds Patch Manager in place, now you don‟t have to wait until
the desktops, servers and VMs are switched on by their users
 When you have got a patch to update, without compromising on time or
security, you can immediately wake up the offline or dormant machines and
run the patches
 Some More Cool Utilities with SolarWinds Patch Manager for Automated
Patching of Servers & 3rd-Party Apps
» Manage updates dynamically; pushing the right patches. to the right machines,
at the right time
» Automatically receive pre-built, tested patches from vendors such as Adobe®,
Apple®, Google®, Mozilla®, Oracle® & others
» Deploy patches across your Windows® servers & workstations in hours – not
weeks
» Use PackageBoot™ technology to execute custom actions before & after
patches are deployed
» Performs enterprise-wide discovery & identifies rogue, unauthorized, &
unpatched computers
How to Patch Off-line and Dormant Desktops, Servers and VMs
with SolarWinds Patch Manager
- Slide 13 -

14. Helpful Resources
Hope these tips help! To learn more, try
SolarWinds Patch Manager
Watch Video Test Drive Live Demo
Ask Our Community Download 30-day Free Trial
Click any of the links above
- Slide 14 -

15. Author
Lawrence Garvin
Thank You!