How to Patch Without Pausing Production

Security updates are essential — but downtime costs money. For manufacturers, patching systems can feel like choosing between staying secure and keeping the line moving. The good news? You can do both.

Taking systems down with a plan for maintenance will not mean loss in productivity.

Why Patching Is a Challenge in Manufacturing

Many plants run 24/7. Shutting down to update industrial control systems (ICS) or connected devices can mean missed quotas, late orders, and overtime costs. But skipping patches leaves you open to known vulnerabilities that hackers are actively exploiting.

According to CSO Online, enterprise patch management “remains a challenge despite improvements in tools and practices,” due to system complexity, timing constraints, and risk of breaking operations.¹

Three Ways to Patch Without Stopping the Line

1. Stagger Updates – Patch non-critical systems during the day, and critical production systems during planned micro-downtimes.

2. Use Remote Monitoring Tools – Platforms like NinjaRMM can push updates silently in the background.

3. Test Before Deploying – Run updates in a sandbox environment first to catch issues before they hit live systems.
   

The Bigger Picture

Every unpatched system is a door left open for cybercriminals. By planning your patching strategy around production schedules, you close those doors without hurting output.

To see how we protect production environments specifically, check out our IT Services for Manufacturing page.

Your Takeaway

Talk to your IT team about creating a “patching playbook” tailored to your production cycle. Security and uptime don’t have to be in conflict.

¹ https://www.csoonline.com/article/3520881/patch-management-a-dull-it-pain-that-wont-go-away.html