Dell Update Strategies IT Admin Guide

Overview

Dell Technologies offers multiple tools to simplify the process of managing software updates across your organization’s PC fleet. Some of our update solutions support integration with third-party UEMs (Unified Endpoint Management Systems). Other update solutions work with our Custom Update Catalog feature (within TechDirect) to offer additional customization, automation, and security as needed (see more detail in Chapter 2). This guide helps you decide which Dell service works best for your unique company needs.

The core update utility offerings are:

• Dell Command | Update: Dell Command Update is a stand-alone update application that provides system software updates released by Dell Technologies. It simplifies the BIOS, firmware, driver, and application update experience for Dell commercial client hardware, and can be used to install drivers after the operating system and network drivers are installed based on the computer identity. Though it is designed to update single PCs, it also can support fleet-level deployment and management of updates by leveraging its CLI capabilities or when used with another management console. Suitable management consoles include Microsoft Intune or another Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) device. Dell Command Update is preinstalled on Dell commercial devices.
• Dell SupportAssist for Business PCs: SupportAssist is the smart connectivity technology in TechDirect that supports BIOS, firmware, driver, and application updates at the single, group, and fleet levels. By using Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, SupportAssist taps into intelligent driver update recommendations to keep systems running optimally, and addresses system performance and stabilization issues. SupportAssist also allows you to create, manage, and deploy custom update catalogs within the TechDirect portal.

An additional update solution that we offer for Microsoft users includes:

• Dell Business Client Catalog: Dell Business Client Catalog is a catalog of system updates and drivers that are approved for installation and administration through Microsoft endpoint management systems (that is, Microsoft Configuration Manager). Dell Business Client Catalog is typically used in large or enterprise organizations that are planning a centralized deployment strategy and do not desire client-side applications to perform or manage updates. You can subscribe to and import the catalog, and then create task sequences to deploy the listed drivers to their end-user systems.

Disclaimer: The terms Dell Business Client Catalog, Dell Client Catalog, Dell SCUP Catalog, and Dell 3rd Party Update Catalog are used interchangeably, and the meaning remains the same. Within this document, we will reference this tool as Dell Business Client Catalog.