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Getting Started with PatchCTL

Welcome to PatchCTL, the dashboard-first Linux patch management platform. This guide will help you get your first server connected and managed in under 10 minutes.

What is PatchCTL?​

PatchCTL is a SaaS platform that helps you manage patches across your Linux infrastructure through an intuitive web dashboard. No CLI required.

Key capabilities:

  • Multi-distro support - Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, Rocky, CentOS, Fedora, SUSE, openSUSE
  • CVE tracking - Correlate vulnerabilities to your installed packages
  • Scheduled patching - Set maintenance windows with flexible targeting
  • Batch operations - Patch multiple servers simultaneously
  • Compliance reporting - Generate audit-ready PDF reports

Quick Navigation​

System Requirements​

Hardware, software, and network prerequisites for running PatchCTL agents.

Quick Start Guide​

Get your first server connected in 5 minutes with our step-by-step guide.

First Server Setup​

Detailed walkthrough of the initial server onboarding process.

Dashboard Tour​

Learn your way around the PatchCTL dashboard interface.

How PatchCTL Works​

PatchCTL uses a pull-based architecture for security:

  1. You install a lightweight agent on your servers
  2. Agents check in every 5 minutes (heartbeat)
  3. The dashboard shows real-time status of all your servers
  4. You schedule or manually trigger patch operations
  5. Agents pull and execute commands, reporting results back
┌─────────────┐         ┌─────────────┐         ┌─────────────┐
│   Server    │  HTTPS  │  PatchCTL   │  HTTPS  │  Dashboard  │
│   (Agent)   │ ──────► │    API      │ ◄────── │   (You)     │
└─────────────┘         └─────────────┘         └─────────────┘
     Pulls commands          Stores data           View & control
     Reports status          Queues tasks          Schedule patches
Security First

The API never initiates connections to your servers. Agents only make outbound HTTPS requests, making firewall configuration simple and secure.

Next Steps​

Ready to get started? Begin with the Quick Start Guide to connect your first server.