How do I tell the difference, heck, what is the difference?
We're glad you asked!
If you're just beginning your journey as a mac admin, it may be confusing to understand how updates and upgrades differ. This may also be the first time you have to deal with both, nonetheless, we're here to back you up!
What is a System Upgrade?
A system upgrade is any major OS change. An example of an OS change would be upgrading from macOS 10.15 (Catalina) to macOS 11.0 (Big Sur). You can execute upgrades on compatible systems by using our Public Software catalog "macOS installers". Below is a workflow on how to add an upgrade to your policy, using the macOS Big Sur installer as an example.
- Navigate to a Policy. Since this is a Public Software item, you will find it under the Public Library section of the Software tab within the policy you select:
- After selecting the software and adding it to your policy by clicking Add/Remove, it will be added to the next automatic policy deployment. It can be deployed immediately by clicking Deploy Now.
Note: If you would ever like to block these upgrades, read here: https://support.addigy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403542361747-Blocking-Major-macOS-Upgrades-with-Addigy
What is a System Update?
A System Update is classified as any minor OS change and can also include security/browser patches. For example, if you're on macOS Big Sur (11.1), the latest update would be macOS Big Sur (11.5.2).
Please note that sending a System Update for a newer OS will not upgrade your system to that OS. For example, you cannot push the Big Sur (11.5.2) update if your devices are on macOS Catalina (10.15). Your devices must be upgraded first.
You can push System Updates via Addigy by going to the Updates section of the policy and selecting the macOS updates tab. There you will find needed updates or a list of all available updates.
If you'd like to apply an update, you can use the same workflow described above (navigating instead to a Policy and selecting System Updates instead of Public Software) to apply them to your policy and send them out to your endpoints.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by contacting support@addigy.com