Wsus30 overview

Microsoft Windows Server Update
Services 3.0 Overview
Microsoft Corporation
Published: February 2007
Author: Susan Norwood
Editor: Craig Liebendorfer
Abstract
This paper introduces Microsoft® Windows Server® Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 and
provides information about features, and server and client computer requirements. In
addition, you will find examples of WSUS deployment scenarios and information about
the role of WSUS in the update management process.

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Contents
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Overview................................................1
Contents.............................................................................................................................5
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Overview ....................................7
How WSUS works..........................................................................................................7
New in Windows Server Update Services 3.0 .......................................................8
Ease of use.....................................................................................................................8
Improved deployment options.......................................................................................10
Better support for complex server hierarchies..............................................................10
Better performance and bandwidth optimization...........................................................11
Extend WSUS 3.0 using improved APIs........................................................................11
Server and Client Requirements .........................................................................12
WSUS requirements.....................................................................................................12
Features of Windows Server Update Services 3.0 ..............................................13
Server-side features.....................................................................................................13
Client-side features.......................................................................................................18
WSUS 3.0 Deployment Scenarios .......................................................................19
Single WSUS server (small-sized or simple network)...................................................19
Multiple WSUS servers (medium-sized or more complex network)..............................20
Disconnected WSUS servers (limited or restricted Internet connectivity).....................22
WSUS and the Update Management Process ....................................................23
1. Assess......................................................................................................................24
2. Identify......................................................................................................................24
3. Evaluate and Plan.....................................................................................................25
4. Deploy.......................................................................................................................25
WSUS Next Steps ...............................................................................................26

Microsoft Windows Server Update
Services 3.0 Overview
Microsoft® Windows Server® Update Services 3.0 (WSUS 3.0) enables information
technology administrators to deploy the latest Microsoft product updates to computers
running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows® XP with Service Pack 2,
and Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 operating systems. By using WSUS,
administrators can fully manage the distribution of updates that are released through
Microsoft Update to computers in their network.
Note
A downloadable copy of this document is available at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=71191.
How WSUS works
WSUS provides a management infrastructure consisting of the following:
Microsoft Update
The Microsoft Web site that WSUS components connect to for updates of Microsoft
products.
Windows Server Update Services server
The server component that is installed on a computer running a Windows Server 2003
operating system inside the corporate firewall. The WSUS server provides the features
that administrators need to manage and distribute updates through the WSUS 3.0
Administration Console, which can be installed and accessed on any Windows computer
in the corporate network. In addition, a WSUS server can be the update source for other
WSUS servers within the organization. The WSUS server that acts as an update source
is called an "upstream server." In a WSUS implementation, at least one WSUS server in
the network must connect to Microsoft Update to get available update information. The
administrator can determine, based on network security and configuration, how many
other servers connect directly to Microsoft Update.
7

Automatic Updates
The client computer component built into Windows Server "Longhorn",
Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 operating
systems. Automatic Updates enables both server and client computers to receive
updates from Microsoft Update or from a server running WSUS.
New in Windows Server Update Services
3.0
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 provides a number of new features,
making WSUS easier to use, deploy, and support. Specifically, WSUS 3.0 provides
improvements in the following areas:
• Ease of use
• Improved deployment options
• Better support for complex server hierarchies
• Better performance and bandwidth optimization
• Extend WSUS 3.0 using improved APIs
Ease of use
Manage WSUS from the Administration Console
The WSUS 3.0 administration console has moved from a Web-based console to a plug-in
to the Microsoft Management Console version 3.0. The new user interface provides the
following features:
• Home pages at each node containing an overview of the tasks associated with
the node
• Advanced filtering
• New columns allowing you to sort updates according to MSRC number, MSRC
severity, KB article, and installation status
• Column selection, sorting, and reordering
• Shortcut menus, allowing you to right-click and choose an action
• Reporting integrated with update views
8

• Custom views
Manage WSUS remotely
The WSUS 3.0 administration console can be installed on other computers in the network
to manage the WSUS 3.0 server remotely.
Configure post-setup tasks using a wizard
A configuration wizard guides new users through the process of post-setup server
configuration.
Generate multiple reports with improved precision
Reports can now be generated directly from the update view. You can report on a subset
of updates, such as security updates that are needed by computers but not yet approved
for installation. You can create reports on all computers managed by a replica hierarchy,
and you can save these reports in Excel or PDF format.
Maintain server health more easily
WSUS 3.0 now logs detailed server health information in the event log. A Microsoft
Operations Manager (MOM) pack is now available to monitor events generated by the
WSUS server.
Get e-mail messages about new updates
The server has built-in support for e-mail notification for new updates and for update
compliance summaries.
Remove old information easily
The cleanup wizard allows you to remove old computers, updates, and update files from
your server.
Upgrade seamlessly from WSUS 2.0 to WSUS 3.0
WSUS 3.0 can be installed on a server that already has WSUS 2.0 installed. The
installation process will perform an in-place upgrade that preserves all the previous
settings and approvals. The process of upgrading a server hierarchy should start from the
central server and continue down the hierarchy. A WSUS 2.0 server can synchronize from
a WSUS 3.0 server, but a WSUS 3.0 server cannot synchronize from a WSUS 2.0 server.
Upgrading from WSUS 2.0 to WSUS 3.0 is a one-way process; going back to WSUS 2.0
requires that you first remove WSUS 3.0, then reinstall WSUS 2.0.
9

Improved deployment options
Obtain updates faster
With WSUS 3.0 you can configure a server to synchronize updates automatically as often
as once per hour (compared to once a day with WSUS 2.0). This improvement allows
new updates to replicate through your corporation more quickly.
Set more automatic approvals
WSUS 3.0 auto-approval rules allow you to specify different products and update
classifications, such as automatic approval for definition updates for Microsoft Word. In
addition, WSUS 3.0 supports the creation of multiple auto-approval rules, rather than a
single rule. Auto-approval rules will now be applied to all updates that are currently on the
WSUS server.
Limit access to read-only reporting
Members of the “WSUS Reporters” security group will have read-only access to the
server. Members can generate reports but not approve updates or configure the server.
Better support for complex server hierarchies
Manage multiple servers from a single console
The WSUS 3.0 administration console will allow you to inspect and manage all the
WSUS servers in your hierarchy.
Create reports for all computers
You can now create update reports for all the computers managed by a replica hierarchy.
Configure servers in a cluster
WSUS 3.0 servers can now be configured in a cluster for fault tolerance. Such servers
must all point to the same SQL Server database instance, which can also be clustered.
Toggle replica mode
You can now move a child server between replica mode and autonomous mode without
needing to reinstall WSUS 3.0.
10

Assign clients to multiple target groups
In WSUS 3.0 a computer can belong to multiple target groups (for example, both a
“Desktops” group and a “Test” group). In addition, you can create hierarchical groups (for
example, a “Servers” target group with the child groups “Critical Servers” and “Non-
Critical Servers”). You can specify approvals for the parent target group that will
automatically be inherited by computers in the child groups.
Better performance and bandwidth
optimization
Utilize faster performance
WSUS 3.0 registers an approximately 50 percent scalability improvement over WSUS
2.0. In addition, WSUS 3.0 comes with native x64 support to further improve performance
and scalability on 64-bit hardware.
Specify languages in branch offices
To save disk space and network load, you can now configure a branch office to download
updates in fewer languages than the central server. For example, you can configure the
central server to download updates in all languages and a branch office to download
updates in English only.
Configure separate content and metadata channels
Branch offices with narrowband connections to the central server but broadband
connections to the Internet can now be configured to get metadata from the central
server and update content from Microsoft Update.
Extend WSUS 3.0 using improved APIs
Move up to .NET Framework 2.0 Support
The new API is based on .NET Framework 2.0.
Go beyond the WSUS console with APIs for advanced management tools
New APIs have been created for use by advanced management tools (such as System
Center Essentials). These features are not exposed in the WSUS administration console.
11

Add optional installation approvals to administrator options
The new API supports creating approvals for “optional installation,” which tells the
Windows Update Agent to make the update available for installation in the Add or
Remove Programs dialog box, but not via Automatic Updates.
Collect hardware and software inventories
The new API supports collecting hardware and software inventories from managed
devices.
Expand the set of updates with local publishing
The new API supports publishing applications and third-party updates, allowing the
WSUS infrastructure to also distribute updates by other companies.
Note
For more information about WSUS features, see Features of Windows Server
Update Services, later in this document.
Server and Client Requirements
WSUS requirements
The following software requirements are for WSUS servers and client computers.
WSUS servers
• Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or Windows Server® Code Name
"Longhorn"
• Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 or later
• Background Intelligent Transfer service (BITS) 2.0 or later
• Windows Installer 3.1 or later
• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Optional Prerequisites
• Microsoft Management Console 3.0
• SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 1 (on Windows Server 2003) or Service Pack 2
(on Windows Server "Longhorn")
12

• Microsoft Report Viewer Redistributable 2005
WSUS client computers
Windows Vista™, Windows Server 2003 (any edition), Windows XP, or Windows 2000
with Service Pack 4.
Note
WSUS 3.0 now allows you to install the WSUS Administration console on remote
systems separate from the WSUS server. You may perform console-only
installations on Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Vista™, Windows
Server 2003, or Windows Server "Longhorn".
Features of Windows Server Update
Services 3.0
Server-side features
The server-side component of the WSUS solution includes the following features.
More updates
Microsoft Update publishes updates for the following products:
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP (32-bit, IA-64 and x64 Editions)
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Small Business Server 2003
• Exchange Server 2000
• Exchange Server 2003
• SQL Server
• SQL Server 2005
• Office XP
• Office 2003
13

• Microsoft ISA Server 2004
• Microsoft Data Protection Manager
• Microsoft ForeFront
• Windows Live
• Windows Defender
At least one upstream WSUS server connects to Microsoft Update to get available
updates and update information, while other downstream servers get their updates from
the upstream server.
Specific updates can be set to download automatically
When a WSUS server downloads available updates, either from Microsoft Update or an
upstream WSUS server, synchronization occurs.
Administrators can choose which updates are downloaded to a WSUS server during
synchronization, based on the following criteria:
• Product or product family (for example, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or
Microsoft Office)
• Update classification (for example, critical updates, and drivers)
• Language (for example, English and Japanese only)
In addition, administrators can specify a schedule for synchronization to initiate
automatically.
Automated actions for updates determined by administrator approval
An administrator must approve every automated action to be carried out for the update.
Approval actions include the following:
• Approve
• Remove (this action is possible only if the update supports uninstall)
• Decline
In addition, the administrator can enforce a deadline, a specific date and time to install or
remove (uninstall) updates. The administrator can force an immediate download by
setting a deadline for a time in the past.
14

E-mail notification of new updates and status reports
WSUS 3.0 can be configured to send e-mail notification of new updates and status
reports. Specified recipients can receive update notifications as they arrive on the WSUS
server. Status reports can be sent at specified times and intervals.
Ability to determine the applicability of updates before installing them
WSUS 3.0 now automatically scans updates to determine the computers on which they
should be installed. Before actually planning and deploying the update for installation, the
administrator can analyze the update’s impact by means of a status report that can be
generated directly from the update view for a single update, a subset of updates, or all
updates.
Targeting
Targeting enables administrators to deploy updates to specific computers and groups of
computers. Targeting can be configured either on the WSUS server directly, on the
WSUS server by using Group Policy in an Active Directory network environment, or on
the client computer by editing registry settings.
The following are examples of targeting tasks that administrators can perform:
• Deploying new updates to a test computer group and then evaluating the
updates before distributing them to the production environment.
• Protecting computers that run specific applications. For example, if a critical
update is incompatible with an application used by only certain computers, an
administrator can make sure that the update is not distributed to those computers.
• Specifying a deadline by which an update must be installed, and then setting
different deadlines for different computers or computer groups.
• Making the same computer a member of more than one group. For example, a
computer could be a member of the "Test" group and also a member of the "Special
Applications" group.
Database options
The WSUS database stores update information, event information about update actions
on client computers, and WSUS server settings.
Administrators have the following options for the WSUS 3.0 database:
• The Windows® Internal Database database that WSUS can install during setup
on Windows Server 2003.
• An existing Microsoft SQL Server™ 2005 Service Pack 1 database.
15

Replica synchronization and reporting
WSUS enables administrators to create an update management infrastructure consisting
of a hierarchy of WSUS servers. WSUS servers can be scaled out to handle any number
of clients.
With replica synchronization, the administrator of the central WSUS server can create
updates, target groups, and approvals that are automatically propagated to WSUS
servers designated as replica servers. This means that branch office clients can get
centrally approved updates from a local server without the need for a local WSUS
administrator. Also, offices with a low-bandwidth link to the central server pose less of a
problem, because the branch WSUS server connects only to the central WSUS server.
Update status reports can be generated for all the clients of a replica server.
Management of multiple WSUS servers from a single console
WSUS 3.0 now allows administrators to manage a WSUS server hierarchy from a single
WSUS console. The WSUS administration snap-in to the Microsoft Management Console
can be installed on any computer in the network.
Reporting
Using WSUS reports, administrators can monitor the following activity (all reports are in a
printable format and can be exported to Excel spreadsheets or Adobe .pdf files):
• Update status: Administrators can monitor the level of update compliance for
their client computers on an ongoing basis using Update Status reports, which can
provide status for update approval and deployment per update, per computer, and
per computer group, based on all events that are sent from the client computer.
• Computer status: Administrators can assess the status of updates on client
computers. For example, they can request a summary of updates that have been
installed or are needed for a particular computer.
• Computer compliance status: Administrators can view or print a summary of
compliance information for a specific computer, including basic software and
hardware information, WSUS activity, and update status.
• Update compliance status: Administrators can view or print a summary of
compliance information for a specific update, including the update properties and
cumulative status for each computer group.
• Synchronization (or download) status: Administrators can monitor
synchronization activity and status for a given time period, and view the latest
updates that have been downloaded.
16

• WSUS configuration settings: Administrators can see a summary of options
they have specified for their WSUS implementation.
Troubleshooting
The WSUS Management Pack allows administrators to troubleshoot WSUS
infrastructure, including network connectivity, permissions, SQL connectivity, and WSUS-
related services. The WSUS Management Pack exposes this information in the State
view of the Microsoft Operations Manager. Administrators can get detailed information
about the cause of the problem and related solutions.
Extensibility
A software development kit (SDK) is available to enable administrators and developers to
work with the .NET-based API.
Administrators can create custom code to manage both Automatic Updates and WSUS
servers. New APIs allow administrators to collect hardware and software inventories from
managed devices, create approvals for installation via the Add or Remove Programs
dialog box, and integrate WSUS management with that of other management tools, such
as System Center Essentials.
Developers can create management applications to integrate with WSUS or to publish
third-party updates using WSUS infrastructure.
Configurable communication options
Administrators have the flexibility of configuring computers to get updates directly from
Microsoft Update, from an intranet WSUS server that distributes updates internally, or
from a combination of both, depending on the network configuration.
Administrators can configure a WSUS server to use a custom port for connecting to the
intranet or Internet, if appropriate. (The default port used by a WSUS server is port 80.) It
is also possible to connect via SSL, in which case the default port is 443.
Administrators can configure proxy server settings if the WSUS server connects to the
Internet through a proxy server.
Import and export and data migration from the command line
Administrators can import and export update metadata and content between WSUS
servers. This is a necessary task in a network with limited or restricted Internet
connectivity.
Administrators can seamlessly migrate their previous administrative settings, content
approvals, and content from a WSUS 2.0 server to a WSUS 3.0 server. Migration can
17

also be useful for consolidation of WSUS servers. For example, administrators can
migrate approvals for specific target groups from one WSUS server to another.
Backup and restore
WSUS supports ntbackup for update content files and SQL Server metadata.
Client-side features
The following features comprise the client-side component of the WSUS solution.
Powerful and extensible management of the Automatic Updates service
In an Active Directory service environment, administrators can configure the behavior of
Automatic Updates by using Group Policy. In other cases, administrators can remotely
configure Automatic Updates using registry keys through the use of a logon script or
similar mechanism.
Administrator capabilities for configuring client computers include the following:
• Configuring notification and scheduling options for users through Group Policy.
• Configuring how often the client computer checks the update source (either
Microsoft Update or another WSUS server) for new updates.
• Configuring Automatic Updates to install updates that do not require reboots or
service interruptions as soon as it finds them and not to wait until the scheduled
automatic installation time.
• Managing client computers through the Component Object Model (COM)–based
API. An SDK is available.
Self-updating for client computers
WSUS client computers can detect from the WSUS server if a newer version of
Automatic Updates is available, and then upgrade their Automatic Updates service
automatically.
Automatic detection of applicable updates
Automatic Updates can download and install specific updates that are truly applicable to
the computer. Automatic Updates works with the WSUS server to evaluate which updates
should be applied to a specific client computer.
18

Under-the-hood efficiency
The Automatic Updates service works in the background so that the perceptible impact
on employee productivity and network functionality is minimal.
Automatic Updates consolidates updates that require computer restarts into a single
restart.
Automatic Updates eliminates the need for users in a managed environment to interact
with Microsoft Software License Terms. License terms are accepted on the WSUS server
by administrators on behalf of client computers.
BITS 2.0 employs delta compression to facilitate downloads that are invisible to the user.
For example, after Automatic Updates downloads an update to a client computer, it will
continue to monitor either the upstream WSUS server or Microsoft Update, and then
download only changes in an update file to the client computer. This technology also
enables efficient distribution of service packs through Automatic Updates.
WSUS 3.0 Deployment Scenarios
WSUS is flexible enough to meet the update management needs of a wide range of
organizations—from small businesses with dial-up connectivity to the largest businesses
with thousands of users distributed across multiple sites. Depending on the size of the
organization, its location, and its connectivity infrastructure, administrators can determine
the most efficient way to scale out their WSUS servers—a decision that might involve one
or many WSUS servers.
In this section, you can learn more about the common scenarios for deploying WSUS
components in small, medium, and restricted networks.
Single WSUS server (small-sized or simple
network)
In a single WSUS server scenario, administrators can set up a server running WSUS
inside their corporate firewall, which synchronizes content directly with Microsoft Update
and distributes updates to client computers, as shown in the following figure.
19

Single WSUS Server
Multiple WSUS servers (medium-sized or
more complex network)
The following are common scenarios for deploying WSUS components in a medium-
sized or more complex network.
Multiple independent WSUS servers
Administrators can deploy multiple servers that are configured so that each server is
managed independently and each server synchronizes its content from Microsoft Update,
as shown in the following figure.
20

Multiple Independent WSUS Servers
The deployment method in this scenario would be appropriate for situations in which
different local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) segments are managed
as separate entities (for example, a branch office). It would also be appropriate when one
server running WSUS is configured to deploy updates only to client computers running a
certain operating system (such as Windows 2000), while another server is configured to
deploy updates only to client computers running another operating system (such as
Windows XP).
Multiple internally synchronized WSUS servers
Administrators can deploy multiple servers running WSUS that synchronize all content
within their organization’s intranet. In the following figure, only one server is exposed to
the Internet. In this configuration, this is the only server that downloads updates from
Microsoft Update. This server is set up as the upstream server—the source to which the
downstream server synchronizes. When applicable, servers can be located throughout a
geographically dispersed network to provide the best connectivity to all client computers.
21

Multiple Internally Synchronized WSUS Servers
Disconnected WSUS servers (limited or
restricted Internet connectivity)
If corporate policy or other conditions limit computer access to the Internet, administrators
can set up an internal server running WSUS, as illustrated in the following figure. In this
example, a server is created that is connected to the Internet but is isolated from the
intranet. After downloading, testing, and approving the updates on this server, an
administrator would then export the update metadata and content to the appropriate
media; then, from the media, the administrator would import the update metadata and
content to servers running WSUS within the intranet. Although the following figure
illustrates this model in its simplest form, it could be scaled to a deployment of any size.
22

Disconnected WSUS Servers with No Intranet Connectivity to the Internet
WSUS and the Update Management
Process
This Microsoft recommended approach to the update management process consists of
an ongoing set of four phases, as illustrated in the following figure. It is essential to repeat
the update management process on an ongoing basis, as new updates become available
that can enhance and protect the production environment.
Following the figure are the goals of each phase and examples of how administrators can
use WSUS features to ensure success during each of the four phases of the process. It is
important to note that many of the features can be employed in more than one phase.
The four phases of the update management process
23

1. Assess
The administrator’s goals for the Assess phase are:
• To set up a production environment that will support update management for both
routine and emergency scenarios.
Although it is the first step, the Assess phase is essentially an ongoing process. For
example, administrators have to assess how many servers and client computers they
need to update, what their storage and network bandwidth requirements are, and what
time frame is acceptable to deploy an average update. Administrators also have to
determine what platforms, products, and languages they want to update. Based on these
factors, administrators can determine the most efficient topology for scaling out their
WSUS components.
WSUS provides numerous options for setting up WSUS components, including the ability
to store update content locally on WSUS servers or download content on demand from
Microsoft Update. Administrators can also configure Automatic Updates to download and
install missing updates on a computer automatically. WSUS provides options for
managing client computers in both Active Directory and non–Active Directory
environments.
WSUS provides standardized aggregate reports that administrators can run on an
ongoing basis. These reports provide comprehensive information about all activity in the
WSUS implementation, including information about updates that have been synchronized
to a WSUS server, and which updates are installed or are missing from each computer.
2. Identify
The administrator’s goals for the Identify phase are:
• To discover new updates in a convenient manner.
• To determine whether updates are relevant to the production environment.
WSUS enables administrators to determine which types of updates to synchronize from
Microsoft Update and when to synchronize them. Because WSUS automatically gathers
data about all the computers known to the WSUS server in order to determine whether
an update is relevant, administrators can see immediately how many computers need the
update and how the deployment of the update would impact the network before installing
the update in the production environment.
24

3. Evaluate and Plan
The administrator’s goals for the Evaluate and Plan phase are:
• To test updates in an environment that is separate from but resembles the
production environment.
• To determine the tasks necessary to deploy updates into production, plan the
update releases, build the releases, and then conduct acceptance testing of the
releases.
When evaluating updates in a test environment, administrators can run many of the
WSUS features they would be using in the actual deployment. They can set the criteria
and schedule for automatically synchronizing their WSUS servers, create computer
groups, and then target updates for those groups by approving updates for install. During
and after testing, administrators can use the standardized reports that WSUS provides to
monitor the success of their test update installations.
WSUS enables administrators to evaluate the result of installing updates before
deploying them to a production environment. By creating a group of test computers and
autoapproving different sets of updates by product, language, and other classifications,
administrators can test various types of updates using automation. During and after
testing, administrators can correlate WSUS update reports with their test results to
validate installed updates and decide how and when to schedule download and
installation approvals for the production environment.
4. Deploy
The administrator’s goals for the Deploy phase are:
• To approve and schedule update installations.
• To review the process after the deployment is complete.
WSUS allows administrators to specify target groups of computers and approve the
deployment of updates to those groups. To establish the order in which updates are
deployed, administrators can use WSUS to create the most efficient upstream and
downstream WSUS server configuration for their network and staffing resources. In
addition, administrators can configure how client computers communicate with WSUS
servers or Microsoft Update by using Group Policy or by scripting with the WSUS API.
The administrator can then use reporting to determine the success of the update
deployment by computer or target group.
25

WSUS Next Steps
Go to the Windows Server Update Services site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?
LinkId=71198) to:
• Download WSUS.
• Download this WSUS documentation:
• Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started with Microsoft Windows Server
Update Services (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=71190)
• Readme for Windows Server Update Services 3.0
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=71220)
26

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