Patching servers with QChain functionality 1

[kmcferrin]

Hey all, I have a couple dozen servers that need to have Windows patches applied to them, and we have to use QChain to build the patch packages for them. Yes, I know all about WSUS, and we're using it for about 400 other servers, but on this specific group we can't use it, so I either have to do it manually one patch at a time or chain them together with QChain.

So my question is this: will QChain be smart enough to determine whether a given patch is needed and no install unnecessary patches? For example, I have a lit of a dozen or so patches that need to be applied (by KB number). For each of those KB numbers, there are usually at least a Windows 2000 and a Windows 2003 version. I have resigned myself to making two separate packages, one for each OS. But beyond that, some of those patches are for IE, and there will be different versions of the patch depending on what version of IE you are running (so it could be Win2K + IE5.01, Win2K + IE5.5, Win2K + IE6.0, Win2K3 + IE6.0, Win2K + IE7.0, etc). Then there are other patches that vary depending on the version of the XML parser installed, MDAC version, etc.

So can I just make a package for Windows 2000 with all of the Windows 2000 patches and expect that QChain will be smart enough to only apply the appropriate versions of the patches, and then do the same with Windows 2003? Or am I going to need to build a lot of different combinations, or just do it by hand?

 

[markdmac]

Q chain won't make the determination if a patch is needed or not, but the patch itself will.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.

 

[itsp1965]

Unfortunately if you are not using SUS/WSUS you will have to research and apply as necessary (which is I do for customers who don't have this in-place -- in the form of a batch file). As Mark indicated Qchain does not determine which patch to apply

 

[kmcferrin]

OK, so if there are 10 fixes that need applied, and counting up all of the different versions of the patches I now have 32 different patches to install. So I can just put in a single batch file that calls all 32 of them, then the patches that are not appropriate will determine that they're not appropriate and not install, the patches that are appropriate will determine that and install, and whatever QChain options I'm using (like supressing reboot) will still work as advertised. Right?

 

[markdmac]

Correct

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.