Pushing Windows updates

[icon58]

Hello:
I am running a small network (24 clients and a server) and would like to know if there is anyway to "remotely" push windows updates??? I am setup to remotely access the network using VNC but I don't want have to go to each computer and run updates remotely.
Thanks Icon58

 

[Zelandakh]

Look at SUS - free product from MS. Seriously good FAQs already exist at

http://www.faqshop.com

for this product.

<signature for rent>

 

[markdmac]

SUS would be the way to go to be able to filter what hotfixes get down. Note that you can't PUSH with it though, the clients still need to pull.

If you only have 24 machines then you could probably get away with just enabling AutoUpdate.

I hope you find this post helpful. Please let me know if it was.

Regards,

Mark

 

[icon58]

Nope clients are one track they use their program and are oblivious to everything else. Now thats not a bad thing. No poing under the hood. But does make it hard to update. I will look at the SUS and see thanks
Icon58

 

[markdmac]

If you set AutoUpdate to automatically download and install at 3:00AM there would be no action needed by your clients.

SUS works much the same way except that it allows you to:

1. Act as your own Windows Update Server thus making only 1 machine use the WAN to get updates.

2. Allows you to pick and choose which updates will be installed.

The next version of SUS is called WUS. It will also allow you to patch MS Office.

The down side to SUS in the small IT space is that you probably don't have a lot of extra drive space. SUS has to download ALL the updates, past and present for its catalog. MS suggests running it on its own server but you could get away with it on just about anything since its only times for real activity would be scheduled for when other apps are not usually doing anything. SUS also REQUIRES that it be installed on port 80. So if you already have web sites, be prepared to work with that port requirement.

I hope you find this post helpful. Please let me know if it was.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NetIntruder]

Personally I prefer Shavlik's Hot Fix Program - for 24 clients it will run you a few hundred bucks. It patches windows, office, exchange, SQL, etc. and you can customize it to what you are trying to do with custom patch groups.

Check it out - they offer free trials.

~Intruder~

"The Less You Do, The Less Can Go Wrong"