wsus - lan not connected to internet

[kida]

My client has a windows 2003 server on their novell network. This network is a closed network and in no way will they EVER allow the network to be connected to the internet. I would like to install windows servers update service... any idea how to do this without an internet connection????? It is installed and looks like it is running. It is looking at our 2003 server IIS update site for files but;;; we are stuck there. Not sure what type of files to place on the iis server and not sure exactly where to place them... any help would be much appreciated.

 

[markdmac]

The catalog of fixes is over 7GB in size. WSUS is designed to be connected to the Internet so the workstations don't have to be. I don't think you can manually place the hotfixes in the download directory and have them be detected, the product is not designed that way.

You could of course use a dial up connection and have it take a month or more to get all the fixes.

I would personally tell your client that they should invest in a firewall and use the technology as intended. If they won't heed your advice I would abandon them as a client. You don't need the aggravation of such a paranoid customer.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[reynolwi]

Just out of curiosity... Why is it a closed network? How do they get email in, and internet? What is the purpose of this closed network?

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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[kida]

O.K. why is this a closed network - security reasons. Are they paranoid... yes! They have always had a "closed" network and probably will always have one. If they require outside communication, they use a firewall and a dedicate line. To me, does it make any sense to abandon a client because of this.. NO!

I understand that WSUS is designed to work with a network that is connected to the internet (via firewall or not). I've had it set up that way and it works great! this case is different (and so is the client).

I'm figuring on setting up a stand-alone system running WSUS and having the updates download.. then copy them to DVD and putting the updates on our closed network WSUS server... Not the best way of doing things but, may possibly be the only way?!?

 

[porkchopexpress]

Take a look here under Offline Updates near the bottom.

http://www.wsuswiki.com/AdvDeployOptions

This is explained in more detail in the WSUS deployment guide.

 

[porkchopexpress]

I do however agree with Mark that you should tell them a get with the times, even if they have a router that they could turn off when the internet is not required. However with a decent hardware firewall and good security policy (+ not allowing staff casual internet use) they shouldn't have any problems.

 

[kida]

Thank you very much "porkchopexpress"! That is exactly what I figured I would have to do...

Thanks for the link that explains it.