#149790 - 2005-10-12 06:03 PM
WSUS Automation
|
Glenn Barnas
KiX Supporter
Registered: 2003-01-28
Posts: 4402
Loc: New Jersey
|
Greetings!
Is anyone using WSUS for patch management? If so, what are you doing to control when patches are applied?
We have specific monthly windows when patches can be applied - Dev/Test the first week, QA the second week, contingency production the third week, and primary production the fourth week. I've created some UDFs to check for WSUS pending reboots, approved updates; view/set local AU settings, and force the download & install of pending updates.
I'd share them freely if there's interest, but the documentation is limited at this time. Let me know and I'll make a zip file of the UDF library and docs available. Once it's had some test time, I'll post them properly in the UDF library.
The library can be downloaded from my web site - www.innotechcg.com - Go to Products, then Admin ToolChest.
Glenn
PS - these are the functions in the library:
Code:
; Functions in library:
;
; wuCheckUpdateAgent() Check the version of the update agent - update it if not current
; wuGetConfig() Returns an array containing the WSUS configuration
; wuSetConfig() Sets the WSUS configuration from an array
; wuRestartStatus() Determines the Restart Pending status
; wuGetAvailableUpdates() Returns an array of available updates
; wuDownloadUpdates() Download and optionally install updates
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#149793 - 2005-10-12 07:04 PM
Re: WSUS Automation
|
StarwarsKid
Seasoned Scripter
Registered: 2005-06-15
Posts: 506
Loc: Oregon, USA
|
For what it's worth I'm running SMS2003 for my patch management. It uses MBSAv2 for OS patches and a special patch manager for Office Updates. The mechanisms for patch distribution may be similar.. I don't know.
If anyone is interested in more information, let me know.
BTW, I found the Microsoft On-Demand webcasts were critical in assimilating technical information on new technology I was implementing. Microsoft has a webcast for just about every application they make now. It's almost as good/just as good as attending a training class.
http://www.microsoft.com/events/itpro.mspx
I haven't checked but there may also be a demo server of WSUS on Microsoft's virtual lab site.
http://microsoft.demoservers.com/
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#149800 - 2006-01-04 04:37 PM
Re: WSUS Automation
|
kixarse
Lurker
Registered: 2005-12-23
Posts: 4
|
Hey thanks for the link. We've been doing it the ole' fashioin way with registry files loaded via the logon.bat and have been wanting to do it with kix...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#149801 - 2006-01-26 12:12 AM
Re: WSUS Automation
|
flashcash5
Lurker
Registered: 2006-01-24
Posts: 4
|
How is the library workin out Glenn?
Currently working on using kix to do windows updates so if you have any feedback on the library, it would be nice to hear it..
Thanks
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#149802 - 2006-02-01 03:59 PM
Re: WSUS Automation
|
Glenn Barnas
KiX Supporter
Registered: 2003-01-28
Posts: 4402
Loc: New Jersey
|
Sorry - changed depts at work and have been swamped with new stuff - haven't been to visit in a while. However, the WSUS library is working great. I use it in the environment I'm responsible for and it works great.
We used to have the WSUS admins release some patches on the first week, then the second week, and finally the third week, so we could roll out to our Secondary QA, Primary QA, and then production servers. Sometimes they would forget to release patches to a machine, or would not releast them in time.. we'd lose our patch window. Sometimes, too, when the patches were downloaded during the day, we'd have short periods where our app would hang, even though BITS is supposed to be low overhead.
We changed the settings on the target systems to report only - D/L & install only when initiated by an admin - we've had no hang problems, unexpected installs, or missed patch windows. Every patch for our servers is now approved for every server on the first of the month. The servers still report their needs every 4 hours or so, but don't download or install anything until either an admin logs in and initiates it, or the WUS script (using this library, and included in the zip file) is executed. This is done by a windows task scheduler event on the first, second, or third weekend of the month.
So far, I've encountered only one issue - if the patches are downloaded but not installed by some mechanism outside the library (still haven't figured out how that happened) the script sees there are no patches to download and exits. It needs to be recoded to continue processing, installing previously downloaded patches. This is a minor issue and can be changed by eliminating the EXIT statement that is invoked when no patches are available for download.
Glenn
_________________________
Actually I am a Rocket Scientist! 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#149804 - 2006-02-01 05:16 PM
Re: WSUS Automation
|
Howard Bullock
KiX Supporter
Registered: 2000-09-15
Posts: 5809
Loc: Harrisburg, PA USA
|
Automate WSUS??? That would be SMS2003. WSUS was designed and released for small to medium companies. SMS2003 is the enterprise solution for inventory and patch delivery. And as stated previously they both use the same underlying technology for determine what needs to be applied.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Arend_, Allen, Jochen, Radimus, Glenn Barnas, ShaneEP, Ruud van Velsen, Mart
|
0 registered
and 1527 anonymous users online.
|
|
|
