Tech Tip 
By Neil Murray

 Manage your Microsoft updates with WSUS

With the constant need for security patches and fixes, Microsoft has gone to a model of releasing their updates once a month. Once the updates are released, they now have to be downloaded and installed on your servers and workstations. But how do you plan for this?

Do you set a fixed schedule, or do you just run updates whenever you get to them? Do you control all your systems together, or is it up to your users to update their systems individually? Are updates being downloaded from Microsoft’s site over and over again by each computer, or do you use a single system to act as central repository that all your other computers can draw from?

To help plan and implement an update strategy, Microsoft has upgraded their update services with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Paired with Group Policy, WSUS lets you control Microsoft’s updates in your environment. A single server can act as a repository for all updates, and without having to visit every machine in your network, the rest of your Windows-based systems can be configured to draw their updates from it. You can control when updates are downloaded, how they are applied, and even monitor which systems are or are not getting their updates.

 If you’re interested in learning more about WSUS, contact Data Perceptions at 1-877-749-9319.