Distribute Windows Updates

[Guest]

Hello,

I have received great help from users here in the past and am hoping that it
will be an upwards trend.

I have a home network consisting of 4 clients connected to a server. The
server is used to share the internet connection and as a file and print
server.

All machines (including server) run Windows XP Pro SP2 (with all current
updates).

We are on a 56k dial-up connection (we can not get broadband –Australia is
behind in the IT department).

What I need is this:

Using windows update, I need to download the same software 5 times! The same
goes for Office 2003 and any software I need patches for, unless I dig
through the download sections of the various sites and download
redistributables and then manual update each computer.

The current way my Microsoft update system works is:

ClientA _______________________________________
Requires update: @2
|

\|/
ClientB ___________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3
|

\|/
ClientC
________________________________|__>__Internet
Requires update: @2, #3, $4
|

/|\
ClientD _____________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4, %5
|

/|\
ServerA ____________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3

So in effect I have downloaded @2*5, #3*4, $4*2 and $5*1 which is clearly
inefficient.

What I would like is something that automatically does this at a specified
time:

ClientA _______________________________________
Requires update: @2
|

\|/
ClientB ____________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3
|

\|/
ClientC ________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4
|

\|/
ClientD _____________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4, %5
|

\|/

ServerA

Downloads: @2, #3, $4, %5

and installs appropriate

patches on itself and clients.

|

\|/

|

Internet

Thus downloading all patches only once!

Is there some software that can do this? My budget is very limited so I
would prefer a free product or at least a trial period.

I was hoping that there might be a way to configure the current Windows
Updater to do this, or perhaps another tool offered by Microsoft that works
on my current setup.

Thanks heaps for the help,
Drew Baker

 

[Guest]

As the above attempt at a flow chart failed, here is a link to what I was
trying to illustrate.

http://www.bboys.satlink.com.au/drew/DistributeWindowsUpdates.htm


- PrvtBacon

 

[Chuck]

Hello,

I have received great help from users here in the past and am hoping that it
will be an upwards trend.

I have a home network consisting of 4 clients connected to a server. The
server is used to share the internet connection and as a file and print
server.

All machines (including server) run Windows XP Pro SP2 (with all current
updates).

We are on a 56k dial-up connection (we can not get broadband –Australia is
behind in the IT department).

What I need is this:

Using windows update, I need to download the same software 5 times! The same
goes for Office 2003 and any software I need patches for, unless I dig
through the download sections of the various sites and download
redistributables and then manual update each computer.

The current way my Microsoft update system works is:

ClientA _______________________________________
Requires update: @2
|

\|/
ClientB ___________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3
|

\|/
ClientC
________________________________|__>__Internet
Requires update: @2, #3, $4
|

/|\
ClientD _____________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4, %5
|

/|\
ServerA ____________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3

So in effect I have downloaded @2*5, #3*4, $4*2 and $5*1 which is clearly
inefficient.

What I would like is something that automatically does this at a specified
time:

ClientA _______________________________________
Requires update: @2
|

\|/
ClientB ____________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3
|

\|/
ClientC ________________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4
|

\|/
ClientD _____________________________|
Requires update: @2, #3, $4, %5
|

\|/

ServerA

Downloads: @2, #3, $4, %5

and installs appropriate

patches on itself and clients.

|

\|/

|

Internet

Thus downloading all patches only once!

Is there some software that can do this? My budget is very limited so I
would prefer a free product or at least a trial period.

I was hoping that there might be a way to configure the current Windows
Updater to do this, or perhaps another tool offered by Microsoft that works
on my current setup.

Thanks heaps for the help,
Drew Baker

Drew,

What you're asking for is called Windows Update Services (ex Software Update
Services). WUS is an installable component in Server 2003, and I believe SUS
was installable in Server 2000.
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/desktopdeployment/securitypatching/securitysus.mspx>

Unfortunately, if you're looking for a free product, I don't think you'll want
Server 2003.

If you can run the updates manually, you might want to checkout the Windows
Update Catalogue, in Administrator Options under Windows Update. The WUC will
let you download each update, so you can install it on multiple computers, at
your convenience. You will, of course, have to know which updates to download.

--
Cheers,
Chuck
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not necessarily a bad thing - it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

Hello,

I don't know of a tool for automating this, but in my experience, _most_ of
the updates can be downloaded and installed manually. (I've had to do that
on many
occasions when WU gets smegged-up.)

If Windows Update says a machine needs an update, get the knowledge base
number of the update, then search for that number at the Windows download
site.

When updating manually, take care not to install too many updates at once, and
when you need multiple updates for the same component, be sure and apply
them in the sequence they were released. Also, the WU "history" view won't
have any record of manually applied updates.

Good Luck,

mTIE