Implementing Windows Server Update Services (Part V)

Along with the basic options described in the previous installment of this article, you can also configure advanced synchronization options on the WSUS server. These options are used to control things such as bandwidth usage and where the updates are stored. Advanced options include:

• Storage options

• Deferred downloads options
• Filtering Updates options
• Express installation options

Storage Options
As you saw during the installation of WSUS, by default, updates are downloaded and stored locally on the WSUS server. Alternatively, you can force clients to obtain updates from the Microsoft Update Web site instead of storing the updates on the WSUS server. Using this option instead of the default is useful in situations where clients have high speed Internet connections but the connection to the WSUS is slow. This configuration still allows you to approve updates; it only alters where clients download them from.

You can change where updates are stored by selecting Synchronization Options within the WSUS administrative console. Click the Advanced option under Update Files and Languages and click OK to accept the warning message. From Advanced Synchronization Options under Update Files, click one of the following options:

• Store update files locally on this server

• Do not store updates locally; clients install updates from Microsoft Update

Deferred Downloads Options
The Deferred Downloads Options allows you to configure when the updates should be downloaded. Updates can be downloaded in full during the synchronization process. Or, the download of all updates can be deferred until they are approved. This means that all the files required to install an update are not downloaded until they are approved by an administrator. This allows you to use available bandwidth more efficiently.

You can configure this option from the From Advanced Synchronization Options under Update Files. Select the Download updates to this server only when updates are approved option to defer downloads.

Filtering Updates Options
Another way that you can optimize bandwidth is to limit the download of updates to specific languages, products, and update type. The default behavior of WSUS is to download all updates for all products in all languages. Chances are many of the updates will not be applicable to your network clients. To better optimize bandwidth, you should limit the download of updates to only those that you require.

You can configure this option from the From Advanced Synchronization Options under Update Files. Select from one of the options outlined below:

• Download only those updates that match the local of this server (Locale) - Only those updates that match the locale of the WSUS server are downloaded

• Download updates in all languages, including new languages - All languages are downloaded regardless of the locale of the WSUS server
• Download updates only in the selected languages - Only updates in the language/languages you have selected are downloaded

Express Installation Options
This option is used to specifically optimize the bandwidth on the local network between the WSUS server and clients. Keep in mind though that there is a downside of using this option because downloading the express installation files to the WSUS requires more bandwidth than just downloading the updates themselves. However, installing the updates on the clients requires less bandwidth when using the express installation files.

You can enable this option from the Advanced Synchronization Options under Update Files by clicking Download express installation options.

As you can see, Windows Server Update Services offers a secure, efficient solution for deploying Microsoft updates to servers and workstations. Once the service is installed, the service can be customized to meet varying needs and requirements, thereby making it an update-solution that can be utilized in different environments.

[tags]administrator,diana huggins,wsus,windows server update,network update[/tags]