What is Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)?
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The Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Microsoft program that allows administrators to keep their Windows servers up to date by downloading the latest updates from Microsoft and distributing them to computers on the network.
Further, administrators plan, manage, and deploy patches and hotfixes for client operating systems, Microsoft applications, and Windows Servers using WSUS. Primarily, a free product from Microsoft that provides more control over updates than other tools. Also, WSUS offers a central location for clients to acquire the updates.
Many small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) easily use the free and simple tool to manage Microsoft Windows updates. In fact, Windows 8.1, 10, and 11 are all supported by Microsoft client operating systems that uses WSUS.
In other words, WSUS will soon be a part of Server 2022, but at present, it is compatible with Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, and 2019.
The free add on application helps administrators in analysing the current system and manage downloads. In effect, it offers enhanced reporting capabilities as well as supports multiple languages. Further, it includes security updates, drivers, update rollups, and feature packs. Based on the number of client machines, administrators deploy WSUS servers. In case, you deploy two or more WSUS servers, you have the authority to decide whether you want to connect one or more servers to Microsoft update. In detail, the Microsoft Update connected servers serve as a source of updates for other servers in the network.
Simultaneously, automatic alerts are an important part of WSUS. When a new update is released, WSUS automatically sends out an alert to the system administrators. This way, the system administrators deploy the update to their computers. Another fact about WSUS is – it is a complex program, and it takes a lot of time to set it up and manage it.
In simple terms, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a centralized software distribution service that helps administrators distribute updates to Windows computers in an organization. Using WSUS, you reduce the time it takes to deploy updates to Windows computers.
Benefits of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
In like fashion, Microsoft provides a number of updates for its products on a regular basis, among them critical updates, security updates, and updates related to drivers, service packs, and tools are common. Hence, in order to fix security flaws and guarantee client machines function as intended, installing these updates on client machines is necessary.
But manually inspecting, authorizing, and installing updates takes a lot of time and effort. Further, manually verifying that each client system received the proper upgrades is error prone. Also, you might leave your IT environment open to threats from the internet.
Hence, it is best to use Windows Server Update Services. You may consolidate and automate update management for Microsoft products using Windows Server Update Services. This makes it easier to decide which computers need a particular update and when and how to deploy updates.
Additionally, without interfering with worker productivity, you may schedule updates and check for client workstations that need to have updates installed. In a way, you also save on your corporate internet bandwidth using WSUS.
If you use Internet Explorer as your web browser, you can remotely manage WSUS servers using HTTP or HTTPS. Further, it allows deploying updates to clients in multiple languages.
Also, if you have already purchased the Windows Server license, you do not require any extra licensing.
Surely, another great benefit of WSUS is it allows administrators to test if the launched update works with their network or not. Further, it helps in installing updates without affecting the production work, mainly during the maintenance time frame.
Now it is the main part of this article How to Setup WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022.
How to Setup WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022
In this section, we show you how to install and configure Windows Server Update Service on Windows Server 2022.
Prerequisites
- A user with administrative privileges.
- Minimum 4 GB of RAM with 2 Cores CPU.
Install WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022
First, you will need to install the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) role on your server. Follow the below steps to add the WSUS role:
Step 1 – Open the Windows Server Manager as shown below:
Step 2 – Click on Add roles and features. You should see the before you begin screen:
Step 3 – Click on the Next button. You should see the select installation type screen:
Step 4 – Select “Role based of feature based installation” and click on the Next button. You should see the select destination server screen:
Step 5 – Select your destination server and click on the Next button. You should see the select server roles screen:
Step 6 – Select “Windows Update Services” and click on the Next button. You should see the WSUS screen:
Step 7 – Click on the Next button. You should see the select role services screen:
Step 8
Follow to Step 8 – Select WSUS service and click on the Next button. You should see the WSUS content location screen:
Step 9 – Define the path of WSUS installation and click on the Next button. You should see the IIS role screen:
Step 10 – Click on the Next button. You should see the role services screen:
Step 11 – Select Web Server roles and click on the Next button. You should see the confirm installation screen:
Step 12 – Click on the install button to start the installation. Once the installation is complete, you should see the following screen:
Step 13 – Restart your system to apply the changes.
How to Setup WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022
After installing WSUS server, you will need to configure it using WSUS Server configuration wizard. Follow the below steps to configure the WSUS server:
Step 1 – Go to the Windows Server Manager => Tools then click on the WSUS Server Configuration wizard. You should see the following screen:
Step 2 – Click on the Next button. You should see the upstream server selection screen:
Step 3 – Select “Synchronize from Microsoft Update” and click on the Next button. You should see the Specify Proxy Server screen:
Step 4 – If you are using any proxy server then define it otherwise leave it blank and click on the Next button. You should see the language selection screen:
Step 5
Follow to Step 5 – Select your language and click on the Next button. You should see the product selection screen:
Step 6 – Select any product that you want to update and click on the Next button. You should see the classifications selection screen:
Step 7 – Define your update classification then click on the Next button. You should see the synchronize selection screen:
Step 8 – Select “Synchronize Manually” and click on the Next button. Once the WSUS configuration is complete, you should see the following screen:
Step 9 – Click on the Next button to start synchronization. You should see the following screen:
Step 10 – Click on the Finish button to complete the WSUS configuration.
Install Update From WSUS Server
Thereafter, to install all updates from the WSUS server, you will need to install the WSUS Admin Console on the computer where you want to install update.
Open the the PowerShell as Administrator and run the following command to install the WSUS console:
Install-WindowsFeature -Name UpdateServices-Ui
After the installation, launch the Windows Server Update Services console as shown below:
Click on the Action => Connect to Server. You should see the following screen:
Provide the WSUS IP address, port number and click on the Connect button. Once the WSUS server is connected, you should see the following screen:
You can now import update from the WSUS server to your system.
Thank you for reading How to Setup WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022. We shall now conclude.
How to Setup WSUS Server on Windows Server 2022 Conclusion
In this guide, we explained how to install and setup WSUS server on Windows server 2022. We also explained how to connect to WSUS server and install update manually.
Summarizing, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Windows Server 2008 or later feature that enables you to manage updates for your computers. In the same way, WSUS provides a system for system administrators to deploy updates and manage the activation status of updates. WSUS is a central point for software updates for Windows computers and mobile devices. It is a copy of the latest software updates from Microsoft and other software vendors.
On balance, WSUS also helps to distribute the updates to computers in your organization. You can join WSUS to receive updates from other organizations or the Internet. Using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), saves you on your corporate internet bandwidth as well as automates update management for Microsoft products. The enhanced reporting feature supported by WSUS also helps determine health status and update deployment metrics.
Overall, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is an amazing free product from Microsoft that provides more control over updates and prevents installing patches that break software or cause downtime.
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