Installation, Configuration and Deployment of Software Updates – SCCM 2007

Brief summary about this article:
This entire data is divided into 3 parts as follows
Overview of Software Updates & Installation of WSUS 3.0 - Part 1

• Overview of software updates
• Certain Prerequisite for Software Update
• Installation of WSUS

Installation of Software Update Point and Software Update Synchronization - Part 2

• Installation of Software Update Point
• Configuration of WSUS
• Software Update Synchronization

Configuring Software Update & Deployment Procedure - Part 3

• Configuration for Software updates
• Creating Search Folder
• Creating Software Update list
• Deployment of Software Updates
• Client End Configuration Verification (Just for  Test computer)
• Troubleshooting yard for software updates
• Software Update Report

Support hand for this article: Gireesh Mani, he is a colleague working with me for SCCM, his valuable time and knowledge is very much appreciated for helping me to prepare this article.

                                        Overview of Software Updates & Installation of WSUS 3.0 - Part 1

What is Software Update?
Software Update is nothing but to install certain updates like critical, security, service pack for any installed product like OS or application which is provided by respective vendor for increase the reliability and  performance of the products.

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 software updates feature help the IT Administrator with the set of tools and resources which will push those updates over the network during the specific time, apply those software updates on the target computers.

Overview of Software Update
This software update is not a new feature arrived with SCCM 2007, this was introduced with System Management Server (SMS) 2003, still the basic objectives remain the same however it provide more advanced configuration and improved technology.

Some of the Improvement in Software updates compare to SMS 2003:

Update Binaries : In SMS 2003, if client are missing any applicable updates they need to download entire package itself, with the release of SCCM 2007 client doesn’t need to download the entire package instead of that they only download the missing applicable entries only.

Deployment :  In Sms 2003, we need to use Software Distribution Package and that is also 1:1 ratio. In SCCM 2007 it does not use regular software distribution packages. Deployment do not require a 1:1 relationship with deployment packages. Allows multiple deployments and better reporting.

Installation Experience : In SMS 2003, Administrator require to run 17 steps each and every time for any addition or changes. In SCCM 2007 we can save the time because the software updates information  is being saved as an Template form where we can make the changes whenever we require rather then going through the whole process.

The above information is just an basic overview about software update which I got from self learning and ms technet.
In this article we will very much focus on the configuration and deployment of software updates.

Prerequisite for Software Update:
 The WSUS Server need to be installed before configuring software update point site role because software update point server will use WSUS as a prerequisiste component. The software update point component handles synchronization requests to WSUS, inserting synchronized software updates metadata into the site server database and sending state messages to indicate the current status. Clients connect to the WSUS server when performing compliance assessment scans for software updates.

 Windows Update Agent (WUA) 3.0 required on the client computer:  This windows update agent will connect to WSUS server and retrieve the list of software updates that need to be scanned for compliance. This will be installed automatically when we install Configuration Manager on the client end.

My Scenario:
Happy. Com is having centralized sccm server through which IT administrator wants to deploy software update on newly installed Windows XP Machines.

In my domain:
I have two Windows Server 2003, one is my DC and another is going to be my SCCM server.

Let start from basic, as you all know software update help us to download the latest and critical updates from Microsoft Website for MS product. So here the major key for Software update, is Windows Server Update Service (WSUS). We need to have WSUS inplace and configured properly before we do software update. And one of the interesting point in SCCM installation is you need to install WSUS as a part of the requirement. I am not going to discuss much on SCCM installation here.

Installation of WSUS:

Whenever we are considering about WSUS installation three things come in our mind – Do I need to install WSUS on separate Server or in the same SCCM server, do I need to configure the virtual directory in the default Web Site (IIS) or customized one and Disk Configuration.  Most of forums and articles use to reflect me only one thing if your sccm server is having recommended configuration you can install WSUS on the same server itself there is no harm. So I am going to install it in the same server only. IIS – port 80 is commonly used for most of the virtual directories so I am going to use a new web site for WSUS and port number which is going to be used 8530 and 8531 (Default one). Note: don’t forget to confirm the status of this port whether it is open or closed. Disk configuration – RAID-1 for OS and RAID-5 for this sccm server as a good configuration and size it depends upon the actual utilization and keeping 30% of growth depending on the role of the server.

For basic configuration of SCCM (where WSUS needs to be installed) Server:
 Assign proper permission on System Object and Server
 Configure IIS and enable bits
 Install  SQL Server 2005 with SP2
 Extend the SCCM Schema

Now it’s a time to install WSUS, Installation of WSUS is not a complicated nor so difficult unless and until you don’t understand English and the meaning of “NEXT”. Most of the things are default setting only.

 Download WSUS application from this link
 Execute the application, it will extract the file
 Now you will get Welcome Screen, click on NEXT
Figure1:

 
 Under Installation Mode : Select “Full Server Installation including Administration Console”
Figure 2:

 
 License Agreement :  Select “I accept”

 Select the path of source file where you want to save the source file (basically you can set RAID-5 drive)
Figure3:

 
 Database Option : Select the appropriate drive and click on NEXT
Figure 4:

 

 Web Site Selection : Select “Create a Windows Server Update Services 3.0 sp1 website”
Figure 5:

 

 Then it will give summary about the setting which has been selected
Figure 6:

 

 Then it will intstall the WSUS
Figure 7:
 


 Then it will complete the installation
Figure 8:

 

 Once you finish the installation, it will open the configuration wizard, simply click on CANCEL

KeyPoint:
 Single WSUS server will support upto 25000 Client computer.
 If your organization is consist of more then 25000 + then you need to with NLB on more then two or more WSUS Server.
Then install SCCM on the server, for more info on installation of SCCM refer this link

For installing SCCM on Windows Server 2008 – Refer this link on How to Configure Windows Server 2008 for Site Systems

Related Article:

Overview of Software Updates & Installation of WSUS 3.0 - Part 1
Insallation of SUP and Software Update Synchronization - Part 2
Configuring Software Update & Deployment Procedure - Part 3

Reference Link:
Software Updates in Configuration Manager