Software Update Management in ConfigMgr 2012

In ConfigMgr 2012 Software Update Management can be configured. I recommend this always above WSUS, because of better management possibilities and reporting. Software updates can be configured for manual installation or automatic installation (which is new in ConfigMgr 2012). In this blogpost I willl explain both technologies.

Software Update Management has become better and easier then ever before. No need to look for Search folders, Update lists, Deployment templates and Deployment management in the console anymore. Instead there is a Software update catalog, Software update groups, Deployment packages and Automatic deployment rules now, which I will explain next.

When adding Criteria on the Software update catalog, queries can be made. This is like Search folders in the 2007 version. Queries can be saved for later usage, and can contain multiple settings.

For automatic installation, just configure a "Automatic deployment rule". This rule will download all (required) updates and deploy them to a collection (or collections). No need to do anything at all. Software updates will be download and approved automatically. Just watch the reports monthly after the software update installation, and you are fine! Just a very nice new ConfigMgr 2012 feature :)

For manual installation things go a bit different. Select one or more (required) updates in the Software update catalog. Choose to create a new Software update group. Next time you can add them to an existing Software update group, by using "Edit membership". This way you can use a single Software update group for a specific Operating System. From the Software update group updates can be deployed to a collection (or collections).

Note: Just remember to download updates first, before adding them to an existing Software update group. Otherwise above error message is displayed. Well, it's not that hard..

When putting Maintenance Windows on collections, updates will installed only and servers will rebooted only within the defined service window. Just use above configuration for monthly updates instead of using WSUS. Hope it helps!