How the Software Update Services Feature Pack Works
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The Systems Management Server Software Update Services Feature Pack is specifically designed to quickly and effectively apply and implement critical updates. It provides key capabilities for detecting when computers are missing critical updates, facilitates the quick implementation of these critical updates, and provides a complete status report to help ensure that all deliveries were successful.
The Step-by-Step Process
The diagram on the right illustrates how the feature pack works. The numbers in the diagram correspond with the numbered descriptions on the left.
1. The SMS administrator, in a one-time event, downloads the Security Update Inventory Tool and/or the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool for Updates from the Microsoft Download Center Web site.
2. The administrator, in a one-time event, runs the inventory tool installer program on the SMS site server, which creates the necessary packages, collections, and advertisements for distributing the software update scan tools to the clients. Simultaneously, the installer program creates the program for the synchronization component on the synchronization host.
3. The software update scan component packages replicate to distribution points in the SMS site, and from there to the target client computers.
4. The scan component analyzes the current state of installed and applicable software updates on the client computer. The information is converted to SMS hardware inventory data, and it propagates up the hierarchy along with the rest of the hardware inventory data. Note that the time it takes for the information to reach the site server depends on the scan component configuration, hardware inventory agent schedule settings, and site server load.
5. The SMS administrator runs the Distribute Software Updates Wizard to view, evaluate, and authorize applicable software updates from the software update inventory data. The information the Wizard displays is based on the software update data that was collected during the scanning phase. It is important to note the Distribute Software Updates Wizard will not display correct information until the hardware inventory cycle has fully completed and the hardware inventory data is stored in the site database.
6. The Distribute Software Updates Wizard downloads the source files for the specified software update from the Microsoft Download Center Web site, stores the source file in the specified package source shared folder, and creates or updates the necessary packages, programs, and advertisements for distributing the software updates to SMS clients. To every package the Wizard creates or updates, it appends an SMS program that contains commands to run the Software Updates Installation Agent. The software update packages replicate to distribution points in the site, and the programs are advertised to the clients.
7. The Software Update Installation Agent runs on the clients and deploys the software updates. The agent runs the scan component to ensure that it installs only the needed software updates.
8. Periodically (weekly by default,) the synchronization component checks the Microsoft Download Center Web site for updates to the scan component and software updates catalog. The synchronization component downloads these new updates.
9. The synchronization component updates the packages, programs, and advertisements associated with the scan component. The updated scan component package and advertisement are distributed to the destination SMS client computers.
For More Information
For more information, refer to the Software Update Services Feature Pack overview.